Match report Ventnor Rugby Club 2XV 5-5 United Services Portsmouth Rugby Club 2XV – Abandoned with the score at 5-5 due to player injury
Saturday 28 February 2026 Counties 6 South Hampshire Merit League 2025-26
United Services arrived keen and early with a full squad, substitutes and coaches – but no hooker!
This meant that Ventnor were forced to play the game with uncontested scrums from the first whistle.
This was not to the liking of Ventnor’s front five of Gary Ball, Henrik Brown, Grant Richardson, Nathan Frampton and Iain Reeves who were born to scrummage!
USP were on the board in the second minute with a try from a lineout maul and the spectators feared the worse. But far from it!
After the try, Ventnor kicked off and Richardson scragged the catcher and turned the ball over. Ross Harris and Beau Bridgeman got the backs moving and Ed Blake, Harry Otley and Adam Wade all made progress. Ventnor’s continuity and energy were immense and USP were held in their own twenty-two as Charlie Magnurson, Iain Reeves and Richardson hammered into them.
Moreover, if they tried to break out, they found the tackling of Bridgeman, Ottley, Frampton, Dean Magnurson and Tony Jacobson stopped them in their tracks. Ventnor won a scrum and Charlie Magnurson’s habit of breaking from the back of the scrum held the flank defence. Bridgeman ran a dummy line and Harris passed directly to Ed Blake who celebrated his break from rugby with a typical robust arcing run to touch down. Warren Riches’ conversion attempt just scraped the post. 5 – 5.
The influential Ewan Castle had to come off with a face injury but Ventnor kept up their storming game, at one point breaking out of their own half with a series of rapid pick-and-gos with Brown and Luke Starkey to the fore.
Ventnor looked to be the dominant force but unfortunately a USP player was injured in a collision and an ambulance had to be called as a precaution and the referee called time. Happily the player was released from hospital later that evening.
The game was declared null and void, so a replay has been scheduled for 14th March 2026 when Ventnor hope that USP will arrive prepared to scrummage!
Image: James Morton
Ventnor RFC 2XV Team 28 February 2026
Team: I.Reeves, Brown, Richardson, Castle, N.Frampton, Starkey, D.Magnurson (capt), C.Magnurson, Harris, Bridgeman, Wade, E.Blake, H.Ottley, Jacobson, W.Riches. Subs: Ball, Tombleson, J.Blake, Wood, Muir, Fox and Francis
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image courtesy: Ⓒ 2026: Andrew Cooper Sport Photography | Moral Rights Asserted | All Rights Reserved
The A J Wells Man of the Man – Harvey Wheeler
The Red Funnel Moment of the Match – Dean Magnurson
The Howden Insurance Supporter of the Day: Anton Lavers
Coaches: Damien Marriott, Clive Cardwell-Hill, Todd Riches and Andy Teague
Physio: Zoe Jones
Next Saturday (7th Feb) Ventnor 2nds play Isle of Wight 2nds in a friendly
Match Report by James Morton
Best Regards
James
JAMES MORTON
Chairman Ventnor RFC
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