Actonians conceded this fixture due to having insufficient players. As per MMT Bowl regulations Actonians requested a "Game On" friendly fixture to ensure that some rugby was played. Ealing were awarded a victory and a 28 - 3 result.

The friendly fixtures was 10 players v 10 players with score Ealing 1871 24 - 12 Actonians.

This game was over on Wednesday, as Actonians declared 1871 3rd XV could take a walkover win, however, a friendly game was offered, so this had to be played in order for the walkover score to stand. Initially Actonians arrived with 9 players, so Mark Rutherford (19), Adam Balding (1) and Calum Neal (6) stepped up and put on Actonians jerseys, to allow a game to be played. VERY well done to them for doing so. But as is the way with these things, Actonians players arrived in drips and drabs and they eventually ended up with enough players, with those from 1871 to field a full team.

As a result it was agreed to play 3 (it ended up as 4) 10 minute quarters, so that everyone could play, but also reducing the instances of possible injuries unnecessarily. Even in this format, however, there were some great passages of play.

1st Quarter

1871 were slow to start and seemed slightly lost for an option when a great opportunity arose. Actonians, on the other hand, seemed hungrier to capitalise on an opportunity and scored at 9 minutes after a lineout, then putting the ball down the line, picking and going towards the post (standard stuff) before crashing over. A well worked try and the 2 points afterwards put them in what appeared to be a comfortable position.

2nd Quarter

The second quarter was a different story. 1871 came alive and came out with a real purpose to put a stamp on proceedings. After a lineout win, the ball went into Nabiil Imriit’s (4) hands and he bashed his way through scrabbling Actonians players, before Tijai Bright (8) joined in the fun and took the ball on with an even harder carry through more scrabbling Actonians players. Nabil then followed up with another big carry before the ball was quickly recycled at each breakdown by Archie Long (9) who found Charlie Evans (10), who cut a great line before presenting well for Archie to then find Luis Coa (15) who got through another couple and found Dan Nethercote (14) who streaked away from the Actonians players to score. A superb worked try, that put the ball through so many pairs of hands and left Actonians completely exposed.

Definitely one that would have been on a highlights reel.

10 minutes later Tijai Bright and Nabiil Imriit did it again, taking it in turns to carry very hard up the middle, and causing carnage up the pitch as they went. Archie Long, once again pulled the strings by moving the play faster than the defence could re-set themselves and Nabil found himself in the right place, at the right time, hitting another hard line and he took a nice pass from Archie, then broke through and over the try line.

A well-deserved score and Charlie Evans took the extras.

3rd Quarter

The third quarter picked up where the second left off and Actonians found themselves under pressure just at their 22-metre line and at 3 minutes tried to pass the ball back, but it bobbled away from any available player and Archie Long was on hand, like every scrum-half should, pounced on the loose ball and broke away from the chasing Actonians players. Too little too late, Archie went over. Once again Charlie slotted the extras.

Unfortunately for the rest of the half, the foot came off the throat and opportunities were lost.

4th Quarter

The final quarter saw the bonus point try being scored by Tijai Bright at 3 minutes after Archie Long took a quick tap penalty and popped it to Tijai, who thundered over the line, with about three Actonians players hanging off him. No conversion this time.

The same way they as they started the game, Actonians scored and this again came from disorganised 1871 play. On the 10-minute mark, after being under pressure from what was leading to be some decent passages of play by 1871, A hastily looped pass was thrown and rightfully snapped up by an Actonians player, who then ran ¾ of the pitch, chased all the way by Toby Holt whose smart angled run forced the player into the corner to make his score.

The conversion was missed.