Promotion candidates send out message

With Cambridge and the Old Albanian both gaining promotion from National Two South last season, the title and play-off place is anyone’s for the taking this term and on the opening weekend of the new season, some teams have already laid down their markers.

Bishops Stortford, Redruth and Taunton Titans all had strong seasons last year and have all begun this term in fine fettle while Cinderford, who were relegated from National One, also started with a win.

Newly promoted sides London Irish Wild Geese, Exmouth and Barnstaple all suffered defeats on the opening day while elsewhere Bury St Edmunds and the Old Elthamians began with comfortable wins as they both look to kick on from last year.

Chinnor 47-10 London Irish Wild Geese

Chinnor picked up from where they left off at the end of last season as they began the new campaign with an easy bonus-point win over newly promoted London Irish Wild Geese.

Chinnor won eight of their final 10 games to avoid relegation last term and that winning habit continued this weekend as Henry Lamont and Kieran Goss crossed for first half-tries while a Penalty Try put the hosts 20-10 ahead at the interval.

Bertie Hopkin, George Messum, Greg Goodfellow and Mark Darlington scored after the break with Hopkin converting two of the scores and kicking a penalty.

Seb Rodwell got London Irish Wild Geese’s only try of the game while Pete Hodgkinson landed the other five points.

Redingensians 22-39 Taunton Titians

Jon Gatford and Aron Struminski both played starring roles as Taunton claimed a bonus-point win away to the Redingensians on the opening weekend of the season.

The pair both scored two tries to help the Titans begin the campaign with a victory and make the 270-mile round trip all worthwhile.

Ted Landray scored the other try for Taunton with Gary Kingdom kicking 14 points.

The Redingensians’ scores came from Samir Kharbouch, Jamie Gutteridge and a Penalty Try, but they were comprehensively outplayed for large periods of this contest.

Barnes 13-20 Bishops Stortford

Bishops Stortford began their National Two South campaign with a hard-earned victory away at Barnes.

Tries from Sean Edwards (2) and Rory Banks helped Stortford to a 15-7 lead at half-time, but Barnes continued to creep back into the contest after the break.

Two penalties moved them to within five points of Stortford only for Stortford to put the game beyond their hosts when Johnny Neville stretched over the line to secure the bonus-point with for the men from Silver Leys.

Barnstaple 8-31 Old Elthamians

Tom White scored 21 points as the Old Elthamians started their National Two South campaign with a triumph away at newly promoted Barnstaple.

White scored a try which he converted and landed three penalties in the first-half to put the OE’s in complete control while Max Wilkins’ score looked to have seen off Barnstaple as the game approached half-time.

However the hosts, who were playing their first ever game at this level, were given a lifeline just before the break as Matt Gohl smashed his way over.

Jordan Petherbridge landed a penalty early in the second half for Barnstaple but his opposite number White was clinical once again from the tee as he restored the OE’s 15 point lead

The OE’s advantage was far less comfortable after Aaron Liffchak was red-carded as Barnstaple started to press and force their way back into the game.

But, the away side defended well and made Barnstaple rue their missed opportunities as Ben Hough crashed over to seal the win for the OE’s.

Bury St Edmunds 30-10 Clifton

Scott Lyle kicked 15 points for Bury St Edmunds as they beat Clifton to begin the new National Two South campaign.

Lyle landed four penalties in a first half which Bury dominated with Michael Mellett, Sam Bixby and Darren Gillespie all going over to give the hosts a 27-3 lead.

It was expected that Bury would kick on after the break, but Clifton were more resolute and were rewarded for their much improved second half performance when they dotted down for their first try of the season.

But, it was Bury’s first half performance which secured them the win and gives them the perfect start to this term.

Exmouth 10-22 Worthing Raiders

After a difficult 2015-16 season, Worthing Raiders started the new rugby year with a confident victory away at National Three South West Champions Exmouth.

Worthing were 10-7 ahead at half-time thanks to a Penalty Try and five points via Matthew McLean after Shaun Cooper had given Exmouth the lead with the opening try of the afternoon.

Liam Perkins wriggled through from close range to extend the Raiders’ advantage.

Worthing denied newly promoted Exmouth a losing bonus point when Alex Wilcockson crossed after Sam Hewick’s kick down field.

Cinderford 14-7 Canterbury

Cinderford won a battle of attrition against Canterbury in persistent rain to secure a home victory after relegation from National Two South last season.

The hosts were actually behind 7-0 at the break thanks to a converted Ollie Best try, Cinderford levelling it when George Evans piled over early in the second half following a yellow card to Royce Cadman.

Canterbury were made to pay again for Cadman’s absence as Tom Bozzard barged his way over from a rolling maul to score the winning try.

Redruth 23-18 Henley Hawks

Redruth head coach Marek Churcher began his reign in charge of the Cornwall based club with a narrow win over Henley Hawks.

Henley finished bottom of the National One table last term and this was a real statement of intent by Redruth who ended last season in fourth place.

Tries from Tommy Phillips, Brett Rule and Ashley Lawton in the opening half-hour sealed the victory.

Henley slipped to their 24^th defeat from their last 31 games despite tries from David Clements and Jaki Chamnaoui as well as eight points from the boot of George Jackson.