With 17 year old Jack Nicol making his 1st XV debut Jack currently still at Reigate Grammar School follows his Brother Max in representing the Old Reigatian 1st XV. The future of the Club looks in great hands with not only Jack at scrum half but 18 year old Tom Baldwin at Flyhalf and from the same year Will Parker at outside centre.
Tom Baldwin got the team off to a flying start intercepting a Battersea pass to run 60 meters to score under the posts he converted his own try for the visitors to take a 0-7 lead within a minute.
However Battersea are a quality team and settled in to the game and within ten minutes had levelled the scores and 7-7 was a fair reflection of the opening exchanges.
Then disaster stuck with 18 minutes on the clock and Reigatian defending on the half way line Battersea went to move the ball to the right hand side Prop Val Garrec playing in only his 7th 1st XV game worked hard around the corner to get into the defensive line the Battersea flyhalf tried to step inside him and as Garrec changed direction he was unable to get low in the tackle and both players clashed heads. They each collected a nasty cut to their foreheads and the Referee felt he had no option to show Garrec a Red Card. At the time this seemed a game changing decision with so many changes and now a man down. However the lads in Green & Blue pulled together and it was until the 40th minute of the first half that the Home side were able to score again making the half time score 14-7.
Early in the second half Battersea gained good field position and were able to cross the try line again the conversion was unsuccessful and the lead increased to 19-7. Once again the OR’s dug in and played some great Rugby to force their way into Battersea’s half and Finn Coyle found the space out wide to score. Baldwin kicked a great conversion and with the visitors looked within reach 19-14. On this occasion it was Battersea who fell foul of the Referee when their 15 who had been a serious threat with the ball in hand mistimed his tackle and was also shown a Red Card so back to even teams with 14 against 14. From that Penalty Baldwin kicked another 3 points 19-17. However often the way the Battersea team lifted their game and managed an unconverted try and Penalty in the last ten minutes to give a final score of 27-17. Considering the changes during the week and the average age of the Team this was an outstanding performance and one the Squad should be proud of. Next Saturday Old Reigatian 1st XV take on Old Tiffs who sit one place above us in the league at Park Lane. One more victory if those below lose will guarantee Level 6 Rugby at Park Lane next season. Saturday 1st XV Captain Reilly Franklin Talbot played his 150th 1st XV fixture the third player this season to reach this milestone. Reilly is the rock the team is built around and a player that always gives his Team 100%. It would be no surprised to see Reilly being the first player to make it to 200 appearances. Massive Congratulations to Reilly
Old Reigatian 1st XV
1 Val Garrec 2 Ethan Monk 3 Ciaran Lee 4 Reilly Franklin Talbot © 5 Paul Marshall 6 David Niven 7 Will Godwin 8 Joey Goldsmith 9 Jack Nicol 10 Tom Baldwin 11 Finn Coyle 12 Harrison Mitchell 13 Will Parker 14 Patrick White 15 Conor Woods 16 Toby Collister 17 Sam Lenihan 18 Dan Westley
