For the third successive year Chinnor found themselves meeting their predecessors as county champions in their final competitive game of the season. Having relieved Wallingford of their crown on their home turf in a legendary game at the end of last season, Chinnor’s boys arrived at Wallingford with this years County Championship already secured but keen to maintain their 100% record.

Hoping for the chance to treat the Wallingford crowds to the entertaining brand of rugby displayed in their last meeting on this ground, both sides must have been slightly disappointed to be dispatched to the farther flung reaches of the Wallingford acres amongst the mini-rugby masses. Still, with the sun warming their shoulders, the supporters of both teams were in lusty voice as Chinnor kicked off.

Denied their customary last minute visit to the changing rooms - to check their hair, snort ‘Deep Heat’, ring the bookies, finish the knitting (no, I have no idea what they get up to in there either!), Chinnor were, inevitably, half asleep at the kick off. A dribbled kick-off by Chinnor, a decent pressure kick from Wallingford, and a swiftly conceded penalty by Chinnor, saw Wallingford with their tails up and scenting blood (or possibly Deep Heat) on Chinnor’s 5m line in the early minutes of the game.

The building Wallingford pressure was held back by resolute Chinnor tackling and partially relieved by sparkling early break-out runs by Charlie Krabbe and Harry Franklin. Harry Stansfield, at full back, was put under continuous pressure but delivered time and again with his customary ice-cool unflappability, not only dealing with dangerous kicks but always looking to turn defence into attack even under the most extreme pressure.

With the sleep/hair product/Deep Heat finally rubbed from their eyes, the match started to turn with Chinnor’s first serious commitment to supporting the runner. A fantastic 50m break-out run by Adam Caldwell on Chinnor’s left was followed up with committed rucking led by Tom Bellars to secure the ball for a flowing move by the backs, ably finished off by Harry Lowe in the opposite corner. 5-0 Chinnor.

From the re-start Wallingford drove back at Chinnor with renewed enthusiasm. The fast moving Wallingford backs looked certain to score but their increasing momentum was stopped in its tracks by a crunching Matt Smith tackle. The tide turned. Fantastic fast moving rugby from Chinnor with penetrating runs from Nathaniel Heather and Harry Franklin saw Chinnor again come close to scoring.

The determined Wallingford defence was finally un-picked in spectacular style by the cultured boot of the ever impressive Oli Dawkins. A perfectly weighted box-kick by Oli over the heads of the defenders, saw Matt Smith gather the invitingly bouncing ball and scamper home to double Chinnor’s advantage. The Dawkins boot added the conversion with equal precision to take the score to 12-0.

Chinnor’s powerful running and fluid handling started to prove too much for their opponents - with the next series of plays by Chinnor (involving virtually the whole team) finished off by the storming Harry Franklin - touching down under the posts for Chinnor’s third try, converted by Oli to take the score to 19-0 by the half-time whistle.

From the re-start, it was clear that Wallingford were not going to lie down in the path of the Chinnor steamroller. Immediate pressure from Wallingford saw them gathering their own kick and only tremendous tackling by Matt Smith again halted a move that looked certain to result in Wallingford crossing the Chinnor line. Winning the next scrum against the head saw Chinnor again turn defence into attack, with Toby’s long kick down field chased superbly by Harry Stansfield whose excellent offload found Harry Franklin. Another bull-like Franklin driving run of 20m and off-load to Charlie Krabbe, saw Chinnor’s captain cross the line strongly for their fourth try. Converted by Oli, 26-0.

The next try came with certain sense of déjà vu. Wallingford’s undimmed commitment to a fast fading cause, again saw them gather from their own re-start, drive into the heart of the Chinnor defence, and win a scrum, only to see the increasingly dominant front row of Chris Hopgood, Iestyn James and the impressive first time prop Tom Horgan, again win the ball against the head. Quick ball from Oli, Harry Lowe made 10m and off loaded to the ‘exocet missile’ that is Nathaniel Heather. Two sublime dips of the shoulder left successive Wallingford defenders sprawling in his wake as he sped over the half way line and broke clear to touch down under the posts and give Oli the easiest conversion of the day. 33-0.

With a re-start finally gathered by Chinnor, the spectators were treated to another excellent Toby Butler kick planted incisively into Wallingford territory. From the resulting line-out and scrum Wallingford launched a final last-ditch attack. Again this was snuffed out by another bone-crunching Matt Smith tackle. Winning the ball, Matt’s quick pass found the eager Iestyn lurking on the right wing. Although hidden by his flowing locks, the Chinnor hooker pinned back his ears and (eschewing his trade-mark side step) out paced the desperate Wallingford defence to deliver the coup-de-grace and touch down Chinnor’s 6th try. Converted by Oli (an impressive 5 from 6 conversions today). 40-0.

With the mercy rule calling a close to the official match, both teams chose to play on and finish an entertaining game. Ringing the changes Coach Hook gave the patient substitutes the chance of a well-deserved run out.

After a faultless display of catching and running Harry S was replaced by Cameron, whilst the tireless Chris Hopgood, Jack Gibbins, Harry Franklin and Iestyn James were replaced by Mackey, Ben Aston, James Bull and Callum Wright.

The initial flurry of changes did little to disrupt the flow of the Chinnor side, a credit to the depth of this squad, with Cameron in particular acquitting himself well at full back, however as the game progressed some of the wilder attempts at experimentation (did my eyes deceive me or did Toby really pop up at prop?) started to tell.

Quick ball and a lofted kick from a Wallingford scrum in the dying seconds of the game saw two Chinnor players (not playing in their normal positions) offer their interpretation of silent cinema’s better moments of slapstick and allow the Wallingford attack finally to break through to score a well deserved consolation try and conversion.

In summary, a great team performance against a spirited Wallingford side who never gave up (and to whom the score line did no justice). Rather than confirming any weakness in the Wallingford side, the score line reflected an outstanding team performance by Chinnor and underlined their status as County Champions. A fine way to close out their league season - with 268 points scored and only 48 points conceded and an un-beaten record. Well done lads.

Jonathan Bellars & Gary Dawkins