Sat 20 Sep 2025, 14:00
Abbey survived a nervous finale to defeat Fullerians in the first round of the Counties 1 South Plate at a windy Rosehill. The home side led 24-12 with 12 minutes remaining, but two late unconverted tries from the visitors made for a tight finish, and the ultimate difference between the sides was outside half Iwan John’s brilliant touchline conversion of Abbey’s fourth try.
A strong, swirling wind did neither side any favours as Abbey began the match in positive fashion. A dodging run from winger Alex Ashford set up a passing movement involving hooker Tom Wilkinson, outside half Reuben Norville and full back Tom Martin. No.8 Mike Beckly made further ground inside the Fullerians’ 22, and he received support from flanker Scott Rennie and prop Zac Mayo. All was going well until a penalty was conceded after four minutes of play. Fullerians counterattacked up the right touchline, and eventually winger Ryan Lewis sprinted clear to score a good try to the right of the posts. Full back Jared Walsh added the conversion.
Skipper Sol Wallis-Robinson soon got Abbey back on the attack, charging down a kick. Wilkinson stole a Fullerians’ throw at the rear of a lineout and Norville, Martin, centre Callum House and prop Ryan Williams all handled as Abbey probed for a gap ten metres from the line. Eventually, Wallis-Robinson passed to Mayo and the prop barged his way over to the right of the sticks. The conversion was from a tricky position and the wind was blowing erratically, but Wallis-Robinson struck it perfectly to level the score.
After this, the bulk of the first half took place in the visitors’ territory. The first scrum of the game saw Abbey under some pressure, but they managed to retain possession. Ashford twice made good breaks thanks to excellent passing from Norville, and both Mayo and second row Patrick Wisener made ground. Flanker James Becalick took play close to the line again, and after Fullerians attempted to break from their 22 Norville brought off a great tackle on outside half Dan Anderson. Then Wallis-Robinson charged down a kick and caught the rebounding ball before weaving his way to the line in the left corner. This time he could not convert, but Abbey were ahead for the first time after 22 minutes.
A high kick from John kept the pressure on Fullerians, and when Abbey were awarded a free kick Wallis-Robinson made a quick break which allowed winger Furio Dawkins the chance to show his paces. Mayo and Beckly both put in good runs and a further home try looked likely. It eventually came after half an hour of play when Norville, Ashford and Martin handled before Wisener barged his way over to the left of the posts. Once again, the wind frustrated Wallis-Robinson’s conversion attempt.
Abbey conceded a series of penalties in their own half as half time approached, but when they recovered possession Martin sent a high kick back into Fullerians’ territory. As the ball descended Kian Russell, the visitors’ left wing, was penalised for obstruction and shown a yellow card. Abbey kicked for touch and won a lineout five metres from the line, but a potential scoring pass from Mayo to Wallis-Robinson went forward, and the half time whistle sounded with Abbey deservedly ahead by 17-7.
The sin-bin period ended with no further addition to the score, but Abbey looked confident in the early stages of the second half. Second row ‘Treacle’ Knights made a good break up the right touchline, and Mayo and Williams made further ground before a penalty was conceded. Soon after this, Fullerians got themselves well inside the Abbey 22 thanks to a brilliant 50/22 kick. They won the subsequent lineout and drove to the line where hooker Oscar Adams touched down for a try which Walsh could not convert.
At this point Matt Eldridge replaced Williams in the Abbey pack.
Abbey went back on the attack after the setback of the try. John almost broke clear, and Norville instigated a number of good movements. Wallis-Robinson made a 20 metre break and Wisener drove forward after winning a lineout. Norville, Rennie and Becalick attacked in the shadow of the visitors’ posts, and when the latter was tackled, Fullerians No.8 Finlay Horastead was yellow-carded for taking his man too high. Abbey capitalised at once. They elected to take a scrum, and in a well-worked move Wallis-Robinson broke to the blindside. He passed to Norville, who was too fast for the defence as he ran over in the right corner. John was called up to take the conversion, which he struck superbly from the touchline. These were to prove a vital two points.
House sent Ashford away on a good 20 metre run, and Dawkins, Wilkinson and Beckly combined well as Abbey looked for another score. But Fullerians began to look more dangerous, even though they were a player short, and after Abbey conceded two penalties the visitors found themselves once again with a five-metre lineout. This time Abbey defended the initial drive, but they could not stop replacement prop Alex MacLean diving over. Walsh missed the conversion, but with 12 minutes remaining Abbey’s lead had been reduced to seven points.
Becalick came off with ten minutes left, Blake Callaghan replacing him. The binning period was over now, and Fullerians pressed and pressed for a further try. Norville, House and Dawkins all made important tackles, and a 30 metre break from Martin did much to relieve the pressure. But once again Abbey began to concede a series of penalties and Fullerians got closer and closer to the line. They won another five-metre lineout and MacLean was driven over for his second try on the right of the pitch. Walsh’s conversion would have tied the score, but although he struck the ball well it went to the right of the posts. Williams returned for Abbey after this in place of Mayo.
The referee made it clear that there was time for one final play, and what a lengthy play it was! Fullerians played a patient game, recycling time and again as they gradually worked their way back to the home 22. Abbey tackled brilliantly, but it was a huge relief when MacLean was penalised for holding on. Wallis-Robinson belted the ball to safety and Abbey had won a game which they should really have made safe earlier in the half.
This was a good, competitive encounter between two teams of a similar level who would not normally play each other. In fact, this was Abbey’s first meeting with Fullerians since 1984. Abbey played lovely rugby at times, with Norville characteristically launching his backs with some astute passing. John looked promising at outside half and he landed the goal that mattered. The pack looked lively, with Williams doing well in a rare outing at prop, while Mayo always looked a handful with ball in hand. Full credit too must go to the opposition, who so nearly broke Abbey’s hearts at the very end of game.
Abbey: T Martin, F Dawkins, C House, R Norville, A Ashford, I John, S Wallis-Robinson (captain), R Williams (M Eldridge 54), T Wilkinson, Z Mayo (R Williams 79), P Wisener, J Knights, S Rennie, J Becalick (B Callaghan 70), M Beckly. Not used: B Griffiths-Portella
Fullerians: J Walsh, R Lewis, B Fowler, S Harrison, K Russell, D Anderson (E Baldwin 40), T Lambert, W Smith (A MacLean 25), O Adams (L Cannings 65), T McDougall(W Smith 49), H Murray, J Hobbs (captain), L Cannings (S Mullins 50), J Bywater (O Adams 76), F Horastead
Abbey:
Tries: Mayo, Wallis-Robinson, Wisener, Norville
Con: Wallis-Robinson, John
Fullerians:
Tries: MacLean (2), Lewis, Adams
Con: Walsh
Yellow cards: Russell, Horastead
Referee: D Crossley (Berkshire)
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