With only one game to go before the halfway stage of the season I think it appropriate to give some insight of how I think the season has gone so far. In school report parlance I would give us a B+ achieving 4 wins from 10 in the league which, for a newly promoted side up against professional and semi-professional sides is a decent outcome given recent promoted sides history at this stage.

Our performances have been pleasing in that for the most part we have put our game both sides of the ball on the park for most matches. We like to be a physical, pressurising defense team which currently is backed up in the official stats with us 2nd in dominant collisions. This element of our game has been on display prominently in recent games against Bedford who only scored their sole 5 points in the 87th minute (ref lost his watch) and the week before when nilling a very good attacking side in Nottingham away in the first half with little possession. It isn't perfect by any means and occasionally we have let ourselves down but the lads love grafting for each other, and it is hard to beat a man or team that never gives up! We had a big focus on defense for the recent block and to concede under 20 points in 4 of the 5 games of the November/December period means the training is being applied on match day. Another element of our game which saw a big improvement with the necessity of it on the heavier pitches was our scrum. For the 5 games in this block, we won 14 penalties and 2 free kicks conceding only 3 pens and 1 FK, we want clean contestable scrums and having realised some teams don't in this league we changed a few things to make certain they stay in the battle with us, and it has proved fruitful.
Our attacking game was limited with some of the horrendous conditions we played in recently but overall, some sharp collectively well executed stuff has been on display, the big work on is conversion in the 22m, at the moment we are 3rd statistically with most visits but 9th in conversion rate which tells the story.

Story of the season is we started with a bang away at Cambridge with a 57-24 win knowing we announced ourselves and wouldn't be taken lightly we then made a second away trip to seasoned Champ campaigners Ampthill who have an excellent record at home over the years with a win against Ealing last season. We quickly found out how much of a wild west league it was when, with only one game in Ampthill felt it necessary to parachute in 11 Saracens players. Embrace the challenge lads was the call, and we did with a cracking game of rugby with us missing a kickable penalty late on which would have been reward for the efforts. Moving onto our first home game we got the win against a streetwise Caldy before taking on league leaders and full-time outfit Coventry away where we by the magnanimous admission of both their DoR and CEO we were the better team (this game highlighting our profligacy in the 22 more than any others with only 2 visits converted out of 13). However, a game like that breeds confidence in that what we are doing in training and preparation is on the right track. Disappointingly the fifth and final game of the first block proved a bridge too far as we came across a very efficient and well drilled Hartpury side so finished the 1st block of games with 2 wins from 5.

We then had a hiatus due to our non-admission into the Prem Cup which gave birth to the more high profile (at least on Socials) Not The Prem Cup 2-leg affair with us and our other pariahs Cambridge. I felt this a great opportunity to give peripheral players who had been knocking at the door alongside getting some match sharpness before our next block of league games started in 2 weeks’ time. This and of course it is a competition we want to win!! The opposition went full bore with their selection which was ideal to test out some new combinations and find out about some players. It was a good game of rugby player under lights on a Friday night which produced a brilliant atmosphere and a win 33-24 with players really putting their hand up moving into the next block.

This second block of 5 I thought was a tough fixture list for us. Strangely again the RFU when divvying out the fixtures decided to give us only 2 home games from 5, like the first block, however, this team thrive on the road as they know it is a proper test of preparation, resilience, composure, and discipline given not a lot of decisions go the way of away teams at this level. With 2 games against full time opposition (Pirates and Doncaster), 2 against Semi-Pro in (Bedford and Nottingham) and one against London Scottish which are a team like Ampthill that can get a plethora of full timers (Quins for them and did have 10 for our game) due to the dual reg system the squad would have to be managed correctly to peak for all 5 games which would be hard fought. I would like to mention the first-class support that came down (200 plus) easily won the noise battle with the home team and proved highly energising for the lads.

The first was Pirates away were we lost 13-15, another one that got away involved not only the worst call I have witnessed (multiple apologies in the week from the RFU and referee I must add but doesn’t change the result) which would have seen us go 20-5 up with a charge down being called a knock on by the AR. However, no excuses as we had chances despite this to win and turned down a kickable penalty at the death to go for corner. It says a lot about the team’s expectations to win that the mood was incredibly sombre. Well, we were next back at home in a will it, won’t it (due to Storm Darragh) game against Doncaster in the worst conditions I can remember, the wind allowed for play to only take part on one half (length ways) of the field. The crowd came out in forces despite reservations form the commercial team and the game was an absorbing contest played with no little skill by both teams given the conditions. We are accustomed to the Chinnor wind but nothing like this however our superior game management and close quarter game didn’t show as much as it should on the scoreboard (18-13) before the weather caused a local power cut curtailing the match at 68 minutes, we were awarded the points in line with the regulations of a match called off due to weather post 60 minutes.

Next up another first for Chinnor taking on Nottingham away, again a near miss having led 3-0 at HT they opposition and credit to them had a 15-minute purple patch where they led 19-3. We then dominated the final 20 minutes getting back to 19-15 before a missing a gilt-edged chance to take the spoils at the end. Another away game slipped away in the final moments.

The pre-Christmas fixture always brings a big crowd and with Bedford in town this was no exception. The boys were excellent managing the conditions and our breakdown both sides of the ball were the best I have witnessed since being at the club. We won comfortably 18-5 but also sadly endured the loss of our inspirational captain Willie Ryan who looks to be sidelined at least until April. Rugby is a brutal sport, and injuries happen and are planned for and once again it is no good bemoaning them, it gives someone else a chance to step up but also puts to test our training sessions of which we only have 2 a week. With regards this I like to keep teams mixed and have a level of competitiveness for selection each week as it is a new start, no dwelling on the weekend-we review and learn from it but go again. A drawback can be lack of cohesion time for some combinations if they aren’t together but I think there is greater reward in bringing out more in both a senior and junior player, for example the senior player has to lead better, set more of standard and assist a less experienced player but also the junior player will have better players around him and that is the sure fire way to becoming a better player. Playing with and against the best.

This will be put to the test more than ever now with key players Willie (mentioned), Conor Brockschmidt (hamstring) and James Bourton (head) all out for the season and the disruption of some loan players (of which we have 3) not knowing their availability. As I write I have selected a team for our toughest opponent Ealing involving a lot of new faces which I am incredibly excited to watch.

To you the supporters I have to say you have exceeded mine and the players expectations braving all kinds of weather turning out in force and in more than full voice. It is an exciting journey we are on, and we are all in it together at this club which is awesome to be a part of.

Thank you and look forward to hearing and seeing you this Friday night against Ealing and next weekend when we host Ampthill. https://app.ticketpass.org/events

Nick Easter
Director of Rugby
Chinnor RFC