Results

Counties 1 Hampshire Results

Sat 10 Jan 2026

Winchester RFC Ltd

3 – 39

(HT 0-0)

Portsmouth RFC

Winchester RFC Ltd

  • 15
    Price
  • 14
    Frankcom
  • 13
    Cooney
  • 12
    Nunes
  • 11
    Farrington
  • 10
    Brown
  • 9
    Wheeler
  • 1
    Duncombe
  • 2
    Martin
  • 3
    Chance
  • 4
    Farrant
  • 5
    Bradley
  • 6
    Judge
  • 7
    Larkin
  • 8
    Stayman

Substitutes

  • 16
    Nash
  • 17
    Avery
  • 18
    Bailey

Portsmouth RFC

Substitutes

Match Report

With Winchester topping the League table before this game and Portsmouth lying in 4th place but with a game in hand, this was a much anticipated fixture by the Portsmouth squad. They also welcomed back Tawanda Matipano who last played in September and November 2023 but had to step down owing to pressure of Uni work. He is now back and this is his first game since then.

Some very good defensive work kept Winchester out as they tried to break the deadlock but Portsmouth were in no mood to concede tries today. Portsmouth gave away a penalty around their 22 and almost in front of the posts but the kick went wide so the score stayed nil-nil.

Portsmouth then set up a good drive to the line and actually crossed but Winchester managed to get arms under the ball thus preventing a try. However the Portsmouth pressure was beginning to have an effect and from a backs move the ball was spun across the pitch and Jay Chatham was on hand to take the final pass and with good speed he raced through to score the opening try. Gareth Davies was on target with the conversion giving Portsmouth a 0-7 lead on 20 minutes. Portsmouth were then penalised for a high tackle and this time they converted the penalty closing the gap to 3-7 with nearly 30 minutes gone.

Shortly after that Portsmouth had a lineout close to the try line and they set up a good rolling maul with captain Will Rolfe driving over for their second try converted by Davies and taking the score to 3-14 on just over the half hour. This lead was extended again when from a line out Portsmouth set up a catch and drive and this time it was second row Toby Wilson who scored. This took the score to 3-19 as the whistle went signalling the end of the first half in which they had scored 3 unanswered tries.

The second half saw Portsmouth empty their bench with Matt Hoban coming on for Josh Howell-Williams in the centre, John Pearson coming on for Henri Davies at 7 and Toby Wilson making way for Lewis Murray at 6. The pleasing thing for the Coaches was that these changes made no difference to the visitors performance apart from the fact that they were fresh and raring to go.

The second half started in much the same vein with Portsmouth being the dominant side and any occasional attacks by Winchester were dealt with very quickly, giving them no room to make ground. Portsmouth were first on the score board again with a penalty kicked by Davies taking the score to 3-22 on 53 minutes. On 60 minutes Portsmouth set up another attack through their backs which saw Jay Chatham take the final pass to score his second and Portsmouth’s 4th bonus point try taking the score to 3-27.

Yet another 3’s attack saw the ball spun across the backs with again Jay Chatham taking the final pass. A delicate kick ahead as he closed in on the try line, saw him race through to dive for the falling ball as it dropped into the in-goal area. He seemed to fly through the air, catching the ball to score the most dramatic try of this season! This was his 3rd try and Portsmouth’s 5th, taking the score to 3-32 with about 10 minutes remaining. John Pearson had the final word for Portsmouth when he scored their 6th try. Davies was on target with the conversion and the final whistle went as the ball cleared to cross bar taking the score to 3-39.

It was a fitting end to what had been a very good performance by the whole Portsmouth squad, especially when you consider this was their first game since 20th December when they travelled to Sandown & Shanklin to win by a single point. Today’s win is their 6th on the bounce. It was also good to see several Portsmouth supporters on the touch line who thoroughly enjoyed the game and the result.

Next week sees Portsmouth at home to Millbrook who today beat Chichester 32-30. Millbrook are in 8th.place. Today’s result sees Bognor now topping the table on 50 points, Winchester are in second on 44 points and Portsmouth are third on 42 points. Basingstoke are in fourth but also on 42 points, They have lost 1 more game than Portsmouth with 1 drawn.

TEAM
WILL ROLFE(C), BRAD ATKINS, LIAM AVIS
SAM FOSTER, ELLOITT WORRALL
TOBY WILSON, HENRI DAVIES, ANT FOOKS
DOM VUGLAR, GARETH DAVIES
JAY CHATHAM, JOSH HOWELL-WILLIAMS, SAM OLIE, FRASER GREEN
TAWANDA MATIPANO

BENCH
JOHN PEARSON, LEWIS MURRAY, MATT HOBAN