Windsor keen to turn the page after 87-5 hammering by Hammersmith

Windsor will want to turn the page on the first chapter of their new Regional 2 Thames division season after losing 87-5 to Hammersmith and Fulham on Saturday.

This was a baptism of fire for the Royals following their sideways switch into the new division, but the manner and size of their defeat to Hammersmith will be of cause to new head coach Andy Symons.

Symons is keen to create an enjoyable environment at Home Park for his new-look squad to bed down and play their rugby, but there will have been nothing for them to enjoy about Saturday’s display, one of their heaviest in recent seasons.

The Royals immediately sink bottom of the table, with Hammersmith and

Fulham unsurprisingly perched at the top. Symons will be looking for a sizeable improvement when he takes his players to play at London Cornish, and their first home game will follow against Amersham & Chiltern on Saturday, September 17. Those two sides played each other on the opening day, with Cornish losing 31-29 at Amersham.

Marlow get their Counties 1 Tribute Southern North campaign underway on Saturday with a home game against Wallingford, and they come into the new season off the back of a stirring 24-19 friendly win over old rivals High Wycombe.

After their close season preparations, Marlow dominated in the contact areas and at the breakdown but failed to put a score on the board in the opening 20 minutes. Wycombe took advantage and snuck into a 7-0 lead, however, Rory Greenslade-Jones’ side responded well and fought back to win with some outstanding tries from the likes of Ollie Kemp. Taylor Doyle landed the winning blow to seal a narrow but deserved 24-19 win.

Slough were edged out in their opening Counties 2 Tribute Berks/Bucks & Oxon South clash, losing 18-13 at home to Hungerford.

The result leaves the Greenies sixth in the provisional table with a point to their name ahead of Saturday’s trip to Maidenhead’s third team. League rivals Maidenhead 3rds were beaten 29-15 at home by Rams 3rds, while Maids 2nd team edged out London Welsh 2nds 15-13 in a friendly prior to the first team’s excellent 56-17 win over Welsh in Regional 1 South Central.