The Wanderers visited Harbury fielding a pleasing mixture of youth and experience, with nine players playing their first season of senior rugby for Old Leamingtonians.

The Wanderers started the game at a high tempo, with the front row of Craig Ellis, Andy Croney and Shane Tilsley dominating the scrumage; Josh Turner and Paul Salvin controlling the line out and Jack Jones providing good attacking ball to the backs, the Wanderers went on the rampage for the first twenty minutes. Craig Ellis scoring a converted try from a five meter penalty; a 20m break from Josh Turner allowing Lester Hunt to go over for a second score; and a catch from the restart, storming run and side step of the opposition’s full back by Paul Salvin provided an excellent third try under the posts with Jack Jones converting.

The Wanderers should have put the game beyond reach at this point but instead relinquished control with some poor decision making allowing Harbury’s backs to gain confidence and their forwards to realise that a tighter game may bring dividends. A poorly contested lineout eventually allowed Harbury to score and provide the awake up call the Wanderers need.

Score at Half Time Harbury 5 Old Leamingtonians 19

After the break, with their set piece working more effectively and the forward battle becoming more evenly contested, Harbury played a territorial kicking game which prevented the Wanderers from repeating there first quarter dominance. However, two moments of excellent rugby showed what the Wanderers were capable off.  The first came with a switch move by the centres, and only try saving tackles, first on Howard Wicks (centre) and then Martin Boag (centre) denied the Wanderers a score.  The second came with a pick up from the base of the scrum by Simon Noakes on the Wanderers 10m line and good hands through No 8 Graham Boot, flanker Liam Jones and winger Graham Jones give the Wanderers their forth try.  With the game won a lapse of concentration and poor tackling by the Wanderers allowed Harbury a second converted try.

This was the forth time the Wanderers have been able to field a combined team of youth and veterans and the game demonstrated that by exposing inexperienced players to both 2^nd and 3^rd team rugby provides rewards.  Both Josh Turner and Paul Salvin, newcomers to rugby this season, look promising for the future.  However, man of the match goes to prop Shane Tilsley, again a newcomer to rugby this season, playing his first fully contested game, and when asked on the Sunday whether his shoulders where OK answered hurting like xxxx, but love it, can’t wait for next week.