Results

Counties 1 Hampshire Results

Sat 24 Jan 2026

Bournemouth RFC

25 – 33

(HT 22-12)

Portsmouth RFC

Bournemouth RFC

  • 15
    Meek
  • 14
    Lamont
  • 13
    Raworth
  • 12
    Palmer
  • 11
    Lelliot
  • 10
    Stevenson
  • 9
    Wright
  • 1
    Gould
  • 2
    Cook
  • 3
    Whitworth
  • 4
    Spencer
  • 5
    Napier
  • 6
    Philpot
  • 7
    Noble
  • 8
    Kennedy

Substitutes

  • 16
    Crossley
  • 17
    Gordon
  • 18
    Hampshaw

Portsmouth RFC

Substitutes

Match Report

On a very wet and windy day Portsmouth seemed to have decided to give their travelling supporters cause for alarm as it appeared to be the day for them to loose their unbeaten run of 8 games as they fell to a 17-0 deficit in the first 20 minutes of the match. A penalty on 2 minutes followed by 2 converted tries. 7 minutes later they fell further behind with an unconverted try taking the score to 22-0.

It took Portsmouth till 30 minutes to get on the score board with a good catch and drive resulting in skipper Will Rolfe crashing over for their first try converted by Gareth Davies. This was followed up just before half time with Ant Fooks scoring from a tap penalty taking the score to 22-12 as the half time whistle went. It was just as though the team had realised what was at stake and suddenly decided they had better get to grip with the match.

From the start of the second half, Portsmouth went on the attack and from a ball collected by full back Fraser Green who made serious inroads into the Bournemouth half before he passed to winger Jay Chatham. He was able to step around a defender before running round to score close to the posts.
Davies was on target with the conversion and the score was now 22-19. Bournemouth were able to widen the gap with a penalty, taking the score to 25-19.

Portsmouth were now in a different mood from the start of the match and more pressure resulted in second row Sam Foster scoring out wide after some good handling. This was the 4th try and therefore that all important bonus point. With Davies again on target they went into the slenderest of leads 25-26 on 52 minutes. Portsmouth were now in full flow and from a series of pick and goes, hooker John Pearson finished off a good move with
their 5th try, again converted by Davies taking the score to 25-33 on 58 minutes.

Bournemouth, through their rapid backs, tried to get back on terms but the Portsmouth defence held firm. And so it stayed until, with Portsmouth defending their try line, they managed to win the ball back and scrum half Vuglar hoofed the ball into touch and the final whistle went and thus Portsmouth’s run of wins continues intact at 8. All the subs were used and the whole 23 squad deserved this hard earned victory.

There was much relief for the Portsmouth supporters who were thinking that it would end today after the first 20 minute display. Even the Bournemouth players and supporters were saying it was all over for Portsmouth during the first half. As skipper Will Rolfe said, “there is a lot of rugby to be played yet” and so it proved.

Bognor were top before today’s games but they got beaten by Basingstoke 20-18. Next week sees Portsmouth travel to Basingstoke for a replay of the earlier game in which Sam Floyd suffered a nasty cut to his leg and the abandonment of that game. This will be another hard battle and they will need to be on top of their game from the off.

All this means that Portsmouth now sit on top of this league on 52 points with Bognor 2nd on 51 points. Basingstoke are in 4th place on 48 points.

TEAM
WILL ROLFE(C), JOHN PEARSON, LIAM AVIS
SAM FOSTER, LEWIS MURRAY
TOBY WILSON, SAM FLOYD, ANT.FOOKS
DOM VUGLAR, GARETH DAVIES
CALLUM GRAHAMSLAW, SAM OLIE, BRAD JEWER, JAY CHATHAM
FRASER GREEN

BENCH
JOE BENNETTS, HENRI DAVIES, IOAN DAVIS