Well what a game!

Those who.picked up the prematch preview of last week's Round 2 clash with Camberley, will know from the history Of the fixture that this was always going to be an arm wrestle! And so it proved!

The two sides were almost at full strength, Welsh missing Ben Davies, Hywel Williams and Tom Williams and the home side missing summer signing Marlen Walker. Camberley gave first run outs to Jak Rossiter and Alex Seers, both with extensive experience in National 1 with RAMS.

Camberley slipped Up in Round 1 away at Wimbledon and it was evident in early exchanges that they were hell bent on not losing 2 in a row!

Camberley kicked off and unlike last weekend when a full 15 minutes passed without a scrum, we hit scrum time within seconds as Welsh knocked on.

The first scrum, and practically all subsequent ones throughout the match, stayed in one place with the two teams evenly matched in that department. For the first five minutes play was mostly in the Welsh with the home side very up for making a first impression to set a marker.

Camberley won their first penalty of the game within 5 minutes and took the opportunity to take an early lead. Summer signing from Nat 1 RAMS Alex Seers with the pinpoint kicking T to put the hosts 3 -0 early doors.

The home side built confidence from early pressure and points. After the restart the game went back and forth from one half to the other as both sides opted

for long kicks up-field at frequent intervals; this was a tense period where nerves were obviously a factor.

On 10 minutes Welsh gave away another penalty for offside, Camberley kicked for touch to give them a lineout around the 22 yd line. Following accepted

practice in years gone by at Watchetts, Camberley formed a rolling maul having caught their own throw-in, and steam-

rollered forward to the Welsh line for the first try through Max McCarthy. Try not converted. Score 8 – 0

Welsh were not stunned by the early onslaught and from the restart managed to gain possession and attacked Camberley hard into their 22; it wasn’t long before the fast rucking of the Welsh created an opening in Camberley’s

defence and the agile Rhydian George from 7 ran in a try from 20 yards out. Converted by Matt Hodgson.

Score 8 – 7 after 20 Minutes.

From the restart it was Camberley’s turn to press hard, with play stuck in the Welsh 22 for some minutes. Welsh discpiline let them down in this period, and game management was slightly off. Eventually Camberley scored another try from a rolling maul following a lineout 7 yards from the Welsh line. Converted. Score 15 – 7. Cambo were dominating the close exchanges and capitalised well on Welsh errors and indiscipline. 25 minutes gone.

From the restart Welsh pinned Camberley in their half for some minutes but failed to make it stick, the last yard to the try line proving elusive. The Welsh pressure ended with Byron Leach penalised with a yellow card and rewarded with 10 minutes rest! Welsh down to 14 from the 30 mins marker to the end of the half.

A man down and without possession it was Welsh’s turn to be besieged in their 22; surviving this and regaining control of the ball and play, Welsh really moved the ball about in the Camberley 22, to the point that you would not have noticed their missing sin binned player! A superb break from Daf Manley at 13 created the space for him to offload to Tommy Bell who scored in the corner. Converted by Matt Hodgson. Score 15 -14

Sadly that was the last action from Tommy Bell for the day. Injured in the act of scoring he had to leave the field with an ankle injury; that will likely see Tommy out for some time. Lima Savaiinaea came on to the left wing, with Tom Hunt resuming his traditional position at full back.

On the stroke of half time Cambo won another penalty for welsh indiscipline (hands in the ruck). Seers dealt with the shot at goal and Camberley would lead at the half - Score 18 -14

Half time.

The half provided time for changes and Connor Botha came on at Hooker for Garin Lloyd. Within three minutes of the break Welsh took the lead for the first time in the match, having been restored to a full compliment with the return of Leach.

Adam Dunne went over for his 2nd in as many games, scoring as a result of fast service from ruck in Camberley’s 22 and brilliant vision from Steve Shingler. Converted by Matt

Hodgson. Score 18 – 21 44 minutes.

From the restart it was Camberley who moved up-field to the Welsh 22, and put pressure on Welsh, the hosts respondong immeidtaely to the Welsh lead. It was by now a familiar pattern, welsh concded the penalty and Camberley went for the corner, catch and drive. From the lineout Welsh steadily pushed Cambo upfield, but a couple of momentum breaking tackles were not enough and the Camberley pack sucked in the Welsh cover in their line defence, before going wide for Luke Outhwaite at 15 to cross for the hosts.

Seers Converted. Score 25 -21 after 50 minutes.

This was end to end stuff at that 50 mark but Camberley had gained the edge through Welsh ill discipline and lack of composure. Camberley sensed the opportunity to put the game to bed and scored almost with a repeat backs move from their previous try, drawing in defenders through a rolling maul then flashing wide; all from a welsh penalty that gave Cambo territory. This time George Owen crossed in the corner and suddenly the home side had opened up an 11 point lead on 55 minutes.

The tide was against Welsh and many lesser sides may well have imploded. However, this is the class of 2024/25 and Welsh reacted! Lima Savaiinaea came to the fore. Andy Black also entered the game at this stage for Ed Couzens, blacky was to have a big impact.

The Exiles went to big Andy Black who pulled out a barn storming run to win a Welsh penalty. It was the Welsh applying the pressure now and a lovely break by Lima, offload to Tom Hunt and then a return pass on the line to Lima, ended with the big Samoan crossing for his first of the season. Converted by Matt Hodgson. Score 32 – 28

Tom Douglas had to come off for a while at this point to be substituted for the return to the field of 6’9 Ed Couzens. During a brief

attack in the Welsh 22 by Camberley, a disagreement developed into a scuffle. Ed Grovesnor in the row for Camberley threw a punch at Aussie Leach, there could be only one result and the home side were down to 14 for the rest of the game as Grosvenor was invited to leave the field on 70 minutes.

Welsh sniffed blood and had the bit between their teeth

now. The sizeable crowd were treated to the sight of both Sam Johnson and Lima Savaiinaea bulldozing their way through opposition players to make forty five yards between them once play resumed. Welsh had dominance as we entered the final 8 minutes.

Connor Botha suffered a leg injury on 71 so Garin Lloyd returned to the position of hooker. After some heavy

shoving by Welsh near the Camberley line, the ball was sent out to the threequarters. As the exiles faithful well know, no one stops Lima Savaiinaea from 5m out! The Samoan scored to the left of the postS. Converted by Matt Hodgson. Score 32 -35 after 73 minutes.

From the restart Camberley pushed relentlessly at the Welsh and spent a lot of time in the Welsh 22. The Welsh fought like demons to push back every attack, often making Camberley lose fifteen yards or so in moves between rucks.

There were 3 penalties in the last 6 minutes to Camberley, in the Welsh 22. Two lineouts were critically stollen by Douglas and Leach for Welsh. A huge Camberley scrum on the Welsh 5m line was also repelled. Cambo threw everything at Welsh for full on 5 minutes, the watch was almost unbearably slow to the final whistle for Welsh. Shi gler was sin binned on 79 minites for Welsh second yellow of the day!

Welsh doggedly held on though until

the final whistle. A pulsating game ended Final Score 32 – 35.

This was a proper rugby game, no quarter asked and none given.

Welsh will have to admit that they were not at their best and did not play to anywhere near their potential in this game.

However, Camberley are an excellent side with the additions that they have made over the summer. The threat from their pack is a potent weapon and they will be hard to beat at Watchetts this season (as every season!).

At the whistle it is not the performance that matters but the bonus point win on the road to a side with title ambitions. Building a successful Campaign is about winning ugly sometimes, when you are not at your best. That Is exactly what Welsh did in Round.2.

So then100% start to the season continues. Tommy Bell will be assessed but is likely to have a number of weeks on the sidelines. Connor Botha also looks to be out of contention for Round 3.

There were some substantial performances in Round 2, with Andy Black making a big impact, Tom Douglas as combative and aggressive as ever Lima Savaiinaea proving as hard to stop in the opposition 22 as a run away train!

However, for his all Round scrummaging and escapades with ball in hand, Player of the Match goes to Sam Johnson.

TRY: Lima Savaiinaea x 2, Tommy Bell, Adam Dunne, Rhydian George

Con: Matt Hodgson 5/5 [100%]

The team: 1 – Chay Bailey, 2 – Garin Lloyd, 3 – Sam Johnston, 4 – Ed Couzens, 5 – Byron Leach, 6 – Tom Douglas, 7 – Rhydian George, 8 – George West, 9 – Adam Nixon, 10 – Matt

Hodgson, 11 – Tom Hunt, 12 – Steve Shingler, Dafydd Manley, 14 – Adam Dunne, 15 –

Tommy Bell.

Substitutes: Andy Black, Connor Botha, Lima Savaiinaea.