Sat 3 Oct 2026, 15:00
On Saturday, Wimborne welcomed newly promoted Bognor Regis, riding high following their eye-catching opening weekend victory over last season’s runners up, Winchester. In their respective first match of the campaign, Wimborne had fought back impressively from an early two try deficit to overcome an obdurate Havant side by a 33-14 scoreline.
Therefore, this first ever competitive fixture between the two sides very much felt like an opportunity to provide a ‘benchmark’ for the season ahead.
Wimborne’s grounds staff had worked wonders to ensure the match went ahead and a healthy crowd gathered in the early October sunshine as Matt Sturgess’ men took the field. The head coach has created a wonderfully positive environment, exemplified not least with upwards of 60 players regularly attending pre-season training. Anticipation was high…
What followed was one of the most complete Wimborne RFC performances of recent times, running in 13 unanswered tires in a 92-0 mauling. Indeed, the young Bognor squad deserve enormous credit for the way they persevered from start to finish, displaying admirable defensive fortitude to suggest there will be much better days ahead for them in this league.
Wimborne announced clear intent from the first whistle; high tempo phase play involving neat exchanges between forwards and backs resulted in centre Rhys Gosling scything in under the posts in the first minute. Full back Sam Fenton added the straightforward extras in what would prove a bumper afternoon for the vastly experienced No.15; he ended with a record 42 points (featuring 3 tries, 12 conversions and a penalty).
Dominant early carrying from the home pack, with Harry Duffield, Tim Ellis, Kieran Mayal and Captain Cameron Taylor prominent, ensured that half backs Jamie O’Shea and Tom Moysey (celebrating his 99th appearance in a Wimborne jersey) had plenty of quality possession to unleash the talented back division.
The main beneficiary of this early dominance was livewire right winger Jack Adams who skated in for a richly deserved hat-trick before the break; Adams, who also scored an exceptional try last time out at Havant, is enhancing his burgeoning reputation with every outing and is part of a very potent back three.
Arguably the ‘try of the match’ started with a set piece scrum deep in the home 22; first class interplay between Wimborne newcomers No. 8 Stan Vincent and rumbustious centre Ed Elliott ripped a hole in the Bognor defence before deft handling from the ever-supportive Adams led to Gosling crossing for his second of the day. Wimborne reached the half century just before the break and the beleaguered away side headed to the sheds for some much-needed respite.
Wimborne continued their ascendency in the early salvos of the second half, but there followed a 20-minute period when Bognor enjoyed significant possession and territorial advantage. The Badgers’ defensive line, ably led by outstanding open-side Triistan T, was severely tested, with the swashbuckling Bognor number 8 heavily involved, but the home side impressively managed to keep their tryline intact.
A couple of late Wimborne tries added further gloss to the scoreline before the final whistle provided some semblance of solace for the side from Sussex.
This was a first-class display of attacking rugby from the entire Wimborne squad, but with similarly unbeaten Old Tiffinians lying in wait for next Saturday’s top of the table encounter, also at Leigh Park, there is limited appetite for celebration or complacency…the hard work continues.
Final score Wimborne 1st XV 92 – 0 Bognor Regis 1st XV
Tries: Adams x4, Fenton x3, Gosling x3, Elliott, Goodchild, Vincent
Cons: Fenton x12
Pens: Fenton
On Saturday, Wimborne welcomed newly promoted Bognor Regis, riding high following their eye-catching opening weekend victory over last season’s runners up, Winchester. In their respective first match of the campaign, Wimborne had fought back impressively from an early two try deficit to overcome an obdurate Havant side by a 33-14 scoreline.
Therefore, this first ever competitive fixture between the two sides very much felt like an opportunity to provide a ‘benchmark’ for the season ahead.
Wimborne’s grounds staff had worked wonders to ensure the match went ahead and a healthy crowd gathered in the early October sunshine as Matt Sturgess’ men took the field. The head coach has created a wonderfully positive environment, exemplified not least with upwards of 60 players regularly attending pre-season training. Anticipation was high…
What followed was one of the most complete Wimborne RFC performances of recent times, running in 13 unanswered tires in a 92-0 mauling. Indeed, the young Bognor squad deserve enormous credit for the way they persevered from start to finish, displaying admirable defensive fortitude to suggest there will be much better days ahead for them in this league.
Wimborne announced clear intent from the first whistle; high tempo phase play involving neat exchanges between forwards and backs resulted in centre Rhys Gosling scything in under the posts in the first minute. Full back Sam Fenton added the straightforward extras in what would prove a bumper afternoon for the vastly experienced No.15; he ended with a record 42 points (featuring 3 tries, 12 conversions and a penalty).
Dominant early carrying from the home pack, with Harry Duffield, Tim Ellis, Kieran Mayal and Captain Cameron Taylor prominent, ensured that half backs Jamie O’Shea and Tom Moysey (celebrating his 99th appearance in a Wimborne jersey) had plenty of quality possession to unleash the talented back division.
The main beneficiary of this early dominance was livewire right winger Jack Adams who skated in for a richly deserved hat-trick before the break; Adams, who also scored an exceptional try last time out at Havant, is enhancing his burgeoning reputation with every outing and is part of a very potent back three.
Arguably the ‘try of the match’ started with a set piece scrum deep in the home 22; first class interplay between Wimborne newcomers No. 8 Stan Vincent and rumbustious centre Ed Elliott ripped a hole in the Bognor defence before deft handling from the ever-supportive Adams led to Gosling crossing for his second of the day. Wimborne reached the half century just before the break and the beleaguered away side headed to the sheds for some much-needed respite.
Wimborne continued their ascendency in the early salvos of the second half, but there followed a 20-minute period when Bognor enjoyed significant possession and territorial advantage. The Badgers’ defensive line, ably led by outstanding open-side Triistan T, was severely tested, with the swashbuckling Bognor number 8 heavily involved, but the home side impressively managed to keep their tryline intact.
A couple of late Wimborne tries added further gloss to the scoreline before the final whistle provided some semblance of solace for the side from Sussex.
This was a first-class display of attacking rugby from the entire Wimborne squad, but with similarly unbeaten Old Tiffinians lying in wait for next Saturday’s top of the table encounter, also at Leigh Park, there is limited appetite for celebration or complacency…the hard work continues.
Final score Wimborne 1st XV 92 – 0 Bognor Regis 1st XV
Tries: Adams x4, Fenton x3, Gosling x3, Elliott, Goodchild, Vincent
Cons: Fenton x12
Pens: Fenton
