Vets score 12 to reach John Sneezum Cup Final

by Richard Isaacs | Apr 26, 2025 | Senior Rugby

Reigning and defending John Sneezum Hampshire Veterans Cup holders Tottonians produced a sizzling display to book their place in the Final once more, scoring 12 tries in a 82-7 success over hardworking Ellingham and Ringwood.

TOTTONIANS VETS 82 ELLINGHAM & RINGWOOD VETS 7
Water Lane, Totton
Saturday 26th April 2025
John Sneezum Hampshire RFU Veterans Cup – Semi Final

On a glorious sunny afternoon at Water Lane, Tottonians’ vastly experienced side – featuring some 1,500 1st XV caps between them – showed their class to ease past their New Forest opponents.

With the skills and precision of Pierre Alex Clark and Mike Searle pulling the strings from 10 and 12 respectively, it allowed the team to use the perfect conditions to their advantage.

Winger Dickie Pye was the first to score, putting on the afterburners to round his opposition number with some electric pace to score under the posts with in-form Rich Colmer adding the first of his ten conversions.

The lead was extended when opposite winger Pete Grigg was on the end of a flowing passing move and from a scrum and with silky hands, he zipped around the outside for Totts’ second try.

Clark, who hadn’t played since the Vets Cup Final of 2024 against Havant, was showing no signs of rustiness and it was his clever chip ahead that was collected by Colmer, courtesy of a lucky bounce, and he found James ‘Pasty’ Angove on his inside to saunter over.

On the quarter-mark of the first half, Totts extended their lead when Pye’s intelligent ball found the onrushing Mike Searle and he weaved his magic to whip around the outside of the Ellingham defence to score a superb fourth of the afternoon.

Try number five was not long in coming and it was Clark again who was the instigator. His incisive break opened up the space aplenty and the fly-half casually flipped the ball outside to Colmer, who converted his own try and maintain his 100% record off the tee.

The visitors were not to be denied though, as they continued to battle hard against the barrage of Tottonians attacks and they were rewarded by prop Dave Budd crashed his way over to give them some hope, Mark Burrett adding the conversion for 35-7 on the half-hour.

It took just two minutes for normal service to be resumed when a magnificent team score, created by the erstwhile Ali Ramus saw the ball recycled superbly through multiple hands and it was scrum-half Joe Jarvis who found Searle from nowhere to appear and dot down.

There was enough time for a seventh before the break and the forwards, who had dominated the contest and took multiple balls against the head, were the foundation. From one said turn-over, Clark eases into a sea of space and his inside-centre partner Searle used all his pace to fly over for his hat-trick – Colmer converted for a 49-7 half-time lead.

Grigg added his second, showing more electric pace on the outside to outstrip the E&R defence to bring up the half-century and, from another scrum against the head, it was the Clark and Searle combination once again allowing the skipper in for his fourth.

The home side started to empty their bench, bringing on some fresh legs and some vastly experienced onces and one of those, former first XV back Elliot Green. From a line-out on Totts’ own 22, again taken against the throw, the ball was spun out to Green who, having not played for a number of years, smiled his way to the line for a score.

And straight from the kick-off, back came Tottonians again and it was Jarvis showing all of his class and expertise of over 100 1st XV caps, weaved and sliced his way to the line after good work from the forwards initially with Martin Dolbear, on as a replacement and rolling back the years, active in the build-up as was Dave Wood.

The referee, Mr Saint, showed mercy on the visitors – especially as things started to get a little tetchy in the closing minutes – but there was still time for hooker Jez Harris, who had had an outstanding game as had all of the front row in Simon Rodaway and Mark Amey, pounced to close the scoring for the afternoon, Jarvis adding the conversion for a crushing 82-7 success.

So, it is onto the final against first-time Vets finalists Winchester on Saturday 10th May (venue tbc) for the chance to go back-to-back.

TOTTONIANS VETS XV:
Rich Colmer, Pete Grigg, Steve Hildon, Mike Searle (capt), Rich Pye, Pierre Alex Clark, Joe Jarvis; Simon Rodaway, Jez Harris, Mark Amey, Ali Ramus, Mike Green, Oli Northover, Dan Cooper, James Angove. Replacements: Steve Sexton, Patrick Read, Josh Smith, A J Phillips, Dave Wood, Elliot Green, Martin Dolbear.

TOTTONIANS POINT SCORERS:
4 tries – Mike Searle
2 tries – Pete Grigg
1 try – Dickie Pye
1 try – James Angove
1 try – Rich Colmer
1 try – Elliot Green
1 try – Joe Jarvis
1 try – Jez Harris
10 conversions – Rich Colmer
1 conversion – Joe Jarvis

PLAYER OF THE MATCH MIKE SEARLE and OLI NORTHOVER LOOK BACK OVER THE WIN