There are many different reasons as to why we should be very proud of our club.

Yesterday, there we several on display: The return of one of our brothers Stevie Duggan, a demonstration of immense strength in depth with no fewer than 5 players making their season debut, 4 current Wimbledon College lads on the pitch... and we could go on...

Oh... and a 45-0 win against our local derby rivals...

On the final day of the league season, the starting line up and bench of our First XV looked a little different, but the result was the same. This truly bodes well for the years to come...
It took less than 2 minutes for Old Wimbledonians to get on the score sheet. A quick tap and go from Harry Tabb to captain Aidan O'Brien, who wasn't to be stopped for the first try.

10 minutes later, and it was Matt Laventure, looking to catch Matt Marrs in their try competition, who got his name on the score sheet.
Some good work from Jayson Landman committing quite a few OE bodies in their 22, followed by quick ball to Laventure, who at speed broke through 2 tackles to score, and then convert his try.

Laventure, in his man of the match performance, was to turn provider for the next try on the 22nd minute. OE tried to run the ball out of their 22, but came up against David "Brick Wall" Appiah, who stopped them dead. Sniper Harry Tabb took advantage of that to rip the ball and quickly transition from defence to attack, engaging with Matt Laventure on another one of his direct runs. With everyone (including all his team mates, the opposition, the fans, and people who weren't even aware that rugby exists) certain that he would not pass that close to the try line, Laventure suddenly felt generous and offloaded to Ben Martis Jones for him to score his first try of the season.

6 minutes later, after gaining another penalty in their 22, the OE scrum half decided to tap and go quickly... unfortunately catching his team unawares. A very grateful Matt Marrs read this perfectly and intercepted to run in his 12th try of the season.
However, for some reason decided not to touch down under the posts.... Matt Laventure, who was bizarrely taking kicks that day still converted...

And so the hard ended 24-0 up for Old Wimbledonians.

The start of the second half was hardly a thing of beauty. OE opting for scrums on the cast majority of their free kicks and penalties. This resulted in a total of 17 scrums with their put in, excluding resets, and a wonderful 10 consecutive minutes of scrum upon scrum at the start of the second half...
In the midst of this, we carried on with our expansive game, but the next try came out of the traditional play book. A line out on the OE 5 meter line wonderfully caught by Sam Bell, and a maul ensued. 5m later and Stevie Duggan scored his first try of the season.

Sam Bell has had a fantastic season. Working supporting his team mates, often the very much unsung hero. He has managed to score a couple of tries, and he did so again against OE.
This time an OE line out on their 5 meter line. Aidan O'Brien managed to get fingers to it, and it fell kindly to Sam Bell, who was able to run it in for a try.

And the final try of the game came pretty much on the final whistle. Again a line out for OE deep in their 22 was disrupted by Aidan O'Brien, and ran back in by George Markwell.
OW know how to create quick ball, and they know when to accelerate the play. And when they do, defences are put under extreme pressure, resulting in lots of spaces opening up.
A true team try, as 3 phases later, having stretched the defence, the OW back line found itself with a 4 v 2 situation. They rarely miss those, and Rory Thomas, at the end of that line scored his second try of the season.

Final score 45-0 to Old Wimbledonians to cap off a very good league season.

Deservedly, the boys get a week off next week, and we shall all be returning to training on 21st March to prepare for the cup that will start on 1st April.
Draw to be made on 20th March.