Old Patesians RFC v Old Elizabethans 1st XV
20th December 2025

Welcome to this - the last Match Report for 2025.

On this sunny and still afternoon the 1st XV travelled to Cheltenham to play against Old Patesians RFC to hopefully secure their 5th place in the league. I’m not sure we’ve played this club before and certainly I’ve not been to their ground where the main feature was a shortish pitch with quite a slope from one end to the other, known as The 20 Point Slope for obvious reasons!

The Es Thundercats on the other hand had a last minute change to their game with Broad Plain pulling out and instead travelled to play Dursley II. Thundercats won 36 to 24 for Dursley

1st XV SQUAD:: Greg Foord, Jack Houlder, Connor McGrath, Matt Bailey, Tom Bendall, Luke Jagger, George Burnie, Herbie Gale, Tom Cole, Monty Nash, Ollie Lunt, Alex Potts, Pat Dore, Alex Copinger-Symes, Arthur Mills, James Brooke, George Hollingberry, Andrew Barnett

Es welcomed back Luke Jagger from the Smoke and despite the team sheet and indeed what others thought for the whole of the first half, he ended up playing on the wing and not in the Back Row!! Arthur Mills had to pull out from the squad as he had face planted himself into the pavement the previous night from a Scooter (maybe a little worse for wear!), and Wil Patterson was promoted from the TCs to take his place. The team also welcomed back George Hollingberry and a big welcome goes out to debutant Andrew Barnett who only left QEH last year.

MATCH REPORT:
Es kicked off the first half with the slope in their favour and the sun at their backs and within minutes they set out their stall for the afternoon, or at least the first half anyway! An Es lineout won on the opposition 22 was followed with a good drive before the ball was released out along the back line for winger Alex Copinger-Symes to dive over for an unconverted try (0-5).

The next highlight of the game was Matt Bailey losing a tooth, not sure how that happened but the Tooth Fairy would be busy last night! Es lost the next lineout before scrum half Tom Cole made a good break from the base of the scrum down the blindside. A chip through saw winger (not Lock) Luke Jagger gather up the ball to score under the posts, converted by Monty Nash (0-12).

Whilst Old Pats were testing the Es defence it was Es that remained on top. Another good run down the left wing by Alex CS took them into the opposition 22 and Es were awarded a penalty and elected for the scrum (downhill). The forwards secured the ball and Tom Cole released it out to centre Birthday boy Alex Potts who continued his recent run of form with a good try converted by Monty (0-19).

Again Old Pats tested the Es defence and this time they found a way through with an Es’ missed tackle in midfield they ran through to score an important converted uphill try (7-19)

Old Pats looked like they would score again almost immediately, however Es stole the ball in their 22 and a huge Spiral Bomb of a kick from Monty Nash totally fooled the Pats defender and Skipper Pat Dore scooped up his mess to go over for Es Bonus Point try, converted by Monty Nash (7-26).

Again Old Pats pushed Es back into their 22 with a good kick to touch. A quick thinking Ollie Lunt took a quick throw, the ball sailed over the head of Monty Nash and it looked as if it was odds on that Old Pats must score but Monty managed to get a good boot to it and cleared their lines. Unfortunately, in doing so Monty received a dead leg in the process and was replaced by Wil Patterson who was quickly into action with an excellent defensive tackle on the 5m line the ball then being turned over by Matt Bailey before releasing Ollie Lunt who ran the full length of the pitch to score a great solo try, not converted (7-31).

Herbie Gale popped the ball up nicely from the restart and Patty and Ollie again attacked well into the Old Pats half. A good Es move followed all the way out to winger Luke Jagger (Not Back Row) who was stopped short of the line but No.8 Herbie Gale picked up and went over to score an important try which then amazingly from the touchline Ollie Lunt converted with a superb kick, (7-38).

Important points but would it be enough as Es were to face Old Pats playing down the 20 point slope in the second half

Half Time score (Old Patesians 7 – 38 Old Elizabethans).

Old Pats wasted no time in reaching the Es 22 from the second half restart and looked as if they had scored but Ref blew as ‘Held Up’, Old Pats came again from the clearance kick looking as if they very much believed in the 20 point slope, probably from experience! George Hollingberry came off injured and Es introduced Andrew Barnett for anxiously awaited debut, and what a great debut it was, he certainly got stuck in straight away with a good tackle and played a good part in the game, one to watch for the future! The Es Blue Line was being called into action more and more and Es were struggling to escape their 22 but good defensive shifts from Ollie Lunt, Patty, Alex CS, Andrew Barnett and Luke Jagger (still on the wing!), in fact pretty much everyone was working extremely hard to keep Old Pats at bay.

As the pressure from Old Pats intensified and the penalty count against Es mounted it seemed inevitable that Old Pats would score and that is exactly what happened with a converted try (14-38).

Es did have some of the ball and there were some enterprising runs from Tom Cole, Tom Bendall and Jagger amongst others but then Old Pats broke the line again and would have scored immediately had it not been for a try saving tackle from Wil Patterson but the ball spilled and Old Pats crossed the line for a converted try (21-38).

The large Old Pats crowd were now getting very excited reckoning on a great 20 Point Slope comeback! The down hill slope was certainly working in Old Pats favour but Es continued to defend well and the ball was deemed by the Ref to have been ‘Held Up’ several more times. Former skipper George Burnie was doing a huge amount of unseen work in the tight and thankfully Es lineout and scrum were both working well, otherwise things would have got a lot worse a lot quicker!

A penalty to Old Pats 5m out led to an unconverted try (26-38). So Old Pats were still two scores behind and no doubt the efforts of the first half in racking up 38 points was undoubtedly the difference as that’s how the game ended

A game of two halves and despite Old Pats having scored 19 of the 20 point slope advantage, in the end it was not enough but they certainly ran Old Es ragged in the second half. Nevertheless, a win is a win and this was a really well deserved one that strengthened our position in 5th spot in the league before heading into 2026.

The next 1st XV game is at home on Saturday 10 January vs Smiths, a tough fixture but Es are looking forward to the challenge!

FINAL SCORE: Old Patesians 26 – 38 Old Elizabethans

SCORERS:
Tries: Alex Copinger-Symes, Luke Jagger, Alex Potts, Pat Dore, Ollie Lunt, Herbie Gale
Conversions: Monty Nash (3), Ollie Lunt

Es Man of the Match awarded by Old Pats RFC: George Burnie, for the second week in a row George continues to impress!

Spectators Man of the Match: Tom Cole, put in a real gritty shift at scrum half.

Full League Table and Fixture List below

Report by: Paul 'Blakey' Barrington

CLICK for the Old Elizabethans RFC website