Thamesians produced a dominant first-half performance to secure a convincing 45–22 victory over Pinner & Grammarians on Saturday, before showing real grit and togetherness to see out the contest amid a challenging second half.
The opening 40 minutes could scarcely have gone better for the away side. Playing with pace, accuracy and control, Thamesians ran in a flurry of tries to establish an emphatic 45–0 halftime lead, putting Pinner & Grammarians under sustained pressure across the park. Strong ball retention and sharp execution allowed Thamesians to dictate the tempo, with the scoreboard reflecting a near-perfect half of rugby. Louis added further polish to the performance with an impressive return from the tee, converting five of Thamesians’ seven tries.
However, the match took a more testing turn after the break. A series of injuries to key players Jimmy, Hopkins and Paolo forced significant positional reshuffles, disrupting the team’s rhythm. Most notably, the situation led to Timur making his first-ever appearance on a rugby pitch, thrown into the action under difficult circumstances but responding admirably.
The severity of Jimmy’s injury required an ambulance to be called, with Oli White working tirelessly as physio throughout the afternoon to manage the growing injury list. Despite these setbacks, Thamesians’ determination never wavered.
While Pinner & Grammarians took advantage of the disruption to score 22 points in the second half, the Thamesians defence stood firm when it mattered most. Four Pinner tries were held up over the line, a testament to the commitment, organisation and sheer will shown by the side when under sustained pressure.
The final whistle confirmed a 45–22 win for Thamesians, a result built on attacking excellence in the first half and outstanding resilience in the second. While injuries took some shine off the afternoon, the performance highlighted the squad’s depth, spirit and refusal to concede ground when tested.
A deserved victory, and one that showed Thamesians at their most clinical — and their most courageous.
