ORs 1st XV travelled to South London on Saturday to face Chiswick for the second time this season and with the first fixture the Reigate team suffered their heaviest defeat of the season so far with a 8 – 24 at Home so with the team looking for revenge. With a trip to Chiswick another challenge is faced with them being the only Club in the league to have an artificial surface. However on paper the flat dry surface should suit ORs style of play with the mobile pack and pace in the backs.
However it was the home side to get the first and only points on the board after four minutes they kicked a penalty to take a three point lead. Once the visitors found their stride they looked dangerous with the ball in hand and the back row of Dan Jones, Jack Baart and Ryan Travers moved across the artificial surface with great power and fitness and looked in another class to the home team in this department.
In fact it was Travers who scored the first try of the afternoon after eight minutes showing great pace and leaving a few defenders in his tracks. Alex Skinner added the extra two points 3 – 7.
Still the lads in Blue & Green moved the ball with confidence and finally the ball was moved wide where Finn Coyle had enough space to use his pace and score in the corner. The kick was too wide for Skinner this time but 3 – 12 after seventeen minutes was a confidence building scoreline.
However the Referee had given a couple of penalties against ORs and when the next one was awarded Jack Baart was directed to the touchline for ten minutes.
Being down to fourteen men didn’t affect the flowing rugby from the Blue & Greens and it was that man Travers again who seemed to be in the right place at the right time to finish of the move making his second try of the afternoon, with Skinner converting to make the score 3 – 19 at Half Time.
Second half continued with Regaitian running the ball with intent and some intelligent support lines the Chiswick defence was continually under pressure with eight minutes gone in the second half Jack Baart took the ball well inside his own half. He showed incredible pace and power to break a number of tackles to find himself in clear space with one defender to beat Alex Skinner was on his shoulder in support and Baart timed the pass perfectly to give skinner a easy run in and make the score 3 – 26 after he had kicked the conversion.
Moving into the last quarter of the game Coyle got on the end of another move with the ball passing through numerous pairs of hands to claim his second try of the match. No extras this time 3 – 31.
Before the end of the game their was time for Finn Coyle to claim his hat trick and finish the scoring for Old Reigatian to win 3 – 36. Also great that the 2nd XV claimed an impressive victory over Battersea Ironsides 34 – 19.
With no match for Reeds and Tottonians, ORs now sit top of London 2 SW. Fully aware of how close the top of this league will be come April every fixture is so important now and the visit to Reeds in two weeks is on everybody’s mind but the focus now is Chobham at Park Lane next Saturday a side more than capable of causing an upset and never a team to underestimate.
Old Reigatian 1st XV
Chiswick 03 – 36 Old Reigatian
1. Paul Marshall 2. Ciaran Nestor 3. Toby Collister 4. Reilly Franklin – Talbot © 5. Seb Courtney – Walker 6. Dan Jones 7. Jack Baart 8. Ryan Travers 9. Alex Skinner 10. Harry Serjeant 11. Finn Coyle 12. Rob Williamson 13. Tom Allen 14. Harrison Mitchell 15. Tom Woodford 16. Joe Reid 17. Sam Foreman 18. Luke Quartermaine
