Avon take a bonus bite out of Tigers
Avon collected their first try bonus point win of the season, 34-17, against previously undefeated Huish Tigers in Counties 2 Somerset.
This was an historic game as it was the first-ever match between the two clubs - with the Tigers only being formed four years ago by some former pupils at Richard Huish College, together with some older players from Taunton RFC. Having won promotion last year, Huish had also been unbeaten for over a year.
For Avon, club captain Kane Book was making his 350th appearance for the side.
Avon’s victory was based on a tremendous performance from their powerful pack, allied to some direct running from their backs. In a foretaste of what was to come, Xander Hall-davis opened the scoring with an unstoppable burst over the try-line with Jonny Batchelor adding the extras. Time and again, Hall-davis charged at the defence in a man of the match display to suck in defenders and create space for his supporting teammates.
Never far from the action were back row forwards Ian Burnell, Rhys van den Handel and Dan Griffin, supported by some powerful midfield bursts from Zak Harwood and Escher le Duc.
After Huish reduced the deficit with a penalty for offside, another multi-phased attack saw Batchelor add the gloss with Avon’s second try which he again converted. The Tigers sharpened their claws and showed their danger as they seized upon a handling mistake on halfway before spreading the ball wide to score a converted try on the left wing.
Avon’s forwards started to exert their influence, despite Huish fielding two former Somerset players in their pack, and another massive scrum surge resulted in a simple penalty from Batchelor. Once again the Tigers escaped and took advantage of an interception try to level the scores at half-time with the conversion from in front of the posts.
In a similar pattern after the break, another powerful drive led to another Batchelor penalty to retake the lead. The next 30 minutes remained scoreless as Avon missed the killer instinct, leaving a couple of try-scoring opportunities unfinished. Meanwhile Huish always threatened another breakout until Avon finally put the result beyond doubt in the last ten minutes.
More pressure inside the visitors’ half eventually paid off as scrumhalf Kiddie Sheikh pirouetted through the defence before reaching out backwards over his head to touch the ball down. Then, as Avon again reached the red zone, an excellent cut-out pass allowed Sam Book to score the bonus point try in the corner. Two more Batchelor conversions in a personal 19-point haul saw Avon eventually tame the Tigers.
On Saturday, Avon are at home to Minehead Barbarians whilst the second team host Combe Down Vets.
■ WALCOT had to recover from a slow start at Frome to come away with a comfortable victory in Counties 1 Southern South. Frome made a blistering start to the game and moved 12-0 in front with a couple of tries, one converted.
The visitors gradually found their back in the game and a wellworked converted try followed by a penalty put Walcot within two.
Frome were unable to capitalise on possession and some missed opportunities kept Walcot well within sight.
Walcot temporarily went ahead with a penalty; however Frome responded with a kick of their own to make it 15-13. Walcot then began to demonstrate why they finished second last season, taking the lead with another couple of penalties. Another try from close range then secured the 26-15 win for Walcot. ■ Combe Down had to settle for two bonus points at home to Swanage & Wareham following a tremendous tussle. Swanage gave four penalties away in the opening five minutes and Combe forced their way over from lineout to open the scoring.
Both sides played openly, however a couple of penalties saw Swanage in Combe’s 22 and they scored a try to level the scores after 20 minutes. Combe responded and secured a converted try seven minutes later with a move down the left.
Swanage almost scored from the restart but, from a scrum, Swanage did dot down unconverted to cut Combe’s lead at half-time to 12-10. Combe made a bright start to the second period and broke clear to score under the posts for another converted score.
The visitors struck a penalty on 52 minutes before a converted try moved Swanage ahead for the first time on 70 minutes. Three minutes later, Swanage had their bonus point try to make it 27-19 before defending stoutly for the final five minutes. Combe did score a try in the corner but it was only enough to secure both bonus points in the 27-24 defeat.
ELSEWHERE, Keynsham made it two wins from two at home in Regional 2 Severn. Hosting Swindon,
Keynsham ran out 34-24 winners in this first meeting between the sides and sees them sit sixth after three games.
The derby in Counties 1 Southern South saw Corsham claim their first victory at the expense of Avonvale - who were cruelly denied a losing bonus point in the 20-12 scoreline. It was Corsham’s first league win over Avonvale since 2004 and they will be hoping it can truly get their season under way, while Avonvale are still looking for their first win of the campaign.
Oldfield Old Boys lost for the second time in three matches, both away from home, in Counties 2 Somerset. Visiting St Bernadettes Old Boys, they too were narrowly off a losing bonus point as Oldfield went down 14-5, ending their twogame winning streak over Bernadettes. The second side sadly offered Keynsham 2nd an away walkover in Counties 3 Somerset North, while Old Sulians afforded Winscombe 2nd a home walkover.
Corsham 2nd got their Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central campaign under way with a 74-5 defeat at home to Amesbury - a far cry from Corsham’s 38-12 win over Amesbury in 2020.
In Counties 3 Dorset & Wilts Central, Combe Down 2nd bounced back from their opening day defeat with a 29-0 whitewash over Bath Saracens on the visitors’ first game of the campaign. It continues Combe’s recent winning run
over Saracens.
The other derby in the division proved more hard-fought as Bradford-on-avon also responded to last week’s disappointment with a 33-21 win at Colerne. It was the first meeting between the sides since 2007 where Colerne had won 12-5, however they have now lost their opening two matches this season.
In the Women’s Competitions, Bath enjoyed a winning start to their Championship South 1 campaign. Hosting Newbury at the Rec as part of the club’s double header following the men’s Premiership Rugby Cup defeat against Jersey, new head coach Maria Crowfoot would have been pleased with what she saw as Marlo Boyd scored two tries, while Hannah Stephens, Thea Thompson and Sarah Humphries also touched down in the 32-13 win.
Sarah Holloway kicked two conversions, with Chloe Sopp also slotting a penalty.
Bath United treated hosts Ellingham & Ringwood to a 60-0 whitewash in their NC1 South West (East) opener. Seren Hawkes claimed a hat-trick of tries, while scores also came from Sarah Dickinson, Laura Mahoney, Emily Sherwood, Sarah Burgess, Sarah Plummer, Molly Daniel and Samantha Macdonald. Bethan Dombkowski slotted three conversions and Daniel two as Bath got off to the perfect start.