So here it is! The 2024/25 league season gets under way with plenty of optimism in the camp ahead of another season in Regional 2 South Central. Having closed the season in third place last terms, we are looking to go a little better this time around!
MATCH: Tottonians vs Chobham
VENUE: Water Lane, Totton, SO40 4ZX
COMPETITION: Regional Division 2 South Central
DATE: Saturday 7th September 2024
KICK-OFF: 3:00pm
ADMISSION: FREE (as always!)
LIVE MATCH UPDATES: On our Twitter/X channel @Tottonians
OVERVIEW:
We welcome old friends from Chobham to Water Lane for the season opener.
It has been a couple of seasons since we last locked horns following the league reorganisation but the Surrey side have made the move back across to our regional following a couple of years in Regional 2 Thames, where they finished 7th last season with nine wins from their 20 league matches.
However, Saturday is not just about the start of the league season but also a chance to remember a great Tottonian in Jon Errington Paxton with a match against a Royal Navy XV, who he served loyally for a number of years. The Paxo Memorial match kicks off at 1pm as a curtain raiser and we will have an outside bar and BBQ throughout the day.
TEAM NEWS:
The coaches have named four debutants in their squad of 18 for the match with first starts for Tom Tully in the centre, Rich O’Donnell in the back row, Jamie Donaldson in the front row and Isaac Osman in the replacements. Kevin Raqio, who returns to the club having spent some time away playing National League rugby as well as representing the RAF and UK Armed Forces, takes one of the seats on the bench.
Ethan Riley plays his 50th match for Tottonians 1st XV.
HISTORY and STATS:
This will be the 27th league meeting between the sides going back to 21 October 2000 when we travelled up the M3 in London 4 South-West. Chobham won this game 34-23 and completed the double over us that season in last January 2001 with a 22-8 victory.
The overall record between the sides is 17 wins for Tottonians and 9 for Chobham, with the home side holding a 628 point to 540 lead.
The record at Water Lane is heavily in favour of Tottonians with 10 wins from the 13 previous encounters including the 20-11 success on the last time we met on 12 February 2022 (action from that game is the feature picture) when Totts came through 20-11. Chobham’s three wins came in 2001 (22-8), 2013 (19-6) and 2018 in London 1 South 39-54. Totts have won the last 3.
