With the official 2024-25 season ending last Saturday after the Lions final test defeat against Australia, the new one began today for Havant with a warm-up match against a regular opponent over the last 50 years – Bracknell RFC . As recently as the 2023-24 season the two teams were in the same league with Havant winning both games and gaining promotion.

Today’s game gave us a chance to see some new players in action (such as Angus Southon, Sam Trodd and Brandon Vince), as well as look at players trying to bridge successfully across from the Dolphins to the 1stteam. As ever at this time of the year, there are players on holiday or with other commitments, who were therefore unavailable. The player pool for the match consisted of around 30 players including first-team regulars last season: Ben Holt, Jakob and Joel Knight, Dylan Read (until his injury), Sean Shepherd, Wes Dugan and Ross Parkins. It was also good to see the return of players such as Reuben Knight who missed the whole of the 2024-25 season through an injury in a pre-season game.
(Rugby Glamour)

Bracknell dominated the opening 20 minutes putting Havant under a lot of pressure, but the defence held firm.
Havant's first real break was from wing Will Perry who run in from 60 meters out. It was not till the 2nd 20 minutes that Havant opened up the Bracknell defence again with slick hands out on the left wing and a sublime inside pass to Dylan Read for Havant's 2nd try of the afternoon. Will Perry was to score next as Havant's defence then attack proved to much for Bracknell, doting down in the corner 15-0 to Havant.
three tries in as many minutes gave Havant a comfortable 36-0 halftime lead. First Jarod Leat was on the end of a rolling maul, Dylan Read then scored two more tries for his hattrick.

Halftime Havant 36 Bracknell 0

Lots of changes in the 2nd half, fragmented the game a little. but still a good battle in the heat.
Debutant Sam Trodd scored under the posts 10 minutes into the 3rd quarter, before the returning Ed Gaught nabbed another for Havant.
Bracknell were finally on the scoresheet with 10 minutes to go, before another Will Perry try.

Fulltime Havant 55 Bracknell 5

Head-coach Will Knight's thoughts after the game.
"It was great to get started yesterday and to see so much of what we have been working on at training being delivered against full opposition. Bracknell came to play and were a handful, especially in the first quarter but it also gave us a chance to be tested defensively and we looked very good. The threat that we showed throughout the rest of the game in attack was very encouraging and it was great to see so many of the new players fit in fairly seamlessly. I have been really impressed with our new recruits throughout the summer and they are really driving improvement through the competition for places that is evident across the squad but also by bringing new ideas. We have a few more still to join the squad with some real quality incoming so it is very exciting for the coaches but hopefully also for the supporters. Yesterday was great, we have lots to work on but a comprehensive win against a good Bracknell outfit is not a bad start."