Results

Counties 1 Hampshire Results

Sat 8 Nov 2025

Portsmouth RFC

31 – 19

(HT 24-12)

Eastleigh RFC

Portsmouth RFC

Substitutes

Eastleigh RFC

  • 15
    Hughes
  • 14
    Whitlock
  • 13
    Bridges
  • 11
    Lake
  • 10
    Barnes
  • 9
    Gaudion
  • 1
    Rodaway
  • 2
    Devereux
  • 3
    Basinger
  • 4
    Stone
  • 5
    Godfrey
  • 6
    Provost
  • 7
    Fudio
  • 8
    Devereux

Substitutes

  • 16
    Boyes
  • 17
    Hedges
  • 18
    Rosenburg

Match Report

The game was preceded by all teams playing at Rugby Camp lining up in front of the Club House in memory of Roy Harris, a proud Cornish man and Club legend of many years standing who sadly passed away last week aged 92. The funeral will be at Portchester Crematorium on Friday 21st.November at 10.00a.m. followed by the Wake at Portsmouth Rugby Club.

This was the first league match since October 18th when we lost narrowly to Guernsey 2nds, away and in some respects it showed. The cohesion they usually showed was not quite there and for the opening 10-15 minutes not a lot happened, both sides looking for dominance with Portsmouth just about having the upper hand. Jay Chatham at fullback made a great break and took play deep into the Eastleigh half before being tackled, He managed to get the ball away but as another attack started the final pass went into touch.

From an Eastleigh line out just inside their 22 Portsmouth managed to steal the ball and No. 8 Fooks was on hand to pick IT UP and ran through to score out wide. The kick missed and Portsmouth had an early lead 5-0 on 18 minutes. A couple of minutes later Fooks was again taking the ball into the Eastleigh half and a kick into the in-goal area saw
winger Tom Whitehouse, back in Portsmouth colours again, race through to win the race to touch down and score their 2nd try which Gareth Davies converted taking the score 12-0.

From the re-start skipper Will Rolfe took the ball and made good progress to the try line before being caught. He managed to off load the ball and Sam Olie was on hand to score close to the posts. Davies was successful with the conversion and the score now stood at 19-0 on 25 minutes. It was then the turn of Eastleigh to get on the score sheet following a period of pressure. Their conversion missed and the score was now 19-5 on 27 minutes. That score seemed to spur on Eastleigh as their confidence grew and they were rewarded with a second try which was converted taking the score to 19-12, just before half time. From a tap penalty Will Rolfe took the ball and shouldered his way to the try line giving Portsmouth a bonus point in the process taking the score to 24-12. The half time whistle went shortly after.

The second half got underway and penalties against the home side saw Eastleigh get close to the Portsmouth try line. Another penalty against Portsmouth saw Eastleigh take a quick tap and go and they ran through to score their 3rd try, which was mainly the result of poor tackling. The conversion was good and the score was now 24-19. The Portsmouth forwards were pretty dominant at scrum time and a good trundle to the line was just pushed into touch by some desperate action from the forwards, preventing a try.

Portsmouth soon made amends when they charged down an Eastleigh kick and Fooks was on hand to race through to touch down close to the dead ball line, Davies was again on target and the score was now 31-19, with about 5 minutes left. Following a penalty against Portsmouth, Eastleigh kicked to touch for a lineout. Portsmouth stole the ball and kicked to touch and the final whistle went with a bonus point victory to Portsmouth 31-19.

After the match Eastleigh were heard to say that they were generally please with the result bearing in mind some of the scores they have suffered this season.

This result sees Portsmouth move up 1 place to 6th, on 19 points just 1 point ahead of Andover who lost away to Guernsey 2nds, 23-15. Andover are 7th.
Bognor are top of the League after beating Winchester 2nds 48-24.
Our next game is in 2 weeks time when we travel to Andover, there are no fixtures next weekend.

TEAM
WILL ROLFE(C), BRAD ATKINS, LIAM AVIS
ELLIOTT WORRALL, TOBY WILSON
ALEX BUCK, SAM FLOYD, ANT FOOKS
ELLIOT DAVIS, GARETH DAVIES
TOM WHITEHOUSE, ALI MACDONALD, SAM OLIE, CALLUM GRAHAMSLAW
JAY CHATHAM

BENCH
LEWIS MURRAY, HENRI DAVIES, LEE CHANDLER