Wallingford RFC

In selection, with several experienced players unavailable, Wallingford fielded a squad with an average age of just 23 years old, with captain James Norris the only player in his thirties. In the pack, Joe Mason came in at hooker for his first appearance in several years, allowing captain Norris a rare outing on the flank, whilst Jack Thurston slotted into the unaccustomed role of lock due to the late withdrawal of Will Fox due to illness. Whilst in the backline, JJ Brown switched to the centres and Dan Sadler returned at full-back.

With both teams only getting one pre-season match in due to unplayable pitches, it was an unsurprisingly scrappy opening to the game, as both sides struggled to find any rhythm due to handling errors and indiscipline.

After 20 minutes, one of the few moments of quality rugby resulted in the first score. After Charles Campbell made a break in midfield, the ball was put through the hands before Sam Botting fed his centre partner Brown for a finish in the far left corner. Conversion missed.

The rest of the half saw Wallingford have plenty of possession but they couldn’t capitalise as the typically resilient Bicester defence held firm, with the only real notable act being a Campbell penalty that extended the host’s lead to eight.

The second half saw the visitors get more into the game, as their handling improved and the big boot of their fly-half utilised the wind to pin Wallingford back in their half.

Midway through the half, Bicester looked to have reduced the deficit as a break and several offloads saw them go over to the right of the posts, but excellent Wallingford defence saw them hold the ball up, earning them a try-line drop out.

But from that, Wallingford committed suicide as the kick went straight out, gifting the visitors a 5m scrum, from which their impressive no.8 picked and crashed over for a try. Surprisingly, and ultimately crucially, the simple conversion was missed.

With Wallingford struggling to keep hold of the ball, Bicester continued their resurgence, and it didn’t take long for them to take the lead for the first time in the game.

After they were resisted from a catch and drive in the host’s twenty two, sustained pressure eventually saw one of their forwards muscle his way through for a powerful finish. Conversion kicked.

Things didn’t look good for the hosts, especially after losing the influential Max Suttner and Dan Sadler to injury, but to their credit, they began to work their way back into the game.

Bicester began to give away penalties in midfield as Wallingford upped their game, and after a quick tap caught Bicester napping, the impressive Ollie Corbett found makeshift winger Jack Payne on the left who finished well under pressure. The conversion was missed but Wallingford now had a one point lead with just over 5 minutes remaining.

Bicester inevitably threw everything at their hosts, and earned one last shot at victory, as they won a penalty ten meters into the Wallingford half. But whilst the kick had the legs, it drifted to the right and the chance was missed.

That was the last meaningful act of the game, as Wallingford closed out the game for the win.

This was a hard fought, attritional game of rugby, with neither team being able to execute in attack as they would have wanted, but that is often the case at the start of the season.

Considering the experience missing in this game, this was a good win against a settled, experienced and aways physical Bicester outfit.

The new look back row of Norris, Suttner and Diment put in a big shift, with Diment in particular excellent in defence, whilst Corbett carried on his fine form from last season with another all-round display at 9 and then 10. And there were good 1^st XV debuts for Luke Tremayne and Rob Moroney.

But Man of the Match was given to Jack Thurston, for, in the words of coach Wiltshire – “he played the full 80 out of position and didn’t moan/beg to be subbed off once”.