Simon UZOKWE (7) of Ealing Trailfinders is awarded the Man of the Match after the Greene King IPA Championship match between Ealing Trailfinders and Richmond at Castle Bar , West Ealing , England on 2 April 2022. Photo by David HornThe biggest rivalries bring out the biggest occasions, and a Championship Rugby finale between Ealing Trailfinders and Richmond with the men in green and white looking to lift their first Championship title, was the perfect latest instalment in this local clash.

Trailfinders went into the game knowing that a win or bonus-point draw would see them crowned champions, and the home side got off to the perfect start winning a penalty from the scrum at Richmond’s 10 metre. Willis kicked to the corner and the forward did the rest of the work with Simon Uzokwe firing his way over.

Moments later another strong scrum from Trailfinders saw Richmond once again penalised, a dominant opening few minutes for the men of Vallis Way.

Penalty after penalty came for the home side and midway through the first half Uzokwe would power his way over the line to score his second of the tie.

The start of the game was just what Trailfinders would have been looking for, showing great physicality to fire out of the blocks.

23 minutes on the clock and the third try was up for the home side, with a scrum at Richmond’s 5 metre, Craig Hampson with the show and go glided over the try line to score.

You’d think the Trailfinders might stop to take a breath, but just a matter of minutes later link play between Luke Daniels and Max Bodilly saw the Cornishman skip over for the bonus-point score.

Richmond weren’t going to go down without a fight though as at the half an hour mark club Captain and former Trailfinders Mark Bright scored on his 201st Championship appearance for his side’s first points of the afternoon.

It was a fifth by half-time with a great break by George Davis saw the ball recycled back for Rayn Smid to dot down for his sixteenth try of the campaign.

Half-Time Ealing Trailfinders 29 – Richmond 5

5 minutes into the second half and Trailfinders were back to their firing ways, Hampson feeding in Bodilly for his fifth try of the season.

Another forced error ten minutes later saw replacement Steven Shingler able to put the forwards in a great position to add to their lead, the line out running smoothly the ball was offloaded to Uzokwe completing his hat-trick mid-way through the second half.

With just over 10 minutes left on the clock, Trailfinders were once again deep inside the Richmond half. Great hands across the backline say Luke Daniels fed in on the wing after a lovely tip on by David Johnston to score.

There was still time for another score when another stripped ball saw the men in green and white go on the rampage once again, great handling from replacement Jack Digby saw Reuben Bird-Tulloch go through, being tackled he offloaded for Angus Kernohan to scoop up the ball and score.

Kernohan was soon at the double just moments later, once again put into space in the corner beating his man to dot down.

Richmond would have the last say, but it was to be only a consolation as their rolling maul finally got them their second of the game.

Full Time Ealing Trailfinders 60 – Richmond 10

A result that will go down in the Ealing Trailfinders history books, victory today meaning that the club lifted it’s first ever Championship Rugby trophy. A momentus moment for all involved with the club, we can’t thank you enough for your fantastic support.

Ealing Trailfinders

Starting XV –

1 Kyle Whyte

2 Jan-Henning Campher

3 George Davis

4 Bobby de Wee

5 James Cannon

6 Max Northcote-Green

7 Simon Uzokwe

8 Rayn Smid

9 Craig Hampson

10 Craig Willis

11 Luke Daniels

12 Pat Howard

13 Max Bodilly

14 Angus Kernohan

15 David Johnston

Replacements –

16 Cam Terry

17 Dylan Smith

18 Harry Seward

19 Simon Linsell

20 Jack Digby

21 Jordan Burns

22 Steven Shingler

23 Reuben Bird-Tulloch

Richmond 

Startin XV:

1. Jonny Harris

2. James Hadfield

3. Jimmy Litchfield

4. Henri Williams

5. Will Carrick Smith

6. Huw Worthington

7. Jared Cardew

8. Mark Bright (C)

9. Callum Watson

10. Ted Landray

11. Jake Caddy

12. Ronnie Mclean

13. Craig Duncan

14. Alex Goble

15. Will Kaye

Replacements :

16. Callum Torpey

17. Luke Spring

18. Ntinga Mpiko

19. Sam Collingridge

20. Ethan Benson

21: Alex Crocker

22: Monty Bradbury

23. Owain James

Ealing Trailfinders returned home to Vallis Way on Saturday afternoon, a week on from victory away at Jersey Reds.

Doncaster Knights were the visitors in a top of the table clash at Trailfinders Sports Club; as two of the most in-form sides in the league met in a mouth-watering clash in West London.

The men in green and white looked to start the game strongly and get the home crowd behind them. The opening minutes saw a kicking battle which led to Doncaster winning a penalty due to Trailfinders being deemed to have been in front of the kicker. Knights fly-half Sam Olver kicked to the corner as the Doncaster forwards looked to make the most of territory inside Trailfinders 22. It wasn’t to be though as Trailfinders pack held up the attack, ultimately winning a scrum at their own 5 metre.

A big scrum from the Trailfinders pack followed, and Craig Willis could clear upfield to get his side back up the pitch.

With the opening ten minutes played inside Trailfinders half, Doncaster knocked on the door time and time again. But it was at the fourth time of asking inside the red zone, which saw the ball was worked out to Sam Olver, who kicked the ball into space for Maliq Holden to collect and score, Olver himself adding the extras.

Trailfinders would hit straight back, and moments later, they would have the opportunity to attack themselves. Willis kicked to the corner, but the line out couldn’t be held; as the ball was knocked backwards, Doncaster would retrieve possession, winning a penalty to allow them to clear to touch and relieve pressure.

Midway through the first half, David Johnston got the home side’s first points of the afternoon, with advantage in hand, Craig Hampson kicked the ball to space on the right wing finding Johnston, who acrobatically caught the ball and dotted down.

Moments later, Doncaster were on the attack once again, and after winning advantage at Trailfinders 22, Olver would attempt a drop goal; the ball sailed narrowly wide; however, the referee went back for the penalty for Olver to knock over, extending Doncaster’s lead with ten minutes of the first half to come.

Just minutes left of the first period and with Trailfinders down to 14 men through a yellow shown to Rayn Smid for a knock-on, Trailfinders were caught offside at their 5 metre. Doncaster went through the phases through dominant carries before working it out wide again to Holden. The winger diving down to score in the corner, with Olver once again converting.

Half-Time Ealing Trailfinders 7 – Doncaster Knights 17

Just moments into the opening exchanges of the second half, Kyle Evans was shown a yellow for knocking the ball on when Trailfinders looked to be on the wing, an almost identical incident to that of Smid’s in the first half.

Looking to take advantage of that, Johnston would feed the ball out to Luke Daniels in a slick move that saw Trailfinders enter the Doncaster 22. The men in green and white would go onto work across the field before Max Bodilly sent a looping ball over to the left wing for Daniels, who unopposed raced home to score his side’s second try of the afternoon and see just 5 points between the two teams.

Doncaster would soon hit back and win a penalty at the breakdown after an overthrown lineout saw Trailfinders Lock Bobby De Wee isolated. Olver was once again successful with the boot just inside the Trailfinders half, to extend the travelling sides lead.

Chances came and went for Trailfinders, as they looked to be in once again when a great offload from Willis put Daniels into space; however, the Doncaster defence fought back and soaked up the pressure.

Trailfinders looked to breakthrough midway through the half when replacement Cian Kelleher was found on the wing; as he looked to offload inside to Bodilly, he was held back, and with that, momentum had gone, allowing Doncaster to battle back and defend the breakdown.

Big games lead to big moments, crunching tackle after crunching tackle saw Jan-Henning Campher over the ball, winning a penalty at the break down at Trailfinders own 22, to once again put the home side on the front foot.

The momentum was beginning to build the crowd’s noise, and just minutes later, Rayn Smid was able to dot down, Craig Hampson feeding the ball to the back-rower, who powered his way over in the corner.

With the game in the balance and only three points between the two sides, some quick thinking by Doncaster’s Bill McBryde saw him intercept the ball at his own 22. The racing Trailfinders defence of Hampson and Bodilly couldn’t catch the full-back, who scored to open up a bigger lead for the visitors with less than three minutes to go.

In what was to be the last action of the game, Willis kicked for the posts after his side won a penalty at the breakdown, looking for a losing bonus-point his sweetly struck kick hit the left upright. The ball stayed in play, allowing Doncaster to work through two phases and finally clear to touch and confirm the win.

Full Time Ealing Trailfinders 17 – Doncaster Knights 25

Ealing Trailfinders – 

1. Will Davis – The Green Army

2. Jan-Henning Campher – Ikon Dental

3. Lewis Thiede – Ebstone Kitchens

4. Bobby De Wee – Harrison’s Deli

5. James Cannon- Colin Bibra

6. Simon Linsell – Geoff & Back Row

7. Max Northcote-Green – Lords Builders Merchants

8. Rayn Smid (C) – Green Army

9. Craig Hampson – Nabarro

10. Craig Willis – GD Higgins

11. Angus Kernohan – Col’s Corner

12. Pat Howard – Arnold Hill – 50th Appearance!!

13. Max Bodilly – The Brewer Family

14. Luke Daniels – 1 Ugly Crazy Robot

15. David Johnston – Michael Jackson

Replacements:

16. Shaun Malton – Woodfield Heating

17. Kyle Whyte – West London Fitness

18. George Davis – The Turmeric Co

19. Gary Porter – The Green Army

20. Barney Maddison

21. Jordan Burns – Rhidian Jones

22. Cian Kelleher – Grainne Taylor

23. Len Massyn – David Lloyd

Doncaster Knights – 

1. Conor Davidson

2. George Edgson

3. Andrew Foster

4. John Kelly

5. Ben Murphy

6. Sam Hudson

7. Sam Graham ©

8. Thom Smith

9. Alex Dolly

10. Sam Olver

11. Maliq Holden

12. Mark Best

13. Joe Margetts

14. Kyle Evans

15. Bill McBryde

Replacements:

16. George Roberts

17. Liam Usher

18. Charlie Connolly

19. Josh Peters

20. Jack Davies

21. Joe Green

22. Connor Edwards

23. Guido Volpi

 

Ealing Trailfinders made in four wins from four on Saturday afternoon, as they kicked off the New Year in style, in the clubs first run out at Trailfinders Sports Club in over a month.

Tries from Alun Walker, Cian Kelleher, Shaun Malton, along with a brace from Back-Row pairing Rayn Smid and Simon Uzokwe, securing the bonus-point victory to see the men of West London return to the top of the table.

The Trailfinders started just how they finished in Nottingham a week ago, firing into action with the forward pack picking and going to see Rayn Smid dot down for his first game. Just the start that Ben Ward and his coaching team were looking for, with Craig Willis adding the extras from the boot.

With just 11 minutes on the clock, the home side were over the whitewash once again as Coventry were penalised by the referee inside their half. Willis would go on to kick to the corner, Walker with the precise dart from the touchline, joining onto the rolling maul as he dotted down for the third time in two weeks.

Coventry had held their own territorially; however, it wasn’t until the sixteenth minute that they had points to show for their efforts. After Ealing Trailfinders were penalised by the referee at the breakdown, the ball was kicked to the corner, the line out resulting in metres gained, only for the ball to be worked out to Winger Rob Knox who beat Kernohan to dot down in the corner.

It was to be Coventry’s only score of the afternoon but one that gave them a glimmer of hope in a tough first half for the visitors.

Just moments later, it would be Trailfinders who would get on the scoreboard next, once again Smid getting on the scoresheet. After a weaving run by Trailfinders full-back, David Johnston led to a quick ball from scrum-half Craig Hampson who found a stampeding Smid who’s line saw his power home dotting down with ease.

The bonus-point was then wrapped up before the break, after a quick ball flung by Craig Willis out to Angus Kernohan, who met the ball with speed as he broke free of his tackler, with only one man to beat, he saw Kelleher on his inside, collecting the ball he was home and dry home for the fourth try of the afternoon.

Half-Time Ealing Trailfinders 26 – Coventry Rugby 5

Looking to put clear daylight between themselves and the Midlands side. Just a minute passed when in-form Uzokwe was found in space; after a break from Max Bodilly saw him muscle his way over the line to dot down.

Just two minutes later, Uzokwe would be in again; this time, a line break from Smid saw him feeding the ball over two Coventry heads to see Uzokwe run in from 22. Willis adding the extras once again.

Midway through the second-half Ealing looked like they were in for another as the ball was dropped by Coventry inside Trailfinders 22; Burns worked it wide to Kernohan, who fed the ball back inside to Burns racing up the field, once again back to Kernohan, who was taken down to stop the attack.

Replacement Hooker Shaun Malton would have the last say though, with just moments left in the fixture his own line out was worked down, and the backs joined in to bundle over the South African to score.

Another convincing home win for the men in green and white, as they returned to the top of the pile in the Championship Rugby table.

Full Time Ealing Trailfinders 47 – Coventry Rugby 5

Ealing Trailfinders – 

1. Will Davis – Sponsored by Green Army

2. Alun Walker – Sponsored by Lords Building Supplies

3. Lewis Thiede – Ebstone Kitchens

4. Bobby de Wee – Harrison’s

5. Simon Linsell – Geoff & Back Row

6. Max Northcote-Green – Lords Building Supplies

7. Simon Uzokwe – GD Higgins

8. Rayn Smid (C) – Green Army

9. Craig Hampson – Nabarro

10. Craig Willis – GD Higgins

11. Angus Kernohan – Col’s Corner

12. Pat Howard – Arnold Hill

13. Max Bodilly – The Brewer Family

14. Cian Kelleher – Grainne Taylor

15. David Johnston – Mike Jackson

Replacements:

16. Shaun Malton – Woodfield Heating

17. James Gibbons – Nuffield Health

18. George Davis – The Turmeric Co

19. James Cannon- Colin Bibra

20. Len Massyn

21. Jordan Burns – Rhidian Jones

22. Steven Shingler – City Trust Finance

23. Luke Daniels – 1 Ugly Crazy Robot

Coventry Rugby – 

1. Toby Trinder

2. Jordon Poole

3. Phil Boulton

4. Jame Tyas

5. Nile Dacres

6. Fred Betteridge

7. Josh Bainbridge

8. Ryan Burrows ©

9. Josh Barton

10. Tony Fenner

11. Rob Knox

12. Will Owen

13. Andy Forsyth

14. Rob Stevenson

15. Tom Curtis

Replacements –

16. Suva Ma’asi

17. Luc Jeannot

18. Will Hurd

19. Max Williams

20. Tom Ball

21. Dan Babos

22. Evan Mitchell

23. Tom Griffiths

The West Londoners headed into Round 8 top of the table, with Harvey Biljon’s men alongside Cornish Pirates snapping at the heels of Ben Ward’s side. The Championship Rugby season has seen a lot of close encounters over the opening rounds, and this was to be no different with two of the league’s most in-form sides going head-to-head at Trailfinders Sports Club.

It was Jersey who started the more vigorous, and with a sustained period of attack within Trailfinders 22, Sam Leeming decided to go for the posts, putting the first points on the board for the visitors.

Moments later, Trailfinders found space in behind Jersey’s backline and got within the 22; several drives from the West Londoners forwards saw Craig Hampson shift the ball back to Steven Shingler, who muscled his way over the line to dot down for the home sides first try of the afternoon, converting his own score.

In what was a hard-fought opening quarter of the game, Jersey quickly hit back again. Hard-hitting carries got the visitors within Trailfinders 22, the ball being knocked into touch as the islanders looked to drive the ball home from the line out. The subsequent line out was halted by Ben Ward’s men however, a darting run inside by Jersey Reds Captain Lewis Wynne saw him power through a gap in the Trailfinders defence, to score Jersey’s first try of the game and regain their lead.

Five minutes later the visitors extended their lead with multiple phases inside Trailfinders 22. This led to Steve Longwell eventually powering his way through the Ealing defence as the Reds led 7-15 mid-way through the first half.

Biljon’s men sure didn’t head to West London looking for anything but an upset at the league leaders’ home to end their unbeaten run at Vallis Way.

This would be a tough day at the office. Still, one that Trailfinders were more than up for, with just minutes left in the first half, a clever knock through from the boot of Shingler got Trailfinders within the 22, a knocked-on ball was then swooped up by Luke Daniels, to race along the wing and dot down to bring the game within a point going into the break.

Half-Time Ealing Trailfinders 14 – Jersey Reds 15

The second half started with the same intensity as the first half, with both sides going to war once again.

This time it was Trailfinders who would strike first when a bright start to the half when they were rewarded with a penalty just inside Jersey’s half. Shingler was once again good with the boot kicked to the corner and the resulting line out from Shaun Malton was finished off at the back of the rolling maul by the Hooker who dotted down to put Ealing in the lead once again in the top of the table clash, with Shingler adding the extras.

However, in what was becoming an end-to-end affair, Jersey quickly hit back once again just a matter of minutes later when a dominant lineout drive from the visiting side saw the referee award a penalty try putting the Reds back in front with 25 minutes to go, Malton subsequently being sent to the sin bin.

The game was on a knife-edge, with both sides going into every collision with more and more intensity as the clash went on. It was going to be fine margins that would split these two sides, and when Simon Uzokwe read the Jersey attack intercepting the ball at the half-way line, he raced away to dot down in what proved a real momentum swinger, with the visitors looking to get a real foothold on the game.

In what proved to be a real swing in the game, and with 10 minutes left on the clock, Ben Ward’s men were able to extend their lead to over a score. Quick thinking from Trailfinders Scrum-Half Craig Hampson saw him show and go, darting inside to score what would prove to be the decisive try.

Shingler was once again successful with the boot, putting Trailfinders 13 points to the good going into the closing minutes of the game.

It wasn’t to be an easy final moment of the game for the men of Vallis Way though when with just two minutes left on the clock, a penalty won within Trailfinders half saw Jersey’s pack go through the motions and power home to put some final moments of pressure on what had been a tight top of the table affair.

The try proved too little too late however and a close-fought win for the West Londoners saw them hold on tightly to their top of the table status with Harvey Biljon’s men leaving Vallis Way with a hard-fought bonus point.

Full-Time Ealing Trailfinders 35 – Jersey Reds 29

By Ryan Fitzgerald-Nolan

Ealing Trailfinders got their Championship campaign back on track on Saturday afternoon, with a 12-try win over Craig Hammond’s Nottingham Rugby at Trailfinders Sports Club, finishing 78-19.

Ben Ward’s side responded well following a narrow 15-12 away loss to Cornish Pirates last time out, touching down six times in each half of the convincing win.

Simon Uzokwe, Rayn Smid, Pat Howard, Shaun Malton, Charlie Walker, Craig Hampson and eight points from the boot of man of the match Steven Shingler, gave the boys in Green and White a 24-point lead at the break.

Smid and Walker both completed their braces in the second forty minutes, alongside tries from Jan-Henning Campher and Reuben Bird-Tulloch, as Jordan Burns also touched down twice in the space of two minutes to conclude proceedings.

Trailfinders set an early precedent with consecutive dominant scrums, the second of which the pack were able to win possession of the ball just inside the visitors ‘22.

Scrum-half Craig Hampson raced away and offloaded to Simon Uzokwe, evading tackles to touch down, with Steven Shingler adding the extras.

Uzokwe turned provider for captain Rayn Smid to dot down under the posts to finish a rapid breakaway by the boys in Green and White, the latter stealing a Nottingham lineout to begin the counter.

With Trailfinders 14 points to the good, the Archers knew they had to start edging their way into the game, and did so with a swift reply.

Archie Vanes scored following a rolling maul to pull his side back into the affair, with Dan Lancaster adding a conversion but missing a rangey penalty from halfway minutes later.

A concerning rise in the penalty count afforded Nottingham a chance to once again kick for the corner, but once again a lineout was well intercepted by Smid to give some relief to his side.

Pat Howard restored some parity between the sides after picking up from the base of the ruck just short of the whitewash to score in the corner, as Shingler was unable to convert from the touchline.

Elliott Creed was sent to the bin in an attempt to stop yet another fast, fluid move originating from Trailfinders’ own half, where Shaun Malton consequentially scored.

Trailfinders captain Smid soon joined Creed for a brief spell on the sidelines, as Craig Hammond’s side were awarded a penalty try.

Nimble feet from Hammond found the scrum-half some space to run into, who passed to Charlie Walker infield to score under the posts.

The deadly linkup between the aforementioned pair punished the Archers for Trailfinders’ sixth and final score of the half, this time with the number nine dotting down for his first five points of the game.

HT- Ealing Trailfinders 38-14 Nottingham

Having been held up on the line in the opening attacking phases of the half, Trailfinders maintained their pressure towards the try line as head injury replacement Jan-Henning Campher crossed and scored from a brutish advancing maul.

Hampson and Walker resumed their collaborative efforts in the second half as the former assisted the latter, with Shingler converting Walker’s effort to take their side’s total to 50.

An unfortunate knock-on from Walker denied the winger a hattrick and David Johnston an assist on his 50th appearance after some terrific movement with the ball.

Trailfinders did nonetheless win the resulting scrum and after several phases, Smid crossed the whitewash for his second with Shingler adding an impressive converted kick.

Summer signing Reuben Bird-Tulloch was next to pile on the pressure in the final phase of more fantastic attacking rugby, his first try for the club as Shingler once again split the posts from a testing angle.

Good work at the breakdown denied Nottingham what looked to almost certainly be their third score of the afternoon just shy of the try line, keeping the deficit at a resounding 50 points.

Quick thinking from replacement Jordan Burns saw the scrum-half bag a brace with two pickups from the ruck to dart over each time, as Trailfinders’ final substitution Craig Willis registered his first four points from the boot.

Tim Hoyt went over in the final few minutes of the game to restore some pride in his team’s performance, with decent footballing from both Harry Graham and Morgan Bunting nearly securing a try bonus point but for the ball to make its way into touch.

FT Ealing Trailfinders 78-19 Nottingham

Ealing Trailfinders:

15. David Johnston, 14. Charlie Walker, 13. Max Bodilly, 12. Pat Howard (replaced by Reuben Bird-Tulloch, 54 minutes), 11. Angus Kernohan, 10. Steven Shingler (replaced by Craig Willis, 73 minutes), 9. Craig Hampson (replaced by Jordan Burns, 54 minutes); 1. James Gibbons (replaced by Dylan Smith, 56 minutes), 2. Shaun Malton (replaced by Jan-Henning Campher, 43 minutes), 3. Lewis Thiede (replaced by Kyle Whyte, 56 minutes), 4. Simon Linsell (replaced by Bobby de Wee, 51 minutes), 5. James Cannon, 6. Jack Digby, 7. Simon Uzokwe (replaced by Malon al-Jiboori, 64 minutes), 8. Rayn Smid (C)

Replacements:

16. Jan-Henning Campher, 17. Dylan Smith, 18. Kyle Whyte, 19. Bobby de Wee, 20. Malon al-Jiboori, 21. Jordan Burns, 22. Craig Willis, 23. Reuben Bird-Tulloch

Tries: Simon Uzokwe, Rayn Smid (2), Pat Howard, Shaun Malton, Charlie Walker (2), Craig Hampson, Jan-Henning Campher, Reuben Bird-Tulloch, Jordan Burns (2)

Conversions: Steven Shingler (7), Craig Willis (2)

Yellow Cards: Rayn Smid

Nottingham Rugby:

15. Luke Hibberd, 14. Harry Graham, 13. Elliott Creed (replaced by Morgan Bunting), 12. Jacob Cusick (replaced by James Peachey), 11. Joe Browning, 10. Dan Lancaster, 9. Sam Edwards (replaced by Matt March); 1. Toby Williams (replaced by James Whitcombe), 2. Archie Vanes (replaced by Storm Hanekom), 3. Josh McNulty (replaced by Tim Hoyt), 4. Jack Ramshaw, 5. Scott Hall (replaced by Callum Allen), 6. Carl Kirwan (replaced by Jacob Wright), 7. Lewis Barrett, 8. Josh Poullet (C)

Replacements:

16. Storm Hanekom, 17. Tim Hoyt, 18. James Whitcombe, 19. Callum Allen, 20. Jacob Wright, 21. Matt March, 22. Morgan Bunting, 23. James Peachey

Tries: Archie Vanes, Penalty Try, Tim Hoyt

Conversions: Dan Lancaster (2)

Yellow Cards: Elliott Creed