Results

Counties 1 Hampshire Results

Sat 25 Apr 2026

Portsmouth RFC

41 – 28

(HT 19-14)

Chichester RFC

Portsmouth RFC

Substitutes

Chichester RFC

  • 15
    Thompson
  • 14
    Etherington
  • 13
    Dowding
  • 12
    Norris
  • 11
    Evans
  • 10
    Davies
  • 9
    Minton
  • 1
    Knight
  • 2
    Brown
  • 3
    Glass
  • 4
    Scott
  • 5
    Heriot
  • 6
    Clark
  • 7
    Jameson
  • 8
    Binfield

Substitutes

  • 16
    Cameron
  • 17
    Scrivin-Wood
  • 18
    Tucker

Match Report

This match was preceded by a Past Players lunch in which over 80 attended. Much merriment and tales of yester year were to be heard of, if not always believed! The delicious meal was provided as usual by former 1st prop Jimmy Martin and his band of helpers.

Chichester got the game underway and Portsmouth, through second row Sam Foster, caught the ball and charged up field for about 20 metre’s before being stopped. A penalty against Chichester saw Gareth Davies put in a good touch kick giving them a line out about 7 metres from the try line, A good catch and drive saw Portsmouth power their way over for Sam Floyd to score. All this within the first 3 minutes and Portsmouth were leading 5 – 0.

An attack by Chichester saw them cross the Portsmouth try line but the referee deemed the ball held up. Portsmouth made their way back up field and after Chichester were penalised, the following scrum to Portsmouth saw No. 8 Matt Hoban break open and run through to score under the posts, Gareth Davies converted, taking the score to 12-0 with about 24 minutes gone.

It was then the turn of Chichester to get on the score board straight from the re-start when they cut through the defence to score close to the posts with a converted try taking the score to 12-7 on 25 minutes. Will Rolfe was then next on the score board for the home side following a series of pick and goes resulting in a try converted by Gareth Davies taking the score to 19-7. The half time whistle eventually went with neither side really on top.

The second half started with Joe Bennetts coming on for Alex Buck, Toby Wilson on for Bryn Rainford in the second row and Tom Whitehouse on for Jay Chatham on the wing who moved to full back with Matt Higgins coming off. Chichester were first on the score board following a period of pressure taking the score to 19-14, on 42 minutes.

Probably the try of the match then followed when from around half way Portsmouth spun the ball across the back line from wing to wing and eventually Callum Grahamslaw took the final pass around the Chichester 22, and with plenty still to do he broke the first tackle and then stepped the 2 or 3 remaining opposition to run round and score under the posts. Davies converted and the score was now 26-14 on 50 minutes. This was Portsmouth’s 4th bonus point try.

Chichester hit back with a try shortly after, taking the score to 26-21. A penalty awarded to Portsmouth saw them extend their lead to 29-21 on 64 minutes. That was further increased when, from a pick-and-go, skipper Will Rolfe crossed for his second try taking the score to 34-21.

Chichester wouldn’t stop coming and they scored again taking the score to 34-28. Portsmouth also hadn’t finished scoring and from a line out it was Ant Fooks who had the final say in scoring as he crossed the line for Davies to convert taking the final score to 41-28. The whole squad put in another solid performance with special mention to Sam Foster who has been in fine form all season and today was no exception.

The result from Bognor who were playing Millbrook, had them winning 76-26 which effectively sees them gaining promotion for next season, so our congratulations to them. We still finished in 2nd place – just 2 points behind them.
Basingstoke came 3rd on 86 points having beaten Bournemouth 2nds. 17-46.

So ends another season, one in which Portsmouth should feel very pleased with having lost the first 3 games they then started to win some and started to climb up the table. One minute they were 4th or 5th. then suddenly 2nd then top following a run of 12 games unbeaten. Then loosing 2 games rather unexpectedly saw them slip to second and that was were they stayed.

Special mention must be made of the trip away to Sandown & Shanklin when they took a mixture of 1st, 2nd and 3rd players and came away with a win by 1 point. One of those players was Veteran Ian French, in his forties he play’s occasionally for the Vets. He played for almost the entire 80 minutes and had Head Coach Matt Wake’s utmost admiration.

Head off now for a nice summer break, no more match reports to bother with, and re-convene about July to start the new season and hope that we can better this season’s finish. I must make mention of Callum Grahamslaw who joined us this season. He was a joy to watch with his amazing side-steps, strength and speed. This was his last game as he is being posted back North and will probably return to a Rugby League club which is his favourite sport. We wish him all the best of luck.

TEAM
WILL ROLFE(C), BRAD ATKINS, ALEX BUCK
SAM FOSTER, BRYN RAINFORD
ANT FOOKS, SAM FLOYD, MATT HOBAN
DON VUGLER, GARETH DAVIES
CALLUM GRAHAMSLAW, SAM OLIE, BRAD JEWER, JAY CHATHAM
MATT HIGGINS

BENCH
JOE BENNETTS, TOBY WILSON, TOM WHITEHOUSE