October 18, 2025
Into the middle of October, Chinnor finally got to play a home league match as they hosted Coventry, one of the country’s most famous names in English rugby. In the early season table, 13th hosted 9th.
These diaries reported on Chinnor’s disappointing opening day 13-18 loss at newly promoted Richmond, after which they predicted suffered a hammering at two-time champions Ealing Trailfinders. A 7-57 defeat was probably one they were glad to get out of the way so early in the season, especially as Ealing appear to look even stronger than last season.
Chinnor had just one point from two games, with only London Scottish below them without a point.
Coventry faced a tough start to the season, beginning with a visit to the revived Worcester Warriors, and looked impressive in taking a 19-7 lead at half-time. However, Warriors came back in the second half to win 29-19, but only after the officials had controversially not awarded a penalty try to Coventry when the scores were level.
Last weekend Coventry hosted Bedford Blues, and after a game of ebb-and-flow, they ran out winners by 35-30.
Previous Meetings
Fatbear reported on Coventry’s first ever visit to Kingsey Road last March, which Coventry won 45-37. Chinnor were on top in the opening 25 minutes and last 15 minutes of the game, but Coventry ultimately won the match with their play in the other 40 minutes ! Chinnor missed out on a losing bonus point when a difficult conversion with the last kick of the game slid past the uprights.
That report included a short history of Coventry RFC
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2025/03/chinnor-37-45-coventry-att-2142-202425.html
Coventry had won their home game against Chinnor earlier in the season by a 28-14 margin, and had also won two previous friendlies they had hosted against Chinnor.
Coventry Squad
The Coventry squad for this season has seen plenty of departures and new signings from last season. From the 23 players that featured at Chinnor last March, only 6 were involved in today’s game, half-backs Josh Barton and Tom Mathews, Welsh centre Dafydd-Rhys Tiueti, flying wing David Opoku-Fordjour, hooker Suva Ma’asi and back-row forward Mackenzie Graham.
Of the new recruits, prop Aristot Benz-Salomon was part of the victorious Hartpury side at Chinnor last season, lock Allan Ferrie had recently signed from Melrose, Welsh back-row forward Morgan Strong was previously with Doncaster, Ampthill and Ospreys, full-back Tom Bacon has returned from Australia having previously played for Ampthill, and wing Ewen Baker arrived from Northampton.
The top points scorers so far this season were ex-Newcastle Falcons and Gwent Dragons fly-half Josh Thomas, who was on the substitutes bench, with 24 points, whilst winger Peter Sullivan had scored two tries but was missing today.
Matchday Information
According to AA route planner, the journey from Coventry to Thame is 66 miles and should normally take around 70 minutes down the M40.
The weather at the 15.00 kick-off was dry and grey clouds with a temperature of 13 degrees. A mild breeze made it feel a little chilly.
Adult tickets purchased online were £16. For over £65s it was £14 but an extra £5 was being charged to sit in the new covered stand behind the goal at the ring-road end. Prices at the gate were £19 for adults.
An online programme had been produced in advance of today’s game. The scoreboard had been replaced with a large screen, which showed the pictures of the match being broadcast on Clubber TV.
Coventry made six changes to the XV that started against Bedford. With scrum-half Sam Maunder suspended for three games after a 20-minute red card against Bedford, Barton returned to the side and Mathews swopped at fly-half with Thomas. Ma’asi swopped at hooker with Jordan Poole, Ferrie replaced ex-Nottingham lock Jack Shine, Graham replaced Chester Owen in the back-row and Baker was on the wing in place of Sullivan. Ex-Chinnor prop Keston Lines was amongst the substitutes.
Chinnor made three changes in the pack with Chris Moore exchanging with Alun Walker at hooker. In the back-row, on loan back-row forwards from Ealing, New Zealander Jamie Carr and Gabriel Mann started, with Scott Hall and Dan Cooke dropping to the bench.
In the backs, Kieran Goss replaced Freddie Owsley on the wing and Connor Slevin returned on loan from Harlequins after 16 appearances last season to replace Ryan Crowley at full-back.
Coventry were in an all-black kit with turquoise trimmings and helpfully a large white square on the back of their shirts with the player’s number, whilst Chinnor were in their change kit of gold shirts with black shorts and socks.
Match Report
Chinnor recorded arguably their best result in their history with a 21-point victory over a full-time professional side, although this didn’t look likely after Coventry had raced into a 19-0 lead in the opening 17 minutes.
Coventry started in an irrepressible fashion and Chinnor’s cause was not being helped by giving away a number of penalties and a couple of knock-ons, enabling Coventry to keep play deep inside the Chinnor half. Back-row forwards Tom Ball and Graham were ruling the roost at the line-out to give the visitors an almost never-ending stream of possession.
The opening score came in the 5th minute. A Chinnor knock-on under pressure gave Coventry a scrum around 8 metres from the Chinnor line, and Coventry drove several times for the line but were repelled, but eventually Strong lived up to his name by barging over the tryline close to the post. Mathews added the extras to make the score 0-7.
Chinnor briefly threatened when fly-half Nathan Chamberlain sent a kick into space inside the Coventry 22, but a great clearing kick from Bacon took play back into the Chinnor half. Coventry won the Chinnor throw for a second time and forced another penalty to kick to 5 metres from the Chinnor line. Coventry’s forwards again repeatedly drove for the tryline until the ball was dropped and when Chinnor wing Grant Hughes picked up the loose ball he knocked on in the tackle, although it looked like he had been interfered with before he picked up the ball.
Coventry had a scrum 10 metres from the tryline and again launched many drives for the line but the Chinnor defence was good. Eventually the ball was spread to the right and Baker dived over the line close to the corner. Mathews was again successful from the tee, taking the score to 0-14 after 15 minutes.
Straight from the restart, Coventry released Opoku-Fordjour who showed great pace to run down the touchline, and then nice footwork took him past the covering defender to score a scintillating try. The conversion slid wide of the post, so the score became 0-17 with 17 minutes on the clock.
A long afternoon looked in prospect for Chinnor but when Slevin ran the restart clearance back at the Coventry defence he was illegally stopped, and Chinnor kicked the penalty into the Coventry 22. Chinnor finally won a lineout as Jamie Campbell rose the highest, and Hughes, Slevin and Keiran Goss all had runs for the line stopped short and Coventry conceded another penalty, which was kicked to 5 metres.
Campbell again won the line-out and this time Mann was tackled short of the line but the referee awarded another penalty to Chinnor. A quick-tap was taken and Mann and then Moore drove for the line, but Chinnor were penalised for crossing, enabling Coventry to clear to midway inside their half. It felt like it was going to be one of those days for Chinnor, any chances they got needed to be taken.
The Coventry throw was judged to be not straight to give Chinnor a scrum, but the Coventry pack won a scrum penalty to take play back inside the Chinnor 22. Although Coventry won their line-out the ball was spilled and Hughes sent a great kick down the touchline to bounce into touch inside the Coventry half.
Graham secured line-out ball and Benz-Salomon made a charging run. When Coventry recycled possession, a loose pass led to a scrum to the home side. Slevin made a good run but was tackled inside the Coventry 22 and Chinnor drove for the tryline, but the ball was eventually dropped after good defence from Coventry. However, the scrum was awarded to Chinnor and the ball was released to James Bourton, who was tackled as he ran for the line, but scrum-half Luke Carter received the offload and dummied to pass, and then darted over close to the posts. Chamberlain add the easy conversion and Chinnor had brought the score back to 7-19 after 28 minutes.
The mistakes were now being made by the Coventry side. After Graham had won a line-out, Opoku-Fordjour dropped the ball when Coventry attempted to go wide. Another knock-on gave Chinnor another scrum, at which they won a free-kick. After a quick tap, Carter sent the ball high into the Coventry 22, where Opoku-Fordjour dropped the ball, but it was deemed to have gone backwards and Coventry were able to clear.
A high kick from Coventry was caught by Chamberlain, who dodged past the on-rushing Coventry player and fed Carter, who made an eye-catching break through the centre of the Coventry defence and then passed to Slevin, who had a clear run to the corner, and then had the sense to run around to under the posts. Chamberlain had another easy conversion and Chinnor were back in the game at 14-19 after 36 minutes.
Although Ball won another lineout Chinnor were awarded a penalty for foul play on George Stokes, which took them up to the Coventry 10 metre line. Carr won the line out and Carter sent a probing kick which unkindly ran away from full-back Bacon, who them received a crunching tackle from Hughes when he finally gathered the ball. Coventry’s defence was scrambling and a penalty was yielded, which Chinnor kicked to 5 metres to set-up an opportunity to take a half-time lead. However, Coventry defended the rolling maul and the referee blew his whistle to end the half with Coventry leading 19-14.
Chinnor immediately put Bacon under pressure at the start of the second period, having to field two high balls, and the second resulted in a penalty to Chinnor for not releasing, which took Chinnor to within 10 metres of the tryline. Campbell won the line out and Bourton and Slevin were both tackled as they ran for the line. Carter thought he had scored but play continued, before prop Rob Hardwick finally bulldozed his way over. Another regulation conversation for Chamberlain gave Chinnor a 21-19 lead with 44 minutes played.
Ball again won a Coventry lineout after Chinnor had cleared the restart, but they kicked long to Hughes, who ran back down the touchline and chipped ahead over the defending winger. Slevin beat Hughes to the ball, kicked the ball forward and then dived on the ball for another try for Chinnor. A difficult conversion from close to the touchline drifted wide of the uprights so it was now 26-19 after 47 minutes.
Coventry won a penalty after Bacon had claimed a high ball returning the restart, which they kicked into the Chinnor half, but unexpectedly Chinnor stole the Coventry throw and won a penalty to take play back into the Coventry half.
Campbell’s tap back was messy, and Carter was forced to kick but Api Bavadra dropped the ball to give Chinnor a scrum 10 metres from the tryline. Coventry defended the next Chinnor attack, but only at the expense of a penalty and a yellow card to lock Senitiki Nayalo.
Campbell won the lineout and the rolling maul headed for the tryline at a rate of knots, and Walker peeled off to score in the corner. Chamberlain added an impressive touchline conversation as Chinnor extended their lead to 33-19 after 54 minutes.
Chinnor were now rampant and Slevin’s kick ahead was covered by Bacon, but Tiueti knocked on in the tackle when Coventry tried to counterattack. Chinnor won a penalty at the scrum and this time Conor Brockschmidt won the lineout. The rolling maul made its way through some flimsy defending until the ball was spilt but Chinnor were given the put in at the scrum. When a free-kick was awarded, Chinnor took it quickly, and Bourton had the strength to score. Coventry prop Matt Johnson was shown a yellow card for his efforts to prevent the try, and Chamberlain again added the extras. Chinnor now led 40-19 with 62 minutes played.
Now needing three scores to even tie the match, Coventry started to play again. A dangerous attack ended with Bacon passing behind Baker and straight into touch, but a penalty advantage had been played, so Coventry had a 5-metre lineout. However, the throw was long and Chinnor pounced on the loose ball and cleared.
Ball won another line out and Coventry spread the ball to the left and then back infield where Ball made a break through the heart of the Chinnor defence, but Goss made a superb try saving tackle, and with no support, Ball was pinged for not releasing.
A lengthy injury delay then ensued as a stretcher was brought on for Coventry substitute hooker Poole, who thankfully was able to get up and leave the field unaided.
Coventry enjoyed a period camped inside the Chinnor 22. After a 5-metre rolling maul was stopped, another long pass went into touch but again a penalty advantage was being played and so it was back to a 5 metre line-out. The Coventry pack made many drives for the line and eventually Ma’asi breached the overworked Chinnor defence, and Thomas knocked over the conversion. The score had moved to 40-26 with 79 minutes showing on the scoreboard clock.
Chinnor responded right away with substitute Will Cave bursting through the middle, drawing the full-back and playing the pass for Carter to canter over the line. Chamberlain’s 6th conversation of the day extended Chinnor’s lead to 47-26 with 81 minutes on the clock.
The scoreboard clock had not been stopped for the earlier injury so there would be at least 6 addition minutes to be played, plus any other occasions when the referee had stopped the clock. In the event, 11 extra minutes were to be played.
Coventry were trying to run from everywhere, but kept running into a wall of Chinnor defenders. Bavadra was flattened by an immense tackle but when Chinnor moved the ball wide, Morgan Passman was unable to hold onto the pass with space ahead of him. Chinnor’s Callum Pascoe almost made an interception but after a couple of juggles eventually dropped the ball.
Coventry won a penalty to have a line-out 8 metres from the Chinnor line, and when they spread the ball, Tom Miles made a break but his long pass went well forward and the pass was dropped anyway on the tryline.
Coventry continued to try and run the ball but after multiple knock-ons from both sides they were awarded a scrum but Chinnor’s defence remained good, but Coventry won another penalty which was kicked to 5 metres. Dan Cooke stole the lineout for Chinnor and Walker gleefully kicked the ball out of play to end the game.
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