Narrow loss in Papa Johns 1st leg

by Richard Isaacs | Apr 26, 2025 | Senior Rugby

It is all to play for next weekend as Tottonians and Regional 2 South-West winners Topsham produced a scintillating display of rugby in the first leg of the Papa John’s quarter-final and it is the visitors who hold a three-point lead going into Saturday’s ‘second half’

TOTTONIANS 33 TOPSHAM 36
Water Lane, Totton
Saturday 26th April 2025
Papa John’s Regional 2 Championship Quarter-Final 1st Leg

As mentioned previously, the Papa John’s Cup is something of a maligned competition – but this game, as was the one against Chippenham, has been an outliar as it was as keenly contested a match as you could wish to see between two sides knowing they were just three games away from a grand day out at Twickenham.

Regional 2 South-West run-away champions Topsham were the visitors, a side that had dismantled their Trowbridge opponents a fortnight ago and had tallied over 1,100 points in their 22 match league campaign. It made for a free-scoring encounter … and that is what was dished up on a glorious sunny afternoon in west Hampshire.

With a slightly delayed kick-off due to the visitors being held up in a road traffic accident enroute, it took the hosts just two minutes to put their Devonian opponents on notice.

Initially from a Topsham line-out, Nic Jansen’s tackle on the scrum-half saw him bundled into touch. Jansen’s take from the next throw in was spread into midfield and as the forwards drove the ball on, with bustling runs from Bruno Nascimbene and the off-colour Cam Flint. Out came the ball on the right to the onrushing Rich O’Donnell to scoot through under the posts.

This certainly shook off the coach legs as Topsham came strongly in response, being held up over the line and pushing the Totts scrum backwards at a rate of knots. A delightful 50-22 put the hosts deep in their own territory and centre Shane O’Hanrahan was on hand to level the scores.

The visitors were certainly showing why they were comforable winners of their league with assured handling and impressive ball retention which kept Totts on the back foot. But the hosts were also not frightened of making their own mark in attack – Jansen, recovering from a nasty clash early on, making his presence felt.

Totts were reduced to 14 when Dylan Kirk was sin-binned for an infringement in the 22 as Topsham piled forward and they weren’t to be denied from the subsequent tap penalty, keeping the ball well as they peppered the Totts line to score through Christian Edbrooke.

The Devon side continued to build but a well timed turnover allowed Totts to release some of the pressure and build their own, charging through the midfield with bursts from Alex Robinson, Charlie Quinn and Flint which took the play in Topsham’s 22. With Topsham offside, the hosts took the line-out and from it, Craig Durnin showed his class to round the outside of the ruck and barge his way over – as he has done so many times before!

A hugely entertaining first half ended with the visitors 14-12 ahead and they extended that lead by three with a penalty on 47 minutes.

However, Totts would hit their opponents with a double salvo on the hour mark with two tries in the space of two minutes – the first through a Topsham mistake but the second from sheer attacking brilliance from the hosts.

Following a lengthy break in play, Topsham restarted the game from a scrum on their 22 yard line and, as the attempted to run their way of defence, a stray long pass was fumbled by the visitors and it was Tom Tully who leaped highest to collect the ball as the defender attempted to tip it away and had the easiest of runs to the line to give Totts the lead.

And from the restart, kicked to Totts’ 22, Jansen caught, set up the drive which Durnin burst his way through and with some silky handling from the forwards, Connor Andrews was on hand on the inside at the halfway line. His jinking, mazy run, roared on by the home crowd, left the Topsham defenders standing and flumoxed as the back row man sauntered over for Totts’ fourth try of the afternoon. It was quite outstanding!

12-17 had become 26-17 but Topsham, visably stung, were not going to go down without a fight, taking full advantage of Jansen’s sin-binning to score twice in his absence through Henry Batty and Dec Hadley, both scores coming from close range scrums.

The visitors would add a third unanswered try with just minutes remaining following a line-out catch and drive that Ethan Barnaschone scored but Tottonians would ensure that the arrears were only minimal.

With Totts awarded a penalty for holding on, Searle kicked to touch ten yards out. Quinn’s catch and drive set up the play and, with just one defender left on the outside, Jansen found himself two on one with Harry Dolbear waiting for the simple finish.

And so, for the very first time in Tottonians history, we head into a second leg of a match on Saturday in Devon just three points behind. It will be a tough challenge against a very competitive side but they hadn’t been tested this season like they were in this game so anything could happen with this Tottonians spirit.

TOTTONIANS POINT SCORERS:
1 try – Rich O’Donnell
1 try – Craig Durnin
1 try – Tom Tully
1 try – Connor Andrews
1 try – Harry Dolbear
4 conversions – Robbie Searle

SKIPPER LIAM MURPHY LOOKS BACK OVER TOPSHAM HOME LOSS