Chips use some Whit!

So after a big depletion to the clubs transfer budget due to the purchase of a new training ground, it is same again for the players for the season again. We scrapped the barrel for reinforcements, stumbled across Tommy Nicholls suppose we will see if he has the skills to play at this level, but as so is the case and the lifeblood of this team we turned to the youth production line and stolen out of the academy this year is Max Goater, little brother (not in size) to Tom Goater. The theme for this year as always is being a family and protecting the club badge and your 'band of brothers' in truth it is more a realistic target for Chips as we had 4 sets of brothers in the match day 18. Dupes, Smiths, Colyers and the 'Goatfaces'. 15 out of the 18 squad are from the youth set-up and it is testament to good coaching from our 'little village club'. A young squad finally coming of age and hopefully of the ambition, don't worry there was seasoned pro's in Chris Hallam for the backs and Darren 'Tempz' Lilley for the pack.

With a new pattern and calls to rival the NFL playbooks, our props are listening to the audio books before they go to sleep to help with their 'slowness'. With this all going on it would be expected to have teething problems but the boys went all preseason unbeaten, Egham XV tournament retained, A very mixed Club XX (20) vs a Cranleigh L (roman for 50)and then a big win over a Dorking 2 xv who would be placed 2 leagues above in the structure.

Testament to the Coaches of Head Coach Andrew Wright and Player-Coaches Tommy Nicholls and Brian Small, training has been hard but it obviously has paid off. So to this week and a good session on Thursday night left the Coaches and DOR Chey Dupe with a headache over selection and competition for places is only going to good for this team.

Team selected and we had the returning James Mann, one to many many Stingers last year, Max Goater selected on the Bench and came on to make his 1st Xv competitive debut. The pack always smaller in height and weight for most of our careers but looks can be deceiving and never judge a book by its cover and all the other cliches i can use, doesn't sum up our boys who will go pound for pound with any one and usually come out on top. The pack turned it on and won 100 % of there own ball and 3 against the head in the scrum even with with the new shoulder alignment laws for the scrum-half. Buzzword for the season being 'Adaptive' we had changes at prop, hooker, second row and back row and the result was the same DOMINANCE. Special mention to Adam Hollidge who gets grieve for all sorts of stuff such as hairstyle,clothing,rugby chat, Pokemon Go and a lot more but reluctantly went in the row and put in a shift. Henry Colyer bossed the high balls in the line out ours and theirs. Backs moves working and defense was on point apart from one lapse which we will work on in training.

1st half for all our dominance we had only 2 Ed Bush penalties to show for it and it was a typical dogged performance from the Royal Blue&Golds. Half time talk was brutally honest and we needed to take the bulls by the horns and hit home our strengths. the half didn't get off to the greatest when after 2 penalties poorly given away Old whits were near our 22 and ran in a try just to the right, conversion missed and it would turn out that was all the RedBlueBlacks would get all afternoon. Try from the Powerful Dupe the Elder and a conversion from Bush(found his boots we had thought). It capped a brilliant day for new Captain PC Bush who scored 15 points in total. His try was next but he then got excited and missed his conversion. Conor Bracken also a new addition this year who has already stamped his name on the 13 shirt with some impressive showings in defense and deft hands in attack. The Ford-Farrell axis working wonders with England they should see the Nicholls-Bush Duo who can easily interchange and relieve pressure if necessary. The Chuckle Brothers of Calum K-Smith and Tom Goater marshaling their wings that it never looked likely there were going to try to come down their channels. Tom Colyer tidying up anything that was kicked over the strong defensive line.

James Mann got the next try from a 8m scrum from OWRFC line the Pack called 'Walkies' and it was easily done against a pack who knew that they were struggling. Mann dotted down as we crossed the line still as 8. Conversion missed, Bushy is far from perfect. Injuries hit but shows strength in Depth and our 'Adaptiveness' Mann went off with a poorly shoulder, Nicholls picked up a knock and Michael 'Toz' Mason obviously has gone soft since his attempts at being the new Sonny Bill-Williams as a multiple sports superstar, after forays into Semi-pro Cricket with Banstead, Professional rugby with Chipstead and now his next challenge to be the Super Barrel-Weight Champion of the World.

Kieran Dupe and Kyle Smith backing up Henry Colyer who was in my opinion smashed fairly and Mitch Lock providing a big bear paw to push away his opposite number. From the smash tackle of Henry the player was yellow carded. with Whits down to 14 it was time for the bonus point numerous reset scrums and new penalties we went to the lineout and good throw from Josh Burrill found Henry Colyer high in the sky who brought it down to Hollidge who went back to the front and 3 metres out your not stopping Dupe the Elder on his quest for the Top Try scorer award for a record 4 times in a row. Brillant conversion for the Boot of Ed. But its not about individual accolades its a bout the team and us all working together to get the job done and the W's stacking up. Hopefully Wrighty and Cosmin can patch up the injuries and they aren't to serious.

So 1 week down and top of the table as being the only team to get a bonus try point. Next week we put our unbeaten record on the line as does Old Blues newly promoted from Surrey 2 who also won on opening weekend. Away at Old Blues RFC (KCS old boys rfc), Motspur Park £ pm Kickoff.