Petersfield Veterans 55 Winchester Veterans 7: HAVING played only one game last season, Petersfield’s Veterans have been reinvigorated during the summer and have come back as a force to be reckoned with.

Friday night’s victory against Winchester at Penns Place maintained the squad’s 100 per cent winning start to the season and sets the team up nicely for their next match, against Alton.

The evening was perfect for rugby and the assembled supporters were not disappointed as both teams played their part in a very enjoyable match. While Field finished the game as convincing winners the action on the pitch was not as one-sided as the score suggests and Winchester had their fair share of possession and territory.

In truth, Field should have scored more tries in the first half; on a number of occasions the attack got in behind the Winchester defence only for the quality of final ball to let the move down. However, six tries to one in the first half and three unopposed in the second is a record that many teams would find hard to emulate.

In an example to much younger teams, Field’s players worked tirelessly throughout the game to provide support in both attack and defence. Field shaded the battle of the packs with a very assured scrum and lineout but the real difference was the firepower provided by the backs.

With pace to burn, and a high level of fitness, the three-quarters worked hard from beginning to end. Once again, this was an object lesson in off the ball movement in support of an attack, with looping runs distracting the defence and creating multiple options.

At times it was difficult to reconcile the quality of rugby on display with the fact that Field’s Veterans are essentially a scratch side. However, the decades of experience on the pitch and the communication throughout the game more than made up for the irregularity of their meetings.