PREVIEW – Wimborne (A)
Tottonians once again put their 100% record on the line when they visit a side on the up. Wimborne are on a good run of results and no-one will forget the visit to Leigh Park last year either.
MATCH: Wimborne v Tottonians
VENUE: Leigh Park, Gordon Road, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 2AP
COMPETITION: Regional Division 2 South Central
DATE: Saturday 19th October 2024
KICK-OFF: 3:00pm
ADMISSION: FREE
LIVE MATCH UPDATES: On our Twitter/X channel @Tottonians
OVERVIEW:
Top of the table, five from five. All five bonus points collected and banked and four points clear at the summit. A general feel good factor is running through Tottonians Rugby Club right now – especially with the 2nd XV and 3rd XV also sporting zeros in the defeats column too.
Those records go back on the line again this week – well, maybe not for the 3rd XV who have received a walk-over from Portsmouth 3s.
For the 1st XV, they know they will have to be on their guard as they travel the fairly short distance through the New Forest to Wimborne, sitting in fourth place in the ladder with three wins and two defeats from their opening five and 17 points tallied.
The Minstermen demolished Chichester last Saturday 56-8 on home soil and were unfortunate in their visit to Penns Place where they lost by a single point to Petersfield just before the weekend off. Their last two home games, against North Dorset and Chichester – they have amassed 119 points and conceded just 13.
It was only 27 January 2024 when we visited Leigh Park for the very first time in a league game – in fact, it was the first time we had ever visited Dorset for a league game! Few will forget that particular contest, especially the 35th minute as we fell to a 27-23 defeat despite matching our hosts three tries apiece.
As sides have found, Leigh Park is not an easy place to go to and this will be no different but Totts are riding a crest of a wave at the moment, in great form, with players playing some entertaining and free-flowing rugby. Long may it continue but only as long as the points continue to be brought home.
Kick-off is 3pm.
TEAM NEWS:
There are a handful of changes from last Saturday’s win over Guildford. Josh Raqio makes his first start of the season on the wing in place of George Hixon, who drops to the bench and Ethan Riley is back at fly-half after his Army endeavours.
Rich O’Donnell is unavailable in the back row so the ever versatile Cam Flint switches to flanker, Connor Andrews likewise while Ali Ramus moved back into the second row. Oli Northover has recovered from his injury and takes a seat on the bench alongside regular resident Kevin Raqio.
HISTORY and STATS:
Today will be just the 3rd league meeting between the sides – the first coming just last season in this league. It is one win each, Totts winning comfortably at Water Lane 55-19 while the reverse fixture across the border saw Wimborne successful 27-23.
Since losing to Wimborne back in January, Totts have had just four more away games (bizarrely out of 11 games!) and won three of them. Our two away games in the league so far have been hard-fought victories, coming through a stern test at Petersfield to win 30-26 and then at Chichester 38-28.
