By Isle of Wight Observer
Sandown & Shanklin Hurricanes won 39-26 at home to Andover in Counties One. The Hurries exploited the windswept conditions with tactical kicking, secure line-outs, and robust mauling and scrummaging. A penalty in front of the posts gave them a 3-0 lead early in the match, before adding a try with a burst through the centre, followed by a conversion, to make it 10-0.
Tries were scored by Tom Marriott, Zak Chiverton, Theo Macann, Michael Barrett, and Damien Seder, with conversions and penalties from Zak Chiverton (2+2) and Max Fletcher (2), with Hristo Hirstov named player of the match.
The seventh-placed visitors battled hard to get back into the match, with both sides taking advantage of defensive errors for regular scores. The Island side finished on top to win 39-26 and they move up to tenth place.
Skipper, Tom Marriott, led a side containing returning Jack Sothcott and Owen Williams, making their first starts of the season, with the ‘retired’ Sam Rees and Sam Ebson on the bench, and Matt Miselbach strengthening the side.
The Tornadoes, Sandown’s second XV, convincingly won 41-0 away at United Services Portsmouth to remain unbeaten at the top of Premiership South East. The result included another clean sheet, with Ben Shannon adding strength to the side, Kurtis Whale playing at 12, and the team was co-skippered by Nathan Proud and Jamie Dilk.
Ben Shannon (2), Nathan Proud, George Shannon, Darren Carew, Jamie Dilk, and Will Hatch all scored tries, with conversions from Gary Warvill (2) and Shannon. Keegan Boudier was named player of the match.
In Counties Three, Ventnor’s match at Overton and the second XV fixture at Millbrook in Premiership South West were postponed, as was the Isle of Wight match at home to Tottonians.
In junior rugby, Vectis Colts celebrated the selection of Billy Graham for Hampshire’s match against Surrey at the Wasps’ home ground, with Hampshire’s coaches including Islanders Harrison Booth and Damien Marriott.
The U-16 Colts won 8-7 at home to Gosport Sharks, with Herbie Conway-Hughes scoring the only points of the first half. The visitors took a 7-5 lead after the break, but Conway-Hughes kept his nerve in the mud to convert a late penalty and secure the win.
Despite grit and determination, the U-14 side lost 47-0 to Locks Heath Pumas, with the U-10 squad also finding muddy conditions at Headhunters during a Christmas team-building exercise.