Ealing Trailfinders 1871 entertained Twickenham on a warm August afternoon in a high-intensity encounter that ended in defeat by three tries to two. Facing a side that finished a creditable fourth in Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex, the level they will be playing at in the 2024/25 season following promotion, Ealing experimented with 26 different players and will have learnt some useful lessons on their strengths and weaknesses with the first league game against Cheshunt just 3 weeks away.

The visitors started slightly the stronger in the first of four quarters, and took the lead after 10 minutes following a smart backs move with the full back coming into the line to put a deft kick down the left-hand touchline, where the wing collected to finish unopposed. No further points were scored in the first period, and the second quarter, thanks to strong tackling by both sides, also remained pointless.

Eight minutes into the third quarter, Twickenham tapped a penalty in an attacking position, and their forwards eventually drove over. Ealing replied almost immediately, after regaining possession through the returning Hugh Foley from a spilt restart kick. Direct running by the forwards, one of the main positives of the day from the 1871 point of view, notably by Alex Kritikos, took play deep into the Twickenham 22. Prop TJ Robinson went blind and was held up just short of the line, before Harry Mear at scrum half popped the ball to Max Tennant for a try on debut. With the conversion missed, Ealing moved to within two points a few minutes later with a trademark barge over the line from a couple of metres by Tim Hitchcock.

Twickenham were generally in the ascendant, and with 1871 a man down following a yellow card to fly half Harry Vidler for a combination of slapping down and kicking the ball away in frustration, ended what been a closely fought contest with a pushover scrum.

The game proved a useful exercise in testing moves and fitness against well-drilled opposition. A concern that will need to be addressed was the number of penalties conceded - no fewer than 20 over the course of the 80 minutes compared with 8 by the visitors. Debuts were given to Richard Rhydderch-Roberts and Harry Mear, both at scrum half, Keir Gordon at centre, Max Tennant at prop, Nick Curran at centre and Will Bradley on the wing, all of whom acquitted themselves well. In addition, TJ Robinson, High Foley and Flynn Ward returned from playing their rugby elsewhere. Six injuries, including three hamstring pulls, kept physio Will Morgan busy on his own debut.