October 19, 2024
Today saw Chinnor’s second home match in the English Championship, with Hartpury University being the visitors. These diaries reported on Chinnor’s 31-17 victory over Caldy two weeks ago, after which they visited Coventry in an unexpected top-of-the table encounter and put up a respectable performance in a 14-28 defeat, having apparently failed to convert several promising scoring opportunities.
Hartpury started the day in 5th place, with the same number of points as Chinnor but with an inferior points difference.
Hartpury University
Hartpury College RFC were founded in 2004 an have a close relationship with Gloucester RFC, who loan players, usually academy players who were, or were recently departed, students at the College. The Saturday side was distinct from the mid-week side that played in the BUCS competition, which is exclusively for current students.
Gloucester RFC use the facilities at Hartpury as their training base, and the women’s side is a combined one with the name Gloucester-Hartpury Women.
Hartpury started at the lowest level in the rugby pyramid in Gloucester Three North. They won seven consecutive promotions before spending two seasons in National League Two South, which they won in 2013/14.
Hartpury then spent three seasons in National League One, before becoming Champions in 2016/17, winning all 30 matches. They have since remained in the second tier Championship, steadily consolidating their status and finished in 5th place last season. Consecutive 7th places had been achieved in the prior two seasons, having previously finished no higher than 9th before that.
Last season Hartpury’s average attendance was 934 and ex-Cornish Pirates fly-half Harry Bazalgette was second in the league scoring chart with 181 points.
The change of name to Hartpury University was made in 2020.
Hartpury This Season
Hartpury began the season with a heavy 21-55 defeat at title favourites Ealing Trailfinders, but then edged out London Scottish 34-33 at home. Another close game saw a narrow 32-35 loss at Bedford Blues, but they then thumped Cambridge at home in their most recent match, the margin of victory being 43-10.
In addition to the fresh-faced students, the Hartpury squad for this season includes a number of experienced heads, some of whom have played against ( and for ! ) Chinnor in the past.
Lock Dale Lemon was a member of Cinderford’s monster pack that was victorious at Chinnor in an epic encounter in 2017/18, in which the Foresters took revenge for their only defeat that season on their way to winning the league. Chinnor were also promoted by beating Sedgley Park in the play-off.
Scrum-half Michael Austin has also tasted victory at Chinnor in a Cinderford shirt, being a member of the side that won 33-27 in September 2021.
Back-row forward Jarrad Hayler has played for Barnstaple, Taunton, Redruth and Cornish Pirates, and prop Joe Rees played 8 times for Chinnor in 2019, with Rotherham, Merthyr and London Scottish also on his CV.
Full-back Alex Morgan is ex-Gloucester and Jersey Reds, centre Robert Smith has played for Old Redcliffians and Doncaster Knights, hooker William Crane was formerly at Birmingham Moseley and Cornish Pirates, and blindside flanker Samuel Lewis is ex-Leicester Lions, Loughborough Students, Nottingham and Coventry.
Student props Jonathan Benz-Salomon and Aristot Benz-Salomon are brothers and are on loan from Gloucester.
Previous Meetings
The sides have met on six previous occasions, with Hartpury College as they were then known, winning all six.
The first meetings were in 2010/11 in National League 3 South West. Hartpury won the league in their only season at that level, with 24 wins out of 26, including two victories over Chinnor ( 64-13 at home and 36-10 at Chinnor )
The sides played each other in National league Two South in 2012/13 and 2013/14 when Hartpury’s wins were 52-7 H & 22-8 A in 2012/13, and 31-14 H and 47-39 A in 2013/14.
Fatbear attended the game at Kingsey Road in 2013/14, when Hartpury led 33-13 at half-time and 47-27 with little over 10 minutes remaining, but Chinnor had a barnstorming finish and missed a penalty to take a losing bonus point. Many spectators felt that if the game had gone on for 5 more minutes Chinnor would have won as the students were out on their feet.
That Hartpury side contained several future stars. Future Welsh International back-row forward Ross Moriarty ( 54 caps ), who is now with French side Brive, was on loan from Gloucester that season and was lucky to avoid a red card for a punch. Fly-half Billy Burns went on to play seven times for Ireland and is currently playing for Munster.
Wing Jaike Carter became an international for Spain, whilst scrum-half Ben Vellacott won one cap for Scotland in a career with Gloucester, Wasps and Edinburgh. Flying full-back Steph Reynolds, who scored a spectacular try from his own goal line running diagonally through what appeared to be nearly all the Chinnor side, played Sevens for Wales.
Two of the Hartpury side went on to play for Chinnor. Wing Reuben Haile, who scored two tries that day, scored 16 tries in 25 appearances in 2014/15 whilst prop Ricky Cano played 55 times in three spells between 2014 and 2019, whilst also playing for Wharfedale, Plymouth Albion and Clifton.
The youngsters were supported by old hands Chris Fortey, who played over 250 games as hooker for Gloucester and Worcester, and Samoan International centre Terry Fanolua ( 25 caps ) who made over 200 appearances for Gloucester. No wonder they won the league that year !
Matchday Information
Adult tickets purchased online were £15 but £12 for members. For over £65s and students it was £10. Tickets on the gate were £17.50, or £15 for members. A pint of XT Amber was £5.50, or £4.95 for members.
After heavy rain in the morning the weather at the 15.00 kick-off was dry with blue skies, and the temperature was around 15 degrees, and with only a very gentle breeze.
Hartpury were in a kit of all red whilst Chinnor were in their usual black and white hoops with black shorts and socks.
From the home game against Caldy, an on-line programme was available to read from Chinnor’s Facebook page, although nothing was published prior to kick-off for today’s game.
Hartpury made two changes from the XV that started against Cambridge, with William Crane replacing Ethan Hunt at hooker, and Cam Corbett selected in place of Dale Lemon. I calculated seven of their side had experience of playing in Hartpury’s BUCS side.
Chinnor also made two changes from last week, with centre Epi Rokodrava coming in for Keiran Goss and George Stokes replacing Conar Brockschmidt in the forwards.
Match Report
Hartpury kicked off and immediately put Chinnor under pressure. After several probes had been repelled, Balzagette chipped ahead forcing Pressman into a fumble inside his 22, but the ball went backwards and Chinnor were awarded a penalty at the subsequent ruck.
Chinnor were seeing plenty of the ball in the early stages but were unable to make much yardage as the game was being mostly played between Chinnor’s 10 and 22 metre lines, and it was very competitive. After a Chinnor knock-on, Hartpury won a scrum penalty and kicked to 5 metres from the Chinnor line. However, the Chinnor defence was good as they won turnover ball and cleared to outside their 22.
Hartpury then won a penalty 30 metres out and opted to go for the posts. Balzagette was successful from the tee to take the score to 0-3 with 10 minutes played.
In the first in a series of mistakes from Chinnor, Slevin’s kick-off went straight out of play to give Hartpury a scrum on the half-way line. Hartpury attacked down their left-hand side, but the pass to Oliver Holiday was forward.
Chinnor produced a good shove at the scrum but failed to make any progress in open play, forcing hooker Alun Walker into a grubber kick to find touch near to the Hartpury 10 metre line.
Hartpury won a penalty to take play up to the Chinnor 10 metre line, and from the line-out wing Brad Denty made a good break but was tackled 10 metres short of the try line. Possession was recycled only for Hartpury to knock on and Chinnor were able to kick to half-way, where Hartpury won another penalty.
From the 5-metre line-out prop Aristot Benz-Salomon trundled toward the try line but was held up. However, after several drives, flanker Harry Short crashed over the line for the opening try of the match. Balzagette added the extras to make it 0-10 after 19 minutes.
It had been all Hartpury so far, and Chinnor didn’t help themselves when again, Slevin’s restart went straight out of play. From the scrum, Hartpury demonstrated slick handling in the backs, and they won another penalty. A quick attack saw Denty run onto Balzagette's chip ahead down their right-hand touchline and a smart overhead inside pass enabled full-back Morgan to scamper over. Balzagette added a superb conversion from out wide as it became 0-17 after 23 minutes.
This time the restart stayed in play, and the clearing kick from Hartpury was partially charged down, but Chinnor failed to capitalise as Minto hacked on into the Chinnor half. Carter gathered for Chinnor and sent a box kick back into the Hartpury half, but Chinnor again infringed, and Hartpury kicked back to the Chinnor 10 metre line.
Scrum-half Austin went on a snipping run to the Chinnor 22 but the home side won a penalty, from which they failed to find touch, and after some kick tennis, Balzagette sent a lovely 50:20 kick deep into the Chinnor 22.
Hartpury secured their line-out ball and when Chinnor illegally stopped their drive, Chinnor prop Keston Lines was shown a yellow card in what may have been a case of mistaken identity, as it looked to me as if the transgressor was Willie Ryan. Hartpury’s rolling maul from the line-out was held up by the Chinnor defence for a drop-out from behind their try line.
Hartpury centre Robert Smith made a good break, but he had received a forward pass, and as the referee was playing advantage, play went back for another Hartpury penalty, which was kicked into the Chinnor 22.
The pressure from Hartpury was relentless but Chinnor again defended well forcing Balzagette to chip ahead for Denty to chase but the ball rolled into touch. Chinnor won their line-out, and after forcing Hartpury to infringe, they were able to take play up to close to half-way.
Despite managing to eventually obtain possession from the line-out, another infringement at the ruck yield yet another penalty, and Hartpury were again back in the Chinnor 22, but Lewis dropped the lineout to give Chinnor some breathing space. Unfortunately for the home side, more pressure led to another penalty, and hooker Walker saw yellow to reduce Chinnor to 13 men.
Hartpury won their 5-metre line-out, but Chinnor were able to bundle the Hartpury forwards into touch. Chinnor threw their line-out long and were able to win possession and clear, but shortly after Hartpury were awarded a penalty at a scrum, but surprisingly they opted to take the three rather than have a 5-metre lineout against the 13 Chinnor players. Balzagette’s kick was successful, so it was 0-20 at the interval.
Hartpury had been so dominant in the opening 40 minutes it was perhaps a surprise they had only scored 20 points. Chinnor ill-discipline had been costly as they had given away a huge number of penalties and would start the second half two men down. Poor kicking also hadn’t helped their cause.
Chinnor kicked off the second half and had a brief spell of play inside the Hartpury half, and Hughes jinked past three or four Hartpury defenders. The referee stopped play with a potential serious injury to Chinnor flanker Stokes, and play resumed with a scrum to Hartpury on their 22.
Hartpury spread the ball to their backs and Morgan made a great break through the Chinnor defensive line, and his inside pass enabled Austin to run in under the posts. Balzagette added the simple conversion, so it was now 0-27 after 44 minutes.
Slevin’s awful restart again went straight out, and from the scrum on half-way, Hartpury showed good hands down the right, and then across the field for Minto to canter over the line for an impressive score. More extras from Balzagette meant it was now 0-34 with 47 minutes on the clock.
At this point Chinnor were staring at a 50 or 60 point hiding as they seemed to have little answer to the skilful play and pressure from the students.
Feeney took the restart for Chinnor and kept the ball in play. After a period of midfield attrition, Chinnor lost possession and Hartpury kicked into the Chinnor 22, but Hughes gathered and kicked ahead and chased his kick. After another kick forward, Balzagette pulled down the Chinnor winger midway inside the Hartpury half to stop the try from being scored and was suitably shown a yellow card for his cynical play. It was probably just a little too far out for a penalty try to be awarded.
Chinnor were now on the attack and although their 5-metre lineout was repelled, they won another penalty to return to the 5 metre line. Passman attempted to crash-ball over the try line but the Hartpury defence was good, and they were able to hack the loose ball back into the Chinnor half. Bourton’s run took Chinnor back into the Hartpury 22, but they knocked on.
Hartpury won a scrum penalty and spread the ball wide from their line-out ball. Morgan was stopped by a crunching tackle from Passman, and when Chinnor won turnover ball, substitute scrum-half Pascoe made a break to take play back into the Hartpury 22.
A rolling maul from a Chinnor line-out was rumbling toward the tryline when it was stopped 5 metres short ,and although it looked like it had been illegally brought down the scrum went to the visitors.
Hartpury then appeared to collapse the scrum, but the referee allowed play to continue and Hartpury cleared their lines. Chinnor tried to run the ball from their lineout, but a Dam Buster pass resulted in a knock on. Hartpury again collapsed the scrum but this time the referee penalised them and gave a penalty to Chinnor, amongst much ironic cheering from the home crowd.
A catch and drive from the subsequent 5 metre line out saw Max Clementsen dive over the whitewash to put Chinnor on the scoreboard, and a tremendous touchline conversion from James Bourton made the score 7-34 after 61 minutes.
Shortly after the restart, Balzagette made a strong run into the Chinnor 22 and Hartpury had an attacking lineout. However, they dropped the ball at the lineout and Passman was able to kick ahead, which turned into a fabulous 50:20 to give Chinnor a lineout inside the Hartpury 22.
Hartpury were adjudged to have infringed at the lineout, but they then defended well at the subsequent 5 metre lineout, with the referee deciding Chinnor’s drive had been held up. It was a scrum to Hartpury, from which they were awarded a penalty as the scrum went down before the ball had been put into it.
Hartpury hoisted a high ball but Feeney made a safe catch and was then fouled as he attempted to run at the Hartpury defence. Unfortunately for Chinnor, the kick for the corner went dead so yet again poor kicked had squandered a good attacking opportunity for Chinnor, and Hartpury had a line-out on their 10 metre line.
Hartpury were on the attack again but from a kick ahead from Smith, Chinnor were able to gather and temporarily clear. Hartpury again went through the phases but Chinnor were able to win a penalty.
The home side kicked into the Hartpury half and then a rolling maul won another penalty to take them to within 15 meters of the visitors’ try line. Another rolling maul was stopped, and Hughes’ dart for the line was illegally halted. A quick tap saw Ryan dive over the line, but Bourton was unable to add the extras. Nevertheless, the score was now 12-34 after 78 minutes.
Chinnor continue to search for another consolation score, and there was still time for a flowing move to take Chinnor from their 22 to Hartpury’s 22 which ended with Harptury’s Edwards-Giraud being shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Passman.
The 5-metre line out was secured and from the rolling maul, replacement hooker Chris Moore was forced over. Bourton was successful with another difficult conversion, and the referee’s final whistle meant the final score was 19-34.
Today’s match was a tough experience for Chinnor who at times looked to be struggling against an experienced Hartpury side used to playing at this level. However, after looking to be on the receiving end of a pasting, Chinnor showed good spirit to score 19 unanswered points in the final 30 minutes. Clearly though they need to learn some lessons from today, in particular, to work on their discipline and improve their kicking from the hand.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7u8Q762cIw
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