A home double-header for Ealing Trailfinders 1871’s top two teams against Counties 1 Southern North club High Wycombe produced two emphatic victories, with the 1st XV running out 66-7 winners and accumulating ten tries, and the seconds scoring 59 unanswered points. A notable feature of both games was the high level of fitness and physicality on show, with the benefit of intensive summer training sessions regularly attended by over 40 players clearly evident.

Ealing 1sts started strongly, applying heavy pressure through a powerful set scrum, and 7 minutes into the game took the lead. Kyle Beck at scrum half forced a 5-metre Ealing put-in by pinning his opposite number over the line from a back-pedalling scrum, and with the pack again shunting the visitors backwards Dave Francis had the simple job of picking up at the base to touch down under the posts, from where Harry Vidler nailed the first of his seven conversions. With plentiful possession from scrum and line-out, on a day when 100% success was achieved on their own throws, 1871 continued to dominate proceedings, and it came as no surprise when a clean take in the middle provided a platform for second row Reggie Elliot-Jones to barge over the try line. Ealing scored again immediately from the re-start through wing Josh Steadman, outpacing the defence from half-way after a catch by Francis and swift, accurate passing along the back line. Just three minutes later brother Lewis Steadman was on the score sheet, receiving the final pass from his brother Josh after Wycombe had over-thrown at a line-out. Lewis Steadman’s second of the day came 5 minutes before the break with the visiting defence on the back foot after yet another powerful and controlled set scrum. Almost immediately from the re-start Vidler used the wind advantage to send a superb 50-22 down to the Wycombe 5 metre line. Hooker Luke Parry touched down at the back of a driven maul to leave the half-time score at 38-0.

Coach Phil Smith rang the changes as the second half got underway, bringing on two former Colts in hooker Sean Codrington-Lambert and full-back Alex Le Bouedec, the day after the latter’s 18th birthday, for their senior debuts, along with new second row David Coleman, Pat Nash, Will Day and Carlos Duarte. It took a few minutes for Ealing to adjust, and a wild pass when another Ealing try looked likely enabled the Wycombe backs to hack on from their own 22 metre line and touch down for their only try of the day. The response came quickly, once again from a dominant scrum with Gereint Price touching down from recycled ball. Next to score was prop Akeem Eubank-Anderson, running an excellent line off Vidler and powering over after Beck and Josh Steadman had breached the defence. The visitors then lost possession on their own 22 metre line and centre Ryan Conyard finished off close to the posts. With the final whistle approaching there was time for one more try. The two Codrington-Lambert brothers were both involved in setting up an attack on the 22, and Le Bouedec’s deft offload in the tackle put Duarte into space to finish off a fine move. Vidler handed the ball to Le Bouedec to kick the conversion for his first points in adult rugby.

After two promising friendlies against Regional 2 Twickenham and Counties 1 High Wycombe, the first league fixture comes on Saturday 6 September at home to UCS.

Scorers

Tries: Dave Francis, Reggie Elliot-Jones, Josh Steadman, Lewis Steadman (2), Luke Parry, Gereint Price, Akeem Eubank-Anderson, Ryan Conyard, Carlos Duarte

Conversions: Harry Vidler 7, Alexander Le Bouedec