A overcast, occasionally drizzly afternoon greeted spectators for the highly anticipated battle between 1st and 2nd place in the Regional 2 South Central League 2024-2025.

Before anyone could begin to speculate on the outcome, it was another team that was in the spotlight, the returning Movember walkers from their mammoth 60km charity walk from the hallowed turf of English Rugby HQ in Twickenham (I refuse use Allianz) to the equally hallowed turf of Fortress Farnham at Wilkinson Way. Yet again, a monumental effort from over 50 members across Farnham RUFC and as of this morning, the club has just surpassed £49K raised, and much like a US Presidential Election, there are still donations being counted and the club is hopeful of exceeding £50K for the first time. An exceptional effort from all involved.

Tottonians were 9/9 with maximum points from all but 1 game this season thus far and Farnham 8/9 with 1 draw, just 3 points behind in second place in the table, who would strike first? Who would fall at the first hurdle? Everything to play for and bragging rights until the return fixture in March 2025.

Farnham came out the blocks like teenage prodigy on the football field looking to impress and full of beans. Eager to take the fight to the visitors they had possession after an exit from Totts from the kick off. A few phases from Farnham tests out the Totts first-up tackling before skipper Toby Salmon spots some space and punctures the Totts backfield with a sublime 50-22, lineout Farnham in a precarious position for Totts early doors. The rolling maul fizzles out and eventually the ball is moved wide with Salmon finding Joe Brockman out wide with a perfectly timed miss pass for him to dot down in the corner. Salmon bisects the uprights superbly and its 7-0 with less than 5 minutes on the clock, a serious marker set by Farnham.

Farnham gather the restart and are full of confidence, prepared to run it at the visitors and test the defence for any cracks and they find aplenty. Making their way up the field with clever structure and well executed phase play, a couple of half breaks, with Wigmore making good yards down the left, before some strong carries from the ‘heavies’ and good patience leads to the impressive Shawa Rai bundling over from close range. Simple conversion from Salmon and 14-0 with Totts not having touched the ball yet. This was seemingly going to be another easy afternoon at home for Farnham who appeared dominant compared to the shell-shocked visitors who were yet to get off the bus.

Totts decided to enter the party and pressure the Farnham breakdown after the restart and are awarded a penalty and their 10 steps up to take 3 points to get them on the board from about 30m out on the 15m line, but stabs his kick and it strikes the post, with Farnham managing to clear. Farnham steal the resulting line out and their off again, more progress for Wigmore on the left hand side and Farnham will surely score but the last pass doesn’t stick, there was advantage for an offside penalty and no messing around from Salmon who takes the 3 on offer, 17-0.

If it was seeming too easy for the home side, you could say they lost focus for a moment as after exiting from the restart, Totts make a break right through the middle of the Farnham defence, and although the scramble cover is good, Farnham concede a penalty, with Totts kicking to the corner for a 5m lineout. The catch and drive is executed perfectly and they’re over – excellent touchline conversion too, 17-7. A warning to Farnham.

Back come Farnham with a typical “throw caution to the wind” response. An excellent counterattack from the backfield after the restart exit from Totts and the effervescent Ben Stevens puts in a chip through to open space for high-flyer and man-of-the-match Joe Wigmore to overtake everyone in the frame, gather and score. Extras pulled wide but 22-7 with less than 10 minutes until half time. Totts start to dominate the scrum and win a couple of penalties, making good inroads into the Farnham half but fumble their line out and then throw a forward pass with the try line in touching distance. Chances wasted to even up the half which had been dominated by the home side. Farnham exit and half time is called. Totts in shock and Farnham full of faith in their attacking prowess.

The visitors must have had a stern talking to during the interval as they came out a different side to the first. Farnham are guilty of not getting the ball off the park in their 22 and the Tottonian big boys put the Farnham pack to the sword in the scrum and end up with a pick-and-go score to start the 2nd half. The vastly experienced and typically reliable Totts 10 pushes a simple conversion wide and its 22-12.

Farnham seem to be on the wrong side of the referee and are pinged for consecutive penalties for offside and at the breakdown. Totts kick to the corner and have a lineout close to the Farnham line, a converted try here and it changes everything, but they knock on in the lineout and the chance is squandered. Watson’s day is done as he hobbles off for man-mountain Triple H (Harrisson Hippo Horner) to take the park in a seemingly child-sized No. 17 jersey. But he makes an immediate impact with a dominant Farnham scrum, where Oscar Henderson pick and charges like a loose bull in Pamplona in a brutal, aggressive carry up the field and Farnham win a penalty which the put into touch on the halfway.

Both sides are having a go now, with the game really opening up and defence ostensibly optional in open field play, with the pitch getting heavier and both sets of players falling off first up tackles. Totts win another offside penalty, and this time its dead in front about 25m out but the usually reliably fly half misses again. Farnham end up with a scrum on their 5m line and decided to run it with Le Petite General Ollie Brown drawing the winger to put that man Wigmore into open space, and he canters down the touchline leaving a trail of defenders in his wake. His chip through is hastily gathered by the covering fullback but Farnham pressure and turnover deep inside Totts 22. The ball is moved from one side to the other and there is a 6 on 2 with multiple Farnham players pleading for the pill, Jonny Vincent decides to dummy and go himself, albeit drawing in several defenders, but the ball is quickly moved to Ollie Brown, who had started this move some 85m back, and he shows and goes to just make it to the line, much to the delight and uproar on the balcony from the home crowd. 4th try bonus point secured, extras just pushed wide in a tricky breeze, but 27-12 with less than 15 minutes to go.

Farnham seem to be offside at every breakdown and are in danger of making it close, eventually the stubborn Farnham D gives way after some desperate tackling, Totts are in, and a successful conversion means it 27-19. Marco and Allen come on with some fresh legs to support the team for the final push. Totts make a break right through the heart of the Farnham defence and look like they could be in, but their winger bizarrely decides to hurdle a would-be-tackler and penalty to Farnham.

The last 7 minutes or so is dominated by Totts who throw everything they can at the Farnham defence, but it is more stubborn than a conservative MP’s defence of a monthly expenses submission and Totts just can’t break though. Multiple phases and do-or-die tackling from the home side forces Totts to try anything and everything to break through, but eventually they knock it on, and time is called with the light fading.

A phenomenal shift from the home side who pick up 5 points and prevent Tottonians with leaving with anything for their efforts. Farnham were potent and dangerous in attack throughout the game and resolute in their defence when it mattered. Totts took a long time to get into the game and respond to the fast and prolific start by Farnham, they posed a threat at times but were not clinical when it counted. Final score 27-19.

Farnham are now 2 points clear at the top of the table, with a visit to Chobham next week.

President’s Podium:
Joe Wigmore – 3
Ben Stevens – 2
Shawa Rai – 1