Huntingdon & District Rugby

After losing to Brackley home and away last season, Stags were keen to make amends and put in a good performance on only their second league game at the Racecourse this this season. They did not disappoint, taking away a 64-18 victory.

The first half was all one way traffic, as Stags ran in five tries. One to Jamie Gunn, Will Gould, Connor Withers and brace to Simon Rose. Withers converted them all apart from his own.

On the stroke of half time Brackley kicked a penalty to get on the score board, but the match was as good as over at this point.

Brackley started the second half with another penalty. Was the comeback on? No it wasn’t. With Harvey Hutchins and Seth Muggeridge breaking the defensive line at will, Stags ran in a further five unanswered tries. Withers scored his second, Gunn got two and Rose one for their hatricks and Joe Hicken scored one as well, three of which were converted.

With their foot off the gas in the last five minutes, Brackley ran in two tries to make the score 64-18 as American exchange ref Willie Nelson blew for no side.

Coach Simon Leader was happy with the result but not with the performance, saying “I am happy with the result but not with the performance.

“We lost our structure too often, and tried to force passes that weren’t needed which lead to errors

“I am such a negative Nancy though, so we have to take the positives and build from here.

“The goal for the last three weeks was to get three bonus point wins, and we have achieved that so we can't ask for much more as we go into a harder block of games” concluded Leader.

Captain Jack Skidmore echoed his coach's words, saying “If we had stuck to our patterns it could have been a cricket score.

“I think a few of the lads had white line fever, particularly Connor, he definitely had white line fever” laughed Skidmore

Stags stalwart Pete Smith, who has probably seen more rugby at the club than most, said “It was great to see Seth putting in a performance like that – he reminds me of Wilcox in his pomp, albeit a more handsome, intelligent and all round better version of him.” Thanks Pete.

With a week off to watch England slay the All Blacks, Stags are next in action away at Dunstablians on 9th November. All support welcome.