One of four consecutive away journeys scheduled for DMPRFC in the coming weeks, the near 500-mile round trip to Rosslyn Park RFC is the first and with the hosts enjoying an excellent pre-season and double winning start to the new season, it doesn’t get much tougher.

With Rosslyn Park’s new synthetic pitch certainly proving to be a success at the club and the players seemingly adjusting to the surface, all currently augurs well for their Priory Lane HQ on Upper Richmond Road, SW15.

Their 3 pre-season matches, all at home, were won convincingly, v Newport RFC (56 – 27), v Cardiff RFC (47 – 23) and Chinnor RFC (54 -7). Their first two league games have both been wins, courtesy of Henley Hawks RFC (home) 62 – 12, on the opening day of the season and Plymouth Albion RFC (away) 15 – 16 last weekend.

Last season, they ended up with the silver medal in National League One, second only to Ealing Trailfinders RFC., who themselves have found it difficult to acclimatise back in the Championship with two straight losses. It is hoped that Trailfinders fair better in the weeks ahead.

Referring back to last season, Rosslyn Park RFC managed the ‘double’ over DMPRFC, with victories home and away.

Tries by full back Jamie BARNARD and scrum half Adam NIXON, together with a penalty try and two conversions from centre Tom HODGSON were not enough as Rosslyn Park prevailed 29 – 19 at Priory Lane.

In the return match at the Arena, DMPRFC again came second in a 12 – 24 defeat. Tries from winger Tom KILL and fly half Grant CONNON, together with a Garry LAW conversion, fell short of the required visitor’s total.

Ex-DMPRFC full back Henry Robinson, now plies his trade at Rosslyn Park RFC and he is certain to feature in a very good side, whIch consistently produces ‘the goods’.

A superb fight back in the last ten minutes of the second half against Henley Hawks RFC last weekend was never going to be enough, as the visitors claimed their first points in the league after last season’s promotion.

The lead Henley enjoyed at oranges seemed insurmountable, given that DMPRFC just failed to get into any gear at all in the first 40 minutes. But the fact that they did respond, even late on, gives some consolation for ‘a poor day at the office’.

Tries from scrum half Bruno BRAVO, replacement flanker Callum MACKENZIE and a brace from hooker Simon UZOKWE, as well as 4 superb conversions from fly half Garry LAW, gave the score line some respectability, but Henley’s win was deserved.

More application will be needed against the hosts at the weekend.