Stags put together a compelling display of forward power and sharp running to dispose of a Bugrooke side even more convincingly than the score suggests.

Stags were 8 – 0 up inside fifteen minutes thanks to a Tom Beattie try and a penalty by Ben Strangeways. It could have been more but turned out to be less as Bugbrooke on their first visit to the Stags half achieved a converted try.

8 – 7 to Stags at half time meant that the visitors, remarkably given the balance of play, were still in the match.

Except for a ten minute spell when their concentration wavered, Stags were in control in the second half. Tries came for Tom McCreadie after the front five had made mincemeat of a Bugbrooke set piece and John McCreadie with a neat jink inside in the final minute.

The piece de resistance and a try worthy of a higher league came with a move covering virtually the length of the field, the ball moving with pace and timing through half a dozen pairs of hands before Elliot Baldwin surged over from twenty metres. A hat trick of tries for the back row. Ben Strangeways, rapidly maturing at stand off, kicked one conversion and a second penalty.

With one or two distinguished exceptions, this is a young Stags side. They are learning that the basis of enjoyable and winning rugby lies in committed and thorough preparation, confidence arising from fitness, and strength and unity of purpose.

There will be sterner tests ahead, Towcester away this Saturday is one, but this was a most satisfying afternoon for Stags.

Damo's Man of the Match: Tom McCreadie

A full compliment of Staggerers took on the Old Bulls in a thoroughly enjoyable and competitive encounter played in near perfect conditions.

The first half was controlled by the Staggerers with some solid set piece work and nice flowing rugby, rewarded with tries from Dave Alvis and Benny Giglio. Turning round 10-0 ahead, the Staggerers relaxed a bit and spent a large portion of the second half defending their own line as the Old Bulls came into the game. Despite the Old Bulls pressure they could only manage a single try between a further two tries from Tim Furbank and Giglio for the Staggerers with a conversion from Diedrichs giving a final score of 22-5 and a comfortable win for the Staggerers.

Finally, a big thank you to Patrick for stepping in and refereeing and doing such a great job.

The Firby nominations:

• First up, Graham Diedrichs for thinking that we were playing some form of Test rugby and going for a drop goal with the excuse that it was slow ball (quick ball in vets rugby?) and then retorting with “it’s rugby guys”!?
• Secondly, the peerless lineout throwing of El Presidente reached new heights, or lack of them, by actually managing to hit the lifter of his ‘target’ on the back of the head, much to the amusement of the entire lineout.
• However, this weeks’ winner must be Tim “Five Minutes” Furbank who managed an all action cameo appearance including scoring a try before twisting his knee in “the long grass” and clearing off to watch the first team.