February 7, 2026
After the heartbreak of coming within two minutes of becoming the first side to beat Ealing Trailfinders this season, Chinnor bounced back last weekend to record another fantastic result in their incredible season, winning 19-14 at Coventry to achieve the double over the full-time side. They were now on a run of 9 wins out of their last 11 matches, and stood in 5th place in the Champ Table.
However, the games weren’t getting any easier as today’s visitors, Hartpury University, were in 4th place in the table.
Previous Meetings
Chinnor and Hartpury had met 8 times before and Chinnor had never beaten the students, with their best result being an away 17-17 draw last season. Earlier in the season Chinnor took a losing point from a 19-25 defeat.
These diaries reported on last season’s game at Kingsey Road where Hartpury established a 34-0 lead early in the second half and it looked like it could be an embarrassing scoreline, but Chinnor dug deep to score three tries is the closing 20 minutes to put a bit of respectability to a 19-34 result.
The report included a brief history of Hartpury, the previous encounters and some of the players to have played for both clubs.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2024/10/chinnor-19-34-hartpury-university-att.html
Hartpury This Season
Hartpury arrived at Kingsey Road today with a 10-1-4 record, and were unbeaten at home, with their only failure to win coming in a 33-33 draw with Doncaster Knights.
Hartpury had achieved the impressive feat of home and away victories over Worcester Warriors, whilst their other home wins had been against Chinnor, Coventry, Caldy, Cambridge and Bedford. The away defeats had been at Bedford, Ealing, Richmond and Nottingham.
Hartpury’s average home attendance so far this season was 990, with a capacity 2,000 seeing the 28-25 success over Worcester. Last season their average was 932.
Hartpury Squad
Fly-half Harry Bazalgette was the leading points scorer in the Champ with a mammoth 148 points, of which there was only one try, so Chinnor would need to be mindful of conceding penalties within kicking distance. Bazalgette had started his career at Exeter University before moving to Cornish Pirates. Last season he made one appearance on loan for Bristol Bears in the Premiership Cup.
Ex-Gloucester and Jersey Reds full-back Alex Morgan was the top try scorer with 9 tries whilst hooker Ethan Hunt had touched down 5 times.
Centre Oliver Allsopp joined in the summer from Birmingham Moseley and had also played for London Scottish and Luctonians, winger Keir Clark had previously played for Chippenham, but not in any of the matches reported on by Fatbear, and centre Robert Smith was not in The Cure !
Back-row forward Jarrad Hayler had played for Barnstaple, Taunton, Redruth and Cornish Pirates, lock Dale Lemon was previously with Cinderford, prop Alexander Gibson had played for Coventry and London Scottish, and lock Jack Davies was ex-Bath and Doncaster Knights.
Matchday Information
According to AA Route Planner, the journey from Hartpury to Thame is 66 miles and should normally take around 1 hour 40 minutes down the A40.
Adult tickets purchased online were £16 and £20 at the gate and an online programme had been prepared in advance of today’s game.
The usual food vendors were in attendance today and a pint of Brooklyn IPA was £5.36 with the members’ discount.
There had been a lot of rain over the past week, and although the morning had been mostly dry, the rain started to fall 20 minutes before the 14.30 kick-off time, and it would continue to rain on and off for most of the game. The temperature was 11 degrees, but the infamous Chinnor breeze was mostly absent.
A few patches of sand had been applied to the pitch, which looked heavy, and would cut up as the game progressed and the rain continued to fall. The floodlights were already on well before the start of the match.
Hartpury announced four changes to their starting XV that beat Bedford Blues with young Gloucester/Hartpury BUCS scrum-half Rhys Price replacing Oscar Lennon in the backs and Tom Worts, Cameron Corbett and Will Crane promoted from last’s week’s bench in the forwards. Hunt, Lemon and Hayler and Lennon were all missing from the match-day squad.
Chinnor also made four changes to their side that won last week at Coventry with Ramaz Rukhadze and Alun Walker returning to the front row, Nathan Chamberlain back at fly-half after injury and James Bourton in at centre. Prop Kai Owen and full-back Nick Smith dropped to the bench, whilst hooker Chris Moore and centre Tom Watson missed out altogether.
Hartpury were in a kit of all red whilst Chinnor were in their usual black and white hoops.
Match Report
Chinnor’s run of impressive results ended in a disappointing manner after being well beaten by an impressive Hartpury side, who maintained their jinx over Chinnor. After a close opening 50 minutes, Hartpury pulled away to a comfortable victory with a masterclass of tactical kicking from fly-half Harry Bazalgette and some impressive forward play, in particular at the line-out and rolling mauls. Chinnor had been very effective this season with their line-outs and rolling mauls but they met their match today, three times failing to secure 5 metre lineout possession and seemingly having little answer to Hartpury’s set pieces.
Chinnor kicked off towards the Showground end with a slight breeze behind them. Hartpury won a penalty at the first scrum of the game, which they kicked to half-way. Hartpury’s throw went too long and hooker Walker made the catch and kicked downfield. Hartpury took the ball inside their in-goal area and were forced to touch down to give a 5-metre scrum to the home side.
Scott Hall picked up from the base of the scrum and was stopped short of the line, as were a few more drives. Chinnor then dropped the ball, enabling Hartpury to hack away to halfway, where Chinnor wing Freddie Owsley ran back at the visitors until being illegally stopped. The penalty was kicked to 5 metres, which lock Jamie Campbell won. The rolling maul rumbled over the line and Walker was credited with the touchdown. Chamberlain’s excellent touchline conversion made the score 7-0 after 6 minutes.
A high Chinnor kick after the restart was knocked in to touch by a Hartpury hand to give Chinnor a lineout on their 10-metre line. Conor Brockschmidt won the lineout for Chinnor, who kicked to the Hartpury 22 for Bazalgette to kick back, but Owsley’s return was too strong and went dead to give Hartpury a scrum just inside the Chinnor half.
Hartpury were awarded a free-kick at the scrum which Bazalgette launched into the skies but Chamberlain made a good catch, and Chinnor replied with a high kick of their own, which Hartpury full-back Isaac Marsh dropped to give Chinnor a scrum on the Pury 10 metre line.
Hall again picked up at the base of the scrum and released Bourton to surge forward, but after the move was halted, Chinnor passed straight into touch.
Lock Peter Paramore won the lineout for Hartpury but after Bazalgette’s first kick was returned, the student’s fly-half kicked directly into to touch to give Chinnor a lineout midway inside the Hartpury half.
Brockschmidt again won Chinnor’s throw but scrum half Callum Pascoe was unable to hold onto the tap back, and Chinnor infringed at the ensuing ruck. Bazalgette nudged play to the Chinnor 22 where Paramore again won the visitors’ throw and Allsopp was able to make a strong run, but after he was tackled Chinnor had the put in at the scrum.
Although only 15 minutes had been played, Chinnor had already been forced into making two changes, with Pascoe and wing Grant Hughes having to leave the field with injuries.
Hartpury were able to win turnover ball and Bazalgette chipped towards the corner flag but Chamberlain was able to get to it first but then knocked on trying to keep hold of the ball. From the scrum inside the Chinnor 22, Bazalgette kicked towards the other corner but this time a Hartpury player was able to gather, and Clark crossed for Hartpury’s first score. Bazalgette’s conversion unexpectedly slid wide so the score was 7-5 with 19 minutes played.
The Chinnor restart went straight out of play to give Hartpury a scrum on the half-way line as the rain started to heavily fall. Price twice kicked high and Chinnor were pinged at a ruck from the second effort, and Hartpury were now 10 metres from the Chinnor line. Paramore secured lineout ball and the rolling maul moved irrepressibly forward and over the whitewash. Crane was credited with the score and Bazalgette added the extras. It was now 7-12 with 23 minutes on the clock.
Shortly after the restart, Marsh dropped a high kick from replacement scrum-half Luke Carter so Chinnor had a scrum on the Hartpury 22. A Chinnor penalty was kicked to 5 metres, but Hartpury stole the lineout and were able to clear, and won a lineout of their own on their 22-metre line.
Hartpury won their lineout and Chinnor were pinged again at the ruck and Bazalgette took his side up to their 10-metre line. Lineout ball was again secured but after Bazalgette went aerial again, Chinnor’s Nick Smith was taken out in the air whilst attempting to take the catch, leading to a yellow card for Marsh in the 33rd minute.
Chinnor kicked their penalty to the Hartpury 10 metre line and another penalty took them to within 5 metres. Several Chinnor drives for the line were repelled but Hartpury were forced to touch down Chamberlain’s grubber kick to give Chinnor a 5-metre scrum, at which they were awarded a penalty.
Again, Hartpury were able to win Chinnor’s 5-metre lineout and clear. However, Chinnor were still pressing and after some more drives for the try-line Price deliberately knocked on to prevent a try and also saw yellow. In the 38th minute Hartpury had been reduced to 13 players.
Chinnor finally won a 5-metre lineout via Campbell and the forwards rumble over to give Walker a second try of the day. Chamberlain was successful from the tee and Chinnor now led 14-12 with 38 minutes played.
Chinnor needlessly gave away a penalty at a ruck after the restart and Hartpury were back inside the Chinnor 22. However, it was Chinnor’s turn to win an opposition throw, but after some messy play, Bazalgette opted to kick the ball off the field to end the half, with his side trailing by 2 points.
Hartpury’s restart was kicked out of play by Carter to give the students a lineout on the Chinnor 22. Hartpury won their ball and drove to within 5 metres of the line and won a penalty advantage, but this wasn’t required as the forwards finally crashed over, with Worts receiving the credit. Bazalgette converted so the 13 men of Hartpury now led 19-14 after 42 minutes.
Chinnor were looking for a quick response and their pack pushed Hartpury off their scrum-ball and with a penalty advantage went wide, but Joe Brock dropped the ball close to the touchline. Play went back for the penalty so Chinnor had a 5-metre lineout, which they lost for the third time in the game, and Hartpury cleared to the half-way line where Owsley started to run back at the Hartpury defence. However a long pass from Carter was intercepted by Clark, and the winger ran 50 yards to score his side’s 4th try of the game, and with the conversion from Bazalgette, Hartpury had moved into a commanding 26-14 lead with 48 minutes played.
This time Chinnor were able to make an almost instant response. A penalty was won at the restart and kicked to 5 metres and after several drives close to the line, Hall barged over and Chamberlain added a super conversion. 21-26 after 52 minutes and game on.
Chinnor were on the front foot and won a turnover after a high kick from Carter, but the defence from Hartpury was good and they were given the put-in at the scrum. Bazalgette then produced a fabulous 50:22 kick, bouncing into touch 5 metres from the Chinnor line, and with a sense of inevitability the lineout was won and rolling maul was unstoppable, with Corbett touching down. Predictably Bazalgette converted and it was now 21-33 in the 58th minute.
Owsley made a good catch at the restart but when Chinnor moved the ball wide Brock knocked on. Bazalgette kicked long from the scrum, and Brock’s day was summed up with a poor clearing kick, giving Hartpury a lineout on the Chinnor 22.
Paramore again won the Hartpury lineout but Chinnor had a reprieve with Smith dropped the ball in midfield and Chinnor were able to fly-hack to half-way where the covering Hartpury defender knocked on. However, Chinnor over-elaborated in midfield from the scrum and dropped the ball, and the loose ball with kicked deep into the Chinnor 22. Some scrambled defence prevented another Hartpury score but a knock on gave the students a scrum on the Chinnor 22.
Hartpury won a penalty at the scrum and won the subsequent lineout. The rolling maul won a penalty in front of the posts, which Hartpury opted to kick to leave Chinnor needing three scores. Bazalgette’s kick took the score to 21-36 with 66 minutes played.
Another period of Chinnor pressure ended with a knock-on, this time prop Kai Owen being the culprit. Another deep kick from Bazalgette forced Hanks to retreat and his clearing kick was partially charged down. The loose ball was hacked forward and off for a lineout close to the Chinnor line.
Chinnor won their lineout but were having difficulty getting out of their 22 and when they did, Bazalgette kicked long again leading to Chinnor having to touch down in goal and having to drop out from behind their line.
Replacement Hartpury scrum-half Sam Allford kicked high into the Chinnor 22 and although Bourton made a good catch he was immediately smothered by marauding Hartpury attackers. Another penalty was awarded to the visitors at a ruck after a lineout tap, and again Bazalgette stepped up to add another three points to his side’s total, taking the score to 21-39 after 79 minutes.
It nearly got worse for the home side as both Hartpury centres broke from their own 22 and deep into the Chinnor half, from which Bazalgette’s deft chip for the corner was just beyond the reach of Oliver Holliday.
Campbell won the lineout for Chinnor, who won a penalty, from which they moved the ball through the hands to win another penalty on the half-way line. Needing a try for a bonus point, the kick was aimed for the corner, but failed to find touch and stayed in play, and Hartpury kicked off the field to end the match.
Despite their impressive win, Hartpury remained in 4th place in the table, whilst Chinnor dropped one place to 6th.
