Results

Counties 1 Hampshire Results

Sat 6 Sep 2025

Chichester RFC

54 – 31

Portsmouth RFC

Chichester RFC

  • 15
    Thompson
  • 14
    Etherington
  • 13
    Scrivin-Wood
  • 12
    Fleming
  • 11
    Kinninmont
  • 10
    Davies
  • 9
    de Lacy
  • 1
    Knight
  • 2
    Brown
  • 3
    Glass
  • 4
    Barker
  • 5
    Heriot
  • 6
    Clark
  • 7
    Binfield
  • 8
    Makasi

Substitutes

  • 16
    Carden
  • 17
    Toft
  • 18
    Dowding

Portsmouth RFC

Substitutes

Match Report

This is the first time for many years that Portsmouth have taken on Chichester. After last weeks win against Guildford 17-15 on a cold, wet and windy day, today was a complete contrast with sunshine and a warm breeze blowing across the pitch. This is the first League match of the new season.

Chichester got proceedings underway and a lineout to Portsmouth close the Chi. 22 saw Portsmouth drive them back towards the try line at a rate of knots. It looked as though Portsmouth were going to score through Liam Avis but he broke away from his support players and Chi. managed to get under the ball thus preventing a try. However that miss was soon forgotten when Will Rolfe picked up a loose ball and battled his way over the try line for the first score of the match, Gareth Davies adding the extras. 0-7 after about 6 minutes. However Chi. were soon on the scoreboard when they scored a converted try taking the score to 7-7 on 10 minutes.

Chi. went into the lead on 14 minutes with a converted try to make the score 14-7. This was followed with another try on 22 minutes taking the score to 19-7. From a Portsmouth scrum, fullback Frazer Green collected a quick pass and broke through the defence to score close to the posts, Gareth Davies was on target with the conversion and the score was now 19-14. However Chi. had the last word of the half with a converted try on half time taking the score to 26-14.

The second half started with a bang for Chi. as they scored a converted try on 42 minutes, taking the score to 33-14. However Portsmouth soon hit back with a try by Lewis Murray, making the score 33-19. A converted try by Chi. saw them extend their lead to 40-19 but Portsmouth were soon back on the attack and a score attributed to Alex Buck which saw Portsmouth with a losing bonus point, took the score to 40-24.

Another Chi. converted try saw them extend their lead to 47-24 The gap was closed again when Portsmouth scored a converted try making the score 47-31. Chi. had the final word with a converted try taking the final score to 54-31 as the final whistle went.

A disappointing day for Portsmouth, but it could be seen that Chi had been playing in a higher league last season as they were just a bit slicker than Portsmouth. Their backs were just that bit quicker in pace. The Portsmouth scrum gave a good account of themselves, helped by Will Rolf, prop, Lewis Murray and Elliott Worall, who was back from a long term injury from last season, both second row. The backs have also been strengthened by Evan Watts, and Fraser Green, inside centre and fullback. Scrum half Dom Vugler made his debut and once he has adjusted to the pace of the game and the calls, he will prove to be a useful asset.

Next week sees us welcome Winchester 2nds to Rugby Camp. They got promoted from the league below us last season so are a bit of an unknown quantity. Kick off is 3.00p.m.
Next weeks’ opponents beat Sandown & Shanklin away 29-37. Andover beat Eastleigh 52-14 and Basingstoke beat Bournemouth 2’s 45-22.

TEAM
LIAM AVIS, ANT.FOOKS, WILL ROLFE
ELLIOTT WORALL, TOBY WILSON
ALEX BUCK, SAM FLOYD, AARON BEESLEY(C)
DOM VUGLER, GARETH DAVIES
BRAD JEWER, EVAN WATTS, SAM OLIE, HARVEY FIELD
FRASER GREEN

BENCH
PHIL GILLILAND, LEWIS MURRAY, MATT HIGGINS