Chinnor 34-59 Ealing Trailfinders ( att : 1,206 ) – Pre-Season Friendly

September 12, 2025

The National Leagues started their season last weekend and the Premiership clubs started the Premiership Cup this weekend, but the RFU in their wisdom had decreed that the Championship, or the Champ as it has now been rebranded, would only start in early October. Consequently, the first pre-season friendly for both Chinnor and Ealing Trailfinders was this evening, a Friday Night Lights fixture.

Previous Meetings

Chinnor and Ealing Trailfinders first met in National 3 South in 2008/09. Chinnor were beaten 26-46 in Ealing but relegation bound, they caused a major upset in the return, battling to a 20-13 victory. They resumed rivalries last season in the Championship, and in another Friday Nights Fixture back in January, Chinnor pushed table toppers Ealing all the way before falling to a 5-28 defeat in front of a crowd of 2,146. The reverse fixture was played in May, with Champions Ealing recording a convincing 41-5 victory, but even Ealing supporters commented that two of Ealing’s tries should have been disallowed, and their margin of victory didn’t accurately reflect the differences between the two sides.

Chinnor Update

Prior to their final game of last season, Chinnor announced that inspirational captain Willie Ryan was retiring and two other key players were leaving the club, with Australian full-back Will Feeney joining Ealing and prop Keston Lines moving to Coventry. Of the fringe players, Max Clementson was retiring and Alfie North was moving abroad. In addition, the loan/dual registered players would be returning to their parent clubs.

To-date, Chinnor had announced nine new signings. Hooker Luke Thompson and back-row forward Karl Main had joined from Ampthill, lock Jamie Campbell had signed from Heriots FP, lock Isaac Ridge was with Tonbridge Juddians last season, loose-head prop Kai Owen played for Nottingham, whilst centre Sam Hanks joined from Cambridge, full-back Joe Brock had signed from Leicester Lions and Scottish Sevens International Freddie Owsley had most recently played for Edinburgh and Watsonians. Rugged Georgian prop Ramaz Rukhadze had also signed on, after having played three games on loan after Plymouth Albion’s season had finished last year.

Ealing Trailfinders

The history of Ealing Trailfinders was documented for the meeting last January.

https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2025/01/chinnor-8-28-ealing-trailfinders-att.html 

Trailfinders went on to win the league, finishing 13 points ahead of Bedford Blues, but were denied promotion, or even a promotion play-off. They also proved their worth in the Premiership Cup, reaching the semi-finals after two victories over Saracens in their group, and eliminating Northampton Saints in the Quarter-Final, but narrowly lost to Exeter after leading with just over 10 minutes left to play.

Ealing were scheduled to play three pre-season warm-ups, all of which would be away from home and on Friday evenings. After tonight they would be playing Edinburgh, and then Hartpury University.

Ealing had been typically active in the summer, with 15 new players announced as joining their squad, including lock Josh Caulfield, winger Deago Bailey and scrum-half Sam Edwards from Bristol Bears. In addition to Will Feeney from Chinnor, other notable signings included lock/number 8 Kyle Hatherell from Leicester Tigers, Glasgow fly-half Richie Simpson, and back-row forward Conor Oliver from Connacht. Centre Rory Scannell ( 3 caps for Ireland )  joined this week from Munster.

Nine players were listed as having left Trailfinders, with fly-half Craig Willis moving to French side Agen, ex-Welsh International scrum-half Lloyd Williams joining Worcester Warriors and lock Ehize Ehzode, who played 16 games for Chinnor in 2019, had signed for Doncaster Knights. Centre Epi Rokodrava, who spent last season on loan at Chinnor, had joined Cambridge.

The Trailfinders website showed 48 players in their 1^st team squad, and when the Academy players were taken into consideration, they probably had close to 70 players on the payroll. No doubt a number would be farmed out on loan in search of game time or experience, possibly with Chinnor !

Matchday Information

The journey from Ealing to Thame is 40 miles and should normally take around 50 minutes down the A40 & M40. Hopefully Trailfinders would know the way !

After a few showers during the day, the weather at the 19.45 kick-off was dry and the temperature was around 15 degrees. The infamous Chinnor breeze was mostly absent but it still felt chilly, and that summer was over !

Adult tickets were £10 or £3 for 10-16 year olds if purchased on line, but were £14 on the gate. A brief online programme had been produced for tonight’s friendly. With the member’s discount, a pint of XT4 was £5.25. The person in the queue behind me asked what the difference was between XT3 and XT4, the answer obviously being 1 !!

A new 526 seat covered stand, required to comply with minimum operating standards for Championship clubs, had been installed behind the posts at the Ring Road end, replacing the 350 seat open stand that had only been put in place at the start of last season. In addition, two banks of open seats were also in place, each with around 150 seats. One was next to the covered stand, and the other along the touchline in front of the hospitality marquee. The scoreboard was now on the clubhouse rather than in the far corner.

Chinnor had announced two different sides for the match, one for the first half and another for the second half, so that all of their squad were to get some game time, and only wing Grant Hughes and full-back Freddie Owsley were slated to play the whole match.

Ealing named a starting XV with 9 substitutes. Four of the squad had previously played for Chinnor, prop Elliot Chilvers, lock George Shaw, back-row forward Geordie Irvine and fly-half George Worboys. Chinnor head coach and Ealing scrum-half Craig Hampson was not selected, nor was ex-Chinnor full-back Will Feeney.

Ealing were in a kit of yellow shirts with black shorts and socks whilst Chinnor were in their usual black and white hoops.

The match was live streamed free-to-air on the Clubber TV website.

 

Match Report

Chinnor kicked off towards the Ring Road end and into a mild wind. Ealing were under pressure inside their 22 until scrum-half Michael Stronge cleared to the Chinnor 10 metre line where Chinnor flanker George Stokes fumbled. Chinnor gathered but scrum-half Luke Carter’s kick was caught in the breeze and a knock-on gave Trailfinders the scrum.

Hatherell made a good break from the scrum but his inside pass was spilled and Chinnor were able to clear to their 10 metre line. A period of kick tennis ensued until Stronge sent a bouncing kick into the Chinnor 22 for a 50/20 and the line-out to Ealing 10 metres from the try line.

Matas Jurevicius won the line-out and Ealing launched several drives for the tryline, totally ignoring wing Bailey in oceans of space out by the touchline, but they forced another penalty and were back with a 5-metre lineout. This time hooker and captain Scott Buckley went for the corner, and after a period of reflection, the referee awarded the try. Worboys produced a fantastic touchline conversion to make the score 0-7 after 9 minutes.

Ealing were offside at the restart to give Chinnor a penalty, which was kicked to deep inside the Ealing 22. The rolling maul was halted but Chinnor released the ball and centre Tom Watson burst through a gap and then side-stepped past the covering defender to score a wonderful try close to the posts. Fly-half Nathan Chamberlain added the extras to bring the score to 7-7 with 11 minutes played.

Carter’s attempted clearing kick shortly after the restart was charged down and for a moment it looked like Chinnor would have to touch-down in their in-goal area, but somehow a clearing kick was found that went to the 10-metre line. Bailey went off on a searing run across the field and found centre Geordie Gwynn, but his offload was knocked on close to the try-line by a supporting forward.

Chinnor were able to clear to touch from the scrum and Ealing pressed but good defence forced Trailfinders to kick and Chinnor cleared for another lineout. Ealing made a scything break through the centre of the Chinnor defence to enter the Chinnor 22, and although the move was stopped, Bailey fed flanker Jamie Carr for an easy score. Worboys was again successful from the tee, taking the score to 7-14 with 17 minutes on the clock.

Chinnor claimed the ball from the restart and Chamberlain kicked towards the corner, but Ealing had it covered and were able to kick to take play to a lineout on the Chinnor 10 metre line. Bailey spilt a high-kick and Chamberlain sent a grubber kick to the corner which Ealing again defended, but the referee had seen an offside. Chinnor kicked the penalty to 5 metres and their rolling maul efficiently rumbled over the whitewash. The conversion drifted wide so the score had become 12-14 after 20 minutes.

Almost immediately prop Chilvers made a sensational break and side-stepped past the covering defender and passed to Worboys up in support to dive over the line. Worboys added another excellent conversion from out wide, so after 24 minutes, Ealing now led 12-21.

Ealing fumbled the restart, but Chinnor’s attempt to spread wide hit one of their own players. Ealing gathered and Stronge kicked long but with the ball in the in-goal area, Chamberlain cleared to close to the 10-metre line. However, the referee had deemed the Ealing kick had touched a Chinnor player so it had been taken back into the Chinnor 22. As a result, it was a 5-metre line-out to Ealing rather than a lot further up the field.

Ealing secured their line-out and after a half a dozen or so drives and with a penalty advantage, Shaw crossed under the posts and Worboys again converted. It was starting to look ominous for Chinnor, especially as back-row forward Wharton had been shown a yellow card and it was now 12-28 with 29 minutes played.

Chinnor were able to keep play in the Ealing half and a high tackle from Ealing enabled Chinnor kick to 5 metres. The rolling maul was this time repelled but only at the expense of another penalty and another 5-metre line-out. This time, after Campbell won the line-out, the rolling maul spun around and substitute hooker Alun Walker dived over in the corner. The attempted conversion again drifted wide of the uprights, so the score was 17-28 after 36 minutes.

After Chinnor cleared the restart to touch, the Ealing lineout wasn’t straight, to give Chinnor a scrum. As the ball was moved from the scrum, an off-the-ball punch-up between Ealing’s Siya Ningiza and Chinnor's Harry Dugmore started, leading to play being halted. The resumption was another scrum to Chinnor, which strangely with just 7 men in the scrum, they decided to keep at the back of the scrum rather than play the ball, and a late shove from the Ealing pack won Trailfinders a penalty.

Ealing kicked the penalty into the Chinnor 22 and pressed strongly for another try, but the home defence was good until eventually yielding a penalty. Ealing’s rolling maul from the subsequently 5 metre lineout was again met with good defence until a knock-on was forced, and the referee blew to end the half, with Ealing leading 28-17.

The start of the second period was initially messy, with both sides having possession without creating any danger, until Stronge made a break and fed Gwynn for a run down the touchline. After being tackled short of the line, Ealing reworked possession and Gwynn was able to score in the corner. Worboys was this time unable to add the extras from the touchline, making the score 17-33 with 44 minutes played.

Chinnor’s response was for Nick Smith to make a bull-dozing run through the centre of the Ealing defence but was finally tackled short of the line. Chinnor moved the ball to the right and Sam Hanks' grubber kick was gathered by Owsley who dived over in the corner. Smith kicked a superb conversion from close to the touchline, to bring Chinnor back into the match at 24-33 with 47 minutes played.

However, Chinnor fumbled the restart and Ealing attacked and won a penalty to take play deep into the Chinnor 22. The rolling maul was held up but Ealing launched many drives for the tryline before winning a penalty. A quick tap was taken and Gabriel Mann barged over the line. Worboys was successful from the tee for the 5^th time, so Ealing now led 24-40 after 50 minutes.

This was the cue for Ealing to make some mass substitutions. Mann quickly went from hero to villain as he dropped the restart and from the scrum, Smith’s cross-field kick bounced into touch 5 metres from the Ealing line. Trailfinders were penalised at the line-out so Chinnor had the 5-metre lineout, from which they won another penalty after another Ealing transgression. A quick tap saw Pascoe scoot over from close range but Smith missed from the tee, but Chinnor had closed the deficit to 29-40 with 25 minutes left to play.

A poor tap back by Ealing from the restart enabled Walker to fly-kick deep into the Ealing half, and the visitors were forced to touchdown in their in-goal area to give Chinnor a scrum five. They went blind from the scrum and a long, floated pass from Smith gave Ryan Crowley, in acres of space, the chance to flop over the line. Again, Chinnor missed the conversion but the score was now 34-40 after 58 minutes.

Both sides had now scored six tries, but Ealing led due to their greater accuracy from the tee. Pascoe made a great break from inside his 22 from the restart and then kicked ahead but the ball rolled into touch just before Crowley could get to it.

The impressive Bailey went on a good run down the touchline for Ealing, but Chinnor were able to win turnover ball and Scott Hall burst through the middle and looked like scoring until being brought down by a desperate tackle 10 metres short of the line. Chinnor reworked, but Ealing were awarded the scrum 15 metres from their line, from which they were awarded a free-kick.

Crowley fielded the high-kick and Hall again broke through the Trailfinders defence to enter the 22, and after Chinnor reworked possession they had a line-out 5 metres from the Ealing line.  With Chinnor looking for the score to give them the lead, Ealing important won turnover ball from the rolling maul and were able to kick to touch. It was to prove to be crucial.

Ealing stole the Chinnor lineout and were able to take play to the Chinnor 10 metre line. Ridge won the lineout for the home side but a knock on in midfield gave Ealing a scrum, from which Mann picked up from the base of the scrum to run into the Chinnor 22 but his offload went forward. Chinnor won a free-kick to kick to touch, but from the line-out Ealing broke through Michael Dykes, who fed Simpson to surge down the touchline to score. The conversion sailed wide of the far upright but Ealing now had some breathing space at 34-45 with 7 minutes remaining.

A Chinnor clearing kick was charged down and Ningiza surged forward but was tackled short of the line. However, Ealing reworked possession and Ningiza was presented with a simple score. Worboys converted to take the score to 34-52 with two minutes left to play.

There was still time for Simpson to make another strong run, before pulling up with what looked to be a hamstring injury, but he was able to make the pass to wing Toby Cousins to keep the move going but the winger was tackled close to the touchline, and then knocked on after play continued.

Ealing won a penalty at the scrum, which was kicked to 5 metres, and the rolling maul added their 9^th try of the evening. Matt Cornish was credited with the score and Worboys kicked his 7^th conversion of the game to end the match with a 34-59 scoreline in Ealing’s favour.

The three ties in the closing 7 minutes made the final scoreline was a little harsh on Chinnor, who a little earlier were in with a sniff of taking the lead. Whilst it is always dangerous to read too much into preseason friendlies, Chinnor will probably take a lot of positives from their performance, especially scoring six tries against the Champions.

Ealing looked very impressive at times with ball in hand, but both team’s defensive coaches have plenty of work to do, and the new signings get used to each other.

The sides meet again in Round 2 of the Championship, and it will be interesting to see have many differences there will be to the starting line-ups !