On a cold, sunny day at Oxford Quins, Havant secured maximum points with a relatively comfortable win over the hosts, scoring eight tries in the process. A totally dominant twenty-minute period from 39’ to 59’ saw the side raise their performance level for long enough to secure what was a comfortable victory, after a mediocre first half. Havant will be frustrated that Oxford Quins scored four tries to secure their own try bonus, but it probably doesn’t matter in that Oxford Quins are looking like the side who will finish bottom of the table.

Through non-availability and injury Havant needed to make a number of changes to the side that lost but performed with credit against leaders Old Albanian last weekend. In the front row Sean Shepherd started and in a surprise to almost everyone, and with dispensation from the RFU, Havant alumnus Pete Austin had a seat on the bench as replacement hooker. In a changed backrow, Wes Dugan started and Will Saunders moved to blind-side flanker, allowing the returning Ross Parkins to take his place in the second-row. Joel Knight returned to the centre. Ben Holt reported a tight calf on the morning of the match. Colin Sisk moved to scrum-half with Tom Gwyther coming into the side at fly-half after playing at centre last week. Will Perry, missing last week, was eased back into the side from the bench.

The home side kicked off and for the first few minutes Havant performed solidly with Will Saunders and Sean Shepherd showing up well with good driving play and Oxford Quins also having opportunities to test out Havant’s defence. On 6’ Jacob Knight put a good chip kick through to the Quins 10m line. From here Havant maintained pressure and through a series of forward thrusts got good field position in the host’s ‘22’. An attacking lineout was won, fortuitously, and Havant increased the intensity enough to seriously test the defence. It came as no surprise when the ball found its way to Jez Smith to crash over to the left of the posts. Joel Knight converted to make it 0-7 on 8’.

After the score Quins attacked for several minutes in and around Havant’s ‘22’ with Havant able to briefly escape to the half-way line. Quins got back on the attack and were now seriously threatening. They knocked the ball on but were playing with advantage. From the penalty the ball found its way to 2nd row forward Allan Purchase who crashed over on 12’, converted by wing Ross Cooke to make it 7-7.

From the kick-off Havant went immediately on the attack themselves. A lineout on the 22 was secured and the Havant forwards mauled superbly to get close to the line until Colin Sisk saw the benefit of spinning the ball wide, with lots of space available, and Jacob Knight got over the line. The conversion was kicked by Joel Knight to make it 7-12 on 15’.

A fully committed Quins side, perhaps realising their season was on the line, now upped their own intensity levels although play generally took place between the ‘22s’ with Quins having the edge. Havant, however, were as strong in the lineout as they had been all season, with Will Saunders and Ross Parkins dominant and the abrasive Jack Colbourne making an impact with several strong drives.

On 21’ a good high ball from fly-half Tom Gwyther was won well by Ben Griffin (always strong in the aerial contest) with the referee deeming foul play was committed by Quins and giving Jacob Knight the opportunity to kick for the corner. The ball was won at the lineout but a dropped ball in midfield meant that a really promising attack opportunity was missed. Oxford Quins escaped with a superb kick that went from ’22 to 22’ and Havant unwisely tried to run the ball back and immediately conceded a penalty which the attacking side kicked to touch.

For the next few minutes, it was ‘all Quins’. They ran the ball left from the lineout, took the ball up to the 5m and continued to threaten for the next five minutes with the visitors pegged in their own half. Havant were tackling well but not managing the ‘escape’ well. On 30’ Craig Durnin did what he’s been doing since he came into the side and secured a turnover from a defensively challenged position. Havant got back into their opponent’s half with Sam Trodd making a good half break. A Quins player was penalised for manhandling Colin Sisk and Jacob Knight kicked to touch. The lineout however didn’t function well for once and eventually Quins hacked the ball away and into Havant’s half.

Havant lost the lineout and Quins got themselves to about 15m out in the middle of the pitch and forced a penalty. They kicked to the corner and drove to the line. A few ‘pick and drives’ later, the ball was sent out wide to the left and wing Ben Vernede was able to score a try which was unconverted making it 12-14 on 36’. There was a feeling that Havant were much the stronger side but perhaps weren’t imposing themselves fully on the match. Over the next twenty minutes this was to change.

From the kick-off, Quins took the ball but Jez Smith turned possession over on the left-hand side, well into Quins half, providing a launching pad for Havant’s forwards to take the ball up to the 5m line. A penalty concession gave Jacob Knight the chance to kick for touch. At this point Craig Durnin had to leave the field with what appeared to be a rib injury to be replaced by Freddie Ferson. From the lineout, the ball found its way to Ben Griffin who scored right on half-time. With the try unconverted Havant went into the break with a 12-19 lead.

Havant restarted, the hosts hoisted the ball in the air, and Quins’ hooker Bradley Cook was adjudged to have impeded Colin Sisk as he tried to take the ball and was given a ten-minute rest. Once again, as he had several times before, Jacob Knight kicked to touch and Havant won a good ball and mauled into the Quins 22. Somehow the ball was lost giving the defending side a chance to relieve pressure.

There then followed the moment of the highest quality in the match so far. Ben Griffin took the returning ball and then kicked back to the ‘22’ from where Quins took a quick throw and kicked it back immediately into Havant’s half. They set up a move in which Jack Colbourne went on another of his great runs. He beat one man, fended off another and the ball was eventually worked to Jacob Knight who scored on Havant’s left on 44’ with the try converted by Joel Knight to make 12-26.

Havant were now playing with far more penetration, with Jacob Knight, in attacking mode, coming far more into the game. He caught his own chip through the home side’s defence and then chipped again to the in-goal area. Although close, Joel Knight, following up, touched the ball down but on the dead-ball line, which the laws dictate means no try. At this time and over the next few minutes Havant made a number of changes with Will Perry (Dylan Evans), Will Maxfield (Jarod Leat), Archie Cleeve (Wes Dugan) and Pete Austin (Sean Shepherd) coming on.

The home side got themselves some ball with play mostly in the middle of the field. Havant secured a line out on half-way with Jack Colbourne again punching a hole in midfield and the side then securing a penalty which was kicked to the corner. From the lineout Pete Austin went over from about 8m with the Havant pack helping him. The try was unconverted making it 12-31 on 53’.

The home side came back strongly and got the ball to 5m before swinging it left but a forward pass gave Havant the scrum ‘put in’ on their own ‘22’. Havant broke away from their scrum and Joel Knight put a great kick through to the opponent’s ‘22’. Quins tried to run the ball out, needing tries. They lost the ball a few metres out and Will Saunders was able to pick the ball up and score relatively unopposed with Joel Knight successful with the conversion to make it 12-38 on 58’. Havant had scored four tries in twenty minutes through increased intensity and focus.

Havant were now dominant in the scrum and regularly shunting the host’s pack backwards but Quins themselves were rising to the challenge across the pitch as they sought two tries for their own bonus point. Havant themselves were still creating opportunities and playing well but, perhaps with the match won, were guilty of some inaccuracy and of conceding a few penalties. Sam Trodd for example, jinking in the way he does, got through to about 8m from the tryline but a little knock-on at the base of the subsequent ruck handed possession back to the defending side.

With about eight minutes to go a burst of try scoring took us through to the end of the match. After an injury to Archie Cleeve, a tap penalty was taken and then another penalty was immediately conceded and kicked to touch by Quins. From the lineout, Quins scored under the posts through scrum-half Harry Burn, converted by Ross Cooke to make it 19-38 on 71’. Oxford Quins, really going for their fourth try, turned the ball over and Will Perry scorched past two defenders from the 10m line, to score on the right. The conversion was missed – the score now 19-43 on 74’.

Oxford retained possession from the restart and, after a Will Saunders yellow card, got themselves up to the line and eventually over through 2ndrow forward Ben Jenkins with Cooke again converting to make it 26-43. Ben Griffin turned the ball over for Havant after the next restart. Jacob Knight kicked through for Sam Trodd who beat a player on the inside and ran to the line for Havant’s eighth and final try.

Other League Results
Dorking 29 vs Guernsey 12

Oundle 29 vs 29 Bury St Edmonds

Sevenoaks 17 vs 39 Canterbury

Esher 37 vs 35 Westcombe Park

Henley 24 vs 21 Barnes

Old Albanian 57 vs 17 London Welsh