2nd XV clock up 100 in 100th game
100th RFU League game, 100% record maintained, 100 points scored – what a nice symmatry! Tottonians 2nd XV marked their 100th RFU League match in some style as they kept their 100% league start going apace with a sensational 16-try romp against Portsmouth 2nd XV on a glorious afternoon at Water Lane.
TOTTONIANS II 110 PORTSMOUTH II 3
Water Lane, Totton
Saturday 19th October 2024
Counties 3 Hampshire – match 4
Louis Brencher’s side came into the game with three wins from three in their opening games and sat in second place behind Andover IIs on points difference.
They welcomed a Portsmouth 2nd XV side that were searching for their first win in the league – but it wasn’t to come today as they were blown away by a rampant Tottonians side.
Alex Robinson, playing at number eight, got the scoreboard ticking with a try and that scoreboard was in danger of overheating with the regularity of the updates. Totts had sealed the bonus point within twenty minutes as Mark Amey, Alfie Filmore and Oli King all crossed.
Rich Buck, Tom Dando and two more for Robinson to complete a first-half hat-trick raced the hosts to a 56-3 half-time advantage.
It was much the same in the second half, although give credit to the beleaguered Portsmouth side who refused to give up and continued to do their very best but the skill level of the Tottonians side was too much for them.
King posted his second before Chris McCormack, Will Machin, replacement Regan Stuttard and Jonny Williams got in on the act while player of the match Filmore and Robinson once again took the score past three figures and Rich Colmer finished off the try scoring with their 16th – of which he improved 15 of them with conversions for a 35 point haul in the match.
The referee decided enough was enough and called time, apparently some ten minutes early to further save the Portsmouth blushes as Tottonians racked up a club league record 110 points – pleasantly grabbing a century in their 100th league fixture! It beat the 2nd XVs previous high of 98 back in February 2020 in Hampshire 1 against Ventnor, winning that game 98-7 and the club record, surpassing the 1st XV’s 100-18 win over Reading in September 2023.
And so, Tottonians 2nd XV join the other senior sides in the club in maintaining their 100% league winning start. The last time they won four games in a row – at the end of the title winning Hampshire 1 season in 2021/22! Omen?
