By Isle of Wight Observer
In Counties Three, IW Rugby won the Island derby 15-5 at home to a previously unbeaten Ventnor side, in front of a large and appreciative crowd, despite Dan Ward suffering an early knee injury.
Player-of-the-match, Harri Jones-Evans, drove over the line to give the Rangers an early 5-0 lead. Ventnor spurred on and Hayden Lythgoe outfoxed the Island defence to level for 5-5 at the break.
Rangers regrouped and started to dominate scrums, almost scoring again with sustained pressure, resulting in Ventnor getting a yellow card. Luke Blackman exploited a move down the flank to score, with George Huish converting for 12-5.
Ventnor’s solid defence held firm, but they conceded a penalty 30 metres out, which George Huish calmly slotted over for a 15-5 lead. Despite Ventnor’s grit and determination, the Island side held firm to claim the points and bragging rights at the end of 2025.
In Counties One, Sandown & Shanklin Hurricanes took an early lead at home to Portsmouth, with the returning Sam Flux and Ben Kulik adding strength to the Island side. Despite further scores, the Islanders narrowly lost 25-24 to Portsmouth, who claim their fifth consecutive win to finish the year in fourth place.