Old Elizabethans v Dursley RFC
13th December 2025

Es Thundercats game due for the 13th had to be cancelled as Es could only muster 8 players. The next TCs fixture and availability of players is going to be of paramount importance!

Meanwhile, Old Es 1st XV played their own league match, entertaining old foes Dursley RFC at Hallen. There have of course been many good tussles between these two sides and who can forget the game at Dursley at the start of the season a couple of years ago where Es led 0-31 at half time and finally lost the game by a couple of points. So, an opposition not to be underestimated.

1st XV SQUAD:: Greg Foord, Jack Houlder, Connor McGrath, Ben Charlton, Tom Bendall, Matt Bailey, George Burnie, Jakob Harding, Tom Cole, Sam Hygate, Tom SD, Alex Potts, Pat Dore, Will Munro, Arthur Mills, Fergus Blyth, Steffan Perunovic, Fred Thefaut

MATCH REPORT:
A couple of points to begin with: This game marked the Debut for back-row player Steffan Perunovic (welcome Steffan) and our ever present scrum half Sam Hygate was to play with a No.10 on his back, albeit I was reliably informed by his dad that he did play a full season, presumably at school at fly-half. Tom Cole stepped into play scrum-half.

Old Es kicked off facing the Clubhouse with the sun at their backs. Es got into their stride very quickly and it wasn’t long before a scrum penalty allowed them to kick for touch and to then drive back the opposition from a 10m lineout and former skipper George Burnie went over for an early try with Sam Hygate adding the 2 extra points (7-0).

Es immediately put further pressure on Dursley pushing them right back to their line and an attempted clearance kick was charged down by George Burnie but the Dursley defender recovered the quickest to touch down. Shortly after though a high tackle on Fred Thefaut gave Es a penalty and subsequent lineout 15m out. From the lineout George Burnie was in action again with a good break and after some good pressure on the Dursley line Lock, Tom Bendall crashed over for a well deserved try and Sam Hygate again adding the extras (14-0).

Dursley continued to test the Es defence and some good tackling in defence notably by Fred Thefaut and Alex Potts kept them at bay. Dursley looked as if they might break through the Es’ defence but a sharp young referee keenly spotted their crossing and the penalty to Es allowed them to clear their lines. What followed was a good example of the importance of kick and chase, when Fred Thefaut kicked down the line and the Dursley defender tackled Fred and was seemingly in control as he picked up the ball, but he was then hammered by two or three Es players who drove over the ball and Fred Thefaut, quick to his feet from the tackle, picked up and ran round to score under the posts giving Sam Hygate the easy job of converting (21-0).

A good take by Matt Bailey, under pressure, from the restart and then a scrum to Es which was lost to Dursley and from here on in for the rest of the first half Dursley looked as if they had got their act together and enjoyed the majority of the possession and territory despite numerous clearance kicks by Es. However, in the main the Es 'Blue Wall’ defence, well marshalled by Alex Potts, held out until the Ref blew for the break.

Half Time score (Old Elizabethans 21 – 0 Dursley).

Dursley kicked off the second half catching their own kick and put Es under immediate pressure. Again, good tackling by Fred, Tom Cole and Tom SD stopped Dursley in their tracks. Will Munro on for Old Es. Dursley won their lineout and shipped the ball swiftly across the park and their speed beat Es and they went over for a good try and conversion (21-7).

How would Es respond as Dursley seemed to have their tails up, but it was indeed Es that applied the pressure from the restart and despite a dropped ball Es recovered possession quickly and from the 22 Arthur Mills jinked his way through to score a good personal try which unusually Sam Hygate missed with the follow up conversion (26-7).

Fergus Blyth and Steffan Perunovic (for a good debut display) on for Es. Es continued to dominate both upfront and in the backs and a knock on by the Dursley 15 saw Es win their scrum and again as the ball was passed along the backs full back Arthur Mills again applied his silky skills again jinking in and out to then offload to Alex Potts who stretched out under the posts to be rewarded with maybe the try of the day, this time Sam Hygate making no mistake with the conversion (33-7).

I then had only just written in my note book that ‘Es were enjoying more of the ball’ and in a flash the Dursley No.15 who was a menace all afternoon, ran through and scored in the corner with another good conversion kick (33-14).

It was Es however that were to have the last laugh in what was an emphatic win when the ball went through the backs hands from one side to the other when Lock Ben Charlton, not to be outdone by his second row partner, crashed over the line for the last try of the afternoon, converted by Sam Hygate (40-14).

It did look as if Man of the Match George Burnie might add to the score as he sprinted down the right wing but a great last ditch tackle by Dursley saved them from further embarrassment. There were further good runs by Arthur Mills and Tom Bendall with Es building attack after attack as the ball was shipped around at pace but all to no avail as the Dursley defence who had never given up, held out for the last five minutes.

An entertaining game for the spectators and another good mid table win that secured maximum 5 points and pushed Es up to 5th in the table. A trip away to Old Patesians RFC in Cheltenham next Saturday will hopefully secure this position for the end of 2025. Please come along to Cheltenham to support the guys!

FINAL SCORE: Old Elizabethans 40 – 14 Dursley

SCORERS:
Tries: George Burnie, Tom Bendall, Fred Thefaut, Arthur Mills, Alex Potts, Ben Charlton
Conversions: Sam Hygate (5)

Man of the Match: George Burnie. A brilliant display by George all afternoon that was well recognised by the opposition.

Spectators Man of the Match: Sam Hygate, played well with the No.10 on his back and kept the score board ticking over nicely.

Full League Table and Fixture List below

Report by: Paul ‘Blakey’ Barrington

CLICK for the Old Elizabethans RFC website