By Isle of Wight Observer
With mainland sides unable to fulfil Island fixtures, Sandown & Shanklin Hurricanes 2nd XV won the domestic derby, celebrating a 60-10 home win against Ventnor 2nd XV, with the visitors scoring a try in both halves.
In Counties Division Two, IW lost 43-7 away to United Services Portsmouth, with scrum-half, Finlay Lockhart, injured in the match and now recovering from a broken collar- bone. The disappointing result doesn’t reflect the dogged determination of the Island side, with USP player and former IW skipper, Lewis Murray, playing his last match before emigrating to Australia. His leadership saw USP lead 17-0 at half-time. Further injuries reduced IW to 13, when Jacob Wynyard-Wright was sin-binned, but a chip and run by George Huish, followed by his conversion, allowed the Island side to finish the year with a score, and looking forward to its December 28 charity match, with proceeds going to the Lily Foundation, which supports those with mitochondrial disease and funds research into the condition.
A 14-player Ventnor side lost 42-12 away at Tottonians, with tries from Ben Savill and George Collett, with player-of-the-match Max Wheeler adding a conversion for the game and gritty Island side. Ventnor’s front row included George Collett, newcomer Henrik Brown, and Dan Lythgoe, who were more than a match for their opponents. The unconventional line-out of Lewis ‘Jewy’ Jones (flanker) throwing in and Joe Coghlan (scrum-half) ruling the airways worked effectively. The effective tackling of Ben Cooper and Lewy Morton, alongside the work-rate of Ed Blake and Ben Souter merited at least a bonus point, with the Christmas break providing an opportunity to regroup and prepare for the challenges of 2025.
Fifth-placed, in Counties One, Hurricanes were awarded a December home win over New Milton, and face a trip to Portsmouth this weekend (December 21), before travelling to Bournemouth on January 4.
IW face 2nd-placed Millbrook on January 11 at Wootton, 7th-placed Ventnor travel to Christchurch on January 11 with the 2nd XV home to Millbrook 2nd XV, and 5th-placed Sandown Hurricanes 2nd XV are away at Tottonians in Premiership South.