Match Report – National U18s Cup
Olney RFC Colts 52 – 7 Amersham & Chiltern RFC Colts
Date: Sunday 19th October 2025
Kick Off: 1300hrs

First Half:
A dank and damp Sunday afternoon greeted the Olney Colts after a trek across Buckinghamshire to Amersham & Chiltern’s home, Ash Grove. From the KO by the skipper Beau Stenson the lads looked up for it, with Connor Wright clattering into the A&C back rower who was in the air at the time. The A&C line out operated well on the first inspection, but Olney made their intentions known from the off with turbo line speed causing A&C to become very lateral and flat. As the ball went backwards the inevitable knock-on came giving the colts a great position for the attacking scrum or so they thought - the ref gave an advantage and Olney in their inimitable style went from the right to left with quick hands, Ryan Kirkham carried well and from the subsequent ruck A&C couldn’t help but play to Alex Bickers at 9 (making his debut for Olney).

Olney took the penalty quickly and played the ball again with purpose and speed with Bickers hitting Stenson who with one goose step was under the sticks, he also got up to get the extras A&C 0 - 7 Olney RFC.

A good re-start from A&C was easily collected by Joe Grainger from fullback, the ruck speed again super quick to find Charlie Constantine on the charge carrying 10m up the guts of the big A&C forwards. The next bit of juggling by Stenson put him under some undue pressure, but it was mopped up by the Olney forwards with a good carry by Donny MacManus, the ref felt A&C had impeded this carry and called them offside giving Olney an easy break and Maxton Hubbard using his cultured left boot to bang one up to halfway. Line-out Olney.

Olney went straight off the top with a well drilled move and hit Constantine on the full biff carrying hard into the A&C flyhalf. This time the ball was a little slower leaving the ruck causing Olney to pass it forward due to an overrun set play.

This was the first scrum of the game and gave the forwards a chance to suss each other out, despite a good and dominate scrum from the Os, A&C still got the ball away and set out to attack from their own half, they made it 10m into the Olney half before getting pulled down by Dylan French, this week operating at 13. Olney, a little lazy from the previous scrum hadn’t got behind the gain line and allowed an easy penalty to A&C with Constantine taking one on the conk for good measure.

The line-out was completed by A&C but they never looked to move the ball away from the Olney forwards and this pattern of play was set to be very similar throughout the day, A&C obviously used to using their big ball carriers pounded at Olney but they were set back time after time with Olney’s defence for the second week in a row being its mean spirited self.

This time it was the backs who turned the screw on A&C with Stenson flying up and scragging the opposition flyhalf, turnover and scrum to Olney.

From the scrum the Olney backs easily made it over the halfway line with Ade Adebayo jostling his way through the scattered defence. Charlie Downs turn now to hit hard into the A&C forwards, setting up a quick ruck the ball was spun with pace and accuracy wide by Ronan Perkins into Grainger and then finding Ryan Kirkham who at pace was unlucky not to go all the way to the tryline. Olney not finished yet and with the oppo now looking worryingly narrow, they attacked once more but already the ref blew to call the A&C players offside.

Stenson slotting the kick to give Olney a 5m attacking line out, the line out was sharp and accurate however the ref adjudged that Olney slightly splintered during the setup and called for an obstruction. Olney looking a little hard done to set the scrum early and looked to win the ball right back, the ball flying out was charged down excellently by Bickers and Perkins working in tandem with the latter dropping on the ball to make it 0 – 14 to Olney (Stenson with the remaining two).

Olney now looked to be in the ascendancy, but the kick was too slippery to take cleanly, scrum to A&C. The scrum A&C looked a little broken and the flyhalf kicked it straight to Constantine’s hands, who after a little juggle picked up and made some hard-earned yards only for his team mates to seal him off and give A&C another chance at a 5m line-out. The line-out was attacked by Olney as A&C once again looked to take them on upfront. Olney won it back but then knocked it on giving A&C another slice of hope from a scrum only now 5m out from the tryline. The blindside defence from Down and Kirkham was solid stopping the big A&C 8 in his tracks, A&C still clumsily trying to go forward knocked it on with some good defence from Hubbard & French. C Down mopping up the ball carried Olney forward as they looked to attack, although spirited in their aspirations a good welly up the field here would have served them better as they were pushed into touch on their own 22m.

A&C were now a little buoyed from their time spent in Olney’s redzone and even with an overthrow, the prop anchoring the lineout carried well with Bickers doing his utmost to stop him. A&C now made the mistake of going back blind where Olney lay in wait to smash them back 5m, again Olney smashed holes into the A&C carriers, who buy now were starting to get a little niggly probably not used to be hammered time and time again. Inexplicably the ref called Olney offside to offer A&C some relief, however they skewed the kick to Grainger at fullback, who set up a good platform that was then carried forward hard by Monty Lee, this time Olney were up to their own 22m and looked like they meaned business, Stenson cleared the pressure and French applied even more, the pressure became too much and A&C knocked on, Olney seizing the ball went firing into the A&C half with a good kick chase and then lineout to Olney on the oppo 22m.

The game flared up a little but the ref soon took control, from the lineout Olney went awry but A&C knocked on and gave Olney a way back in far too easily. With the away crowd now causing some noise you could sense Olney needed to take control back. They broke blind and hit Hubbard who again found Kirkham who again was unlucky not to go all the way, the subsequent ruck was clean, and Connor Wright made some extra hard yards, again Olney went quick, but the ref had enough of the offsides from A&C and called a penalty to Olney. Perkins carried hard but once again A&C infringed. A strong carry by Constantine and quick clear out by Oliver Surley and Down created rapid ball and then the try came through lovely transfer by Lee to the oncoming Perkins for his hattrick of scores. Stenson getting the extras again 0 – 21 to Olney.

The kick off was brilliantly picked up by Down who ploughed his way into the opposition half, only for the ball to be played by an A&C player who was miles offside, up stepped Hubbard with his wand of a left boot who put the ball on a sixpence from an acute angle to give Olney the lineout short of the A&C 22m line. The Olney lineout clicked wonderfully, and Bickers was allowed to hit the engine room of Constantine and Down in the middle who ram rodded their way deep into the A&C melting defensive line. This time Olney went blind, and Bickers found the more surgical like weapon of Wright who dummied and then sped deep into the danger zone. At the same time a small gathering of players who looked like they had embarked on a heated debate had developed, the ref quick to seize back control after Grainger threw around the 17 stone prop like a toddler.

The ref now looking for a little calm spoke to both captains and allowed the game to restart from a Olney scrum, the ball headed wide quickly, and Olney somehow came up short of the line and allowed a turnover to some quick thinking by the A&C openside. In Olney’s desperation they threw themselves into the ruck and gave away an easy penalty to A&C who dutifully attempted to clear their lines, however they found Grainger who speedily found French (or D-Man as the away crowd shouted), he found Hubbard who then found the hardworking Down, he threw a flat pass that Tyler Finch just couldn’t reach, knock on and penalty to A&C after side entry - a let off for them really.

The kick falling short of the half way line gave A&C possession but didn’t relieve much pressure and the throw went widely over the second rows hands, followed astutely by MacManus he quickly hit up Down who again found the flying Hubbard, he then hit Adebayo, who stepped inside and carried hard and setup another Olney attacking opportunity, a big carry from Constantine who by now was on double figures, super clear out by Down, released the Olney backs, Stenson once more setting them out of the blocks – Again A&C called offside and Wright took the early tap to go hard at the tryline. A&C offside again - another penalty, Stenson kicking for touch and another 5m attacking lineout.

Olney do something clever here and hit a short ball from MacManus to Perkins who flies through to get his fourth of the day. 0 – 26 to Olney.

The game restarts with some super hard carries from Monty Lee up the middle of the park that are now starting to take their toll on the A&C players, another carry from Finch take Olney up to halfway, however the ref has spotted something and calls a penalty to A&C, from the subsequent lineout Olney get the ball again through Constantine who once more powers through the meters and A&C players at ease, to make some good distance. Stenson decides to take some territory and puts Olney deep into the oppo half, a super chase down by Hubbard, Grainger and Adebayo forces the knock on after a rip and Olney are on the attack hard again through the carrying ability of Down. A lovely nudge through by Stenson sets off the Olney hares but the ball goes achingly dead and out of reach of the Olney back three.

Half Time (A&C 0 – 26 Olney)

Second Half:

Olney still obviously fired up from a feisty but dominate first half started the second half in the same vein. Freddie Wells now on the wing clearing up some odd slap backed ball, done well to set a ruck in his own half, this time Bickers found Jack Sivills who showed his skills to find the hard carrying Alfie Mutuma. Stenson now again sighted some territory behind the retuning kick was again marshalled solidly by Stenson who once more saw some space and played in a lovely nudge to put A&C on their own 22m line. The lineout was good, but they were running out ideas and once again veered into the on-rushing Olney pack. The result was inventible turn over to Olney and C Down. Down now hungry for more, taps and goes for the line taking 3 A&C players to stop him, quick ball from Bickers hit Stenson who fires it to Darragh Fitzpatrick try to Olney. (A&C 0 – 31 Olney).

The KO from the A&C flyhalf is beautifully taken by the oncoming Louie Brock who weaves his way up field for another 5m. A lovely tip from Sivills sees the ball go through five pairs of Olney hands to take them into the A&C half. Now Stenson seeing an opportunity to go wider kicks high but to be fair the A&C winger fields it well and actually moves through the Olney defence really well. The A&C hardmen take over and carry into the Charlie’s bad move... They slot the one up carrier easily and A&C are going backwards once again. The ref clearly feeling a little sort for them gives an advantage and brings them back for a penalty on the halfway line. The kick drives them 5m into the Olney half. The lineout is becoming a problem for A&C maybe it’s the tiredness now and it’s a scrum to Olney for not straight. The penalty from the scrum is awarded to Olney who now a little bit loose get way ahead of the kicker Stenson and give another easy out to A&C for being an absolute mile offside. To compound this a woeful tackle attempt around the shoulder gives A&C even more reason to plough into the 22m through penalty kick and lineout to A&C on the 5m. The defensive lineout is well handled by Olney and the pressure they put on forces a knock on and scrum to Olney. A&C now just can’t help themselves and give Olney the easy out this time to which Hubbard steps up and pumps the kick up to just beyond the 22m line.

The line out, in wet conditions, is excellent and Down hits his opposite number with some power, the ball then finds Hubbard’s boot who sends the ball flying down the pitch. Hubbard who, although is hit hard and fairly, takes a late shot and a bit of umbrage, which causes the ref to stop the game again due to a few handbags.

The ref sensibly restarted the game was with a scrum which was quickly raised to a full penalty to Olney who kicked well to the corner for a 5m line-out. A strong lineout ensued from Olney who hit Jacob Reed at full tilt, who then transferred to Charlie Down who carried hard again at the line after a few nibbles he went again and scored again. (0-38 to Olney).

Olney a little sloppy from the kick off knocked on but A&C rushed the subsequent attack and Olney were quick to capitalise on this mistake, Hubbard now taking a bit of control and seeming to enjoy himself, a great little bit of work down the blindside giving Olney some quality field position, a lovely quick bit of hands from Wright finding the now pumped Hubbard again, a solid clear-out by Sivills and carry by Down and now they looked ready to rock however A&C were miles offside, penalty to Olney and an easy one for Hubbard to bang the ball into the oppos 22m.
A brilliant line cut by French now pushed Olney deep into the A&Cs half but suspiciously A&C ended up with the ball, they cleared well and pushed Olney back up to the halfway line. A super lineout from Mutuma and Connor Wright gave Olney solid ball, with Down busting through tacklers again. A great carry by Mutuma and the ball swept up by Wells, got Olney back over the 22m, then a deliberate knock on by A&C was lucky to only be sanctioned with a scrum.

The following scrum Olney went blind to Hubbard, he carried hard but was hit hard also, from the next breakdown Olney looked to go hard at the line, Wright finding Stenson, who once more did what he does and powered for the line, scything through to score his second quality try of the day. He got up and added the extra (0-45 to Olney).

A double knock on from the re-start gave the scrum to Olney, after a few reset scrums both teams got it right. But Olney made a bit of hash of their exit and kicked the ball out on the full giving the lineout to A&C on the Olney 22m. A good lineout executed by A&C was ruined by their backs going to lateral and throwing a Hail Mary to the right winger. They had done well to pick it up but were chased down well by Wells on the left. Then what happened was can only be described at a mess. The ref rightly called it back for a scrum to Olney.

From the scrum Olney attacked and messed it up, bodies and minds were now starting to get a little tired. A&C kicked well for the corner and set for the lineout, but they knocked it on allowing Olney to clear from the scrum down the field. Now A&C countered attacked well and built a little bit of pressure on Olney forcing a penalty. A&C tapped it quick as they could see Olney tiring. A series of penalties ensued for A&C, the pressure cooker whistled, and A&C got their try and extras. (7-47 to Olney).
A good re-start from Stenson put the pressure straight back on to A&C a
nd gave Olney the scrum 7m out from the A&C tryline. From the scrum Stenson hit Fitzgerald, who had spotted the oncoming line from Kirkham, the line was perfect, and he scored a beautiful try straight under the sticks, Stenson getting the extras as the ref blew for time. Final score Amersham & Chiltern RFC Colts 7 – 52 Olney RFC Colts.

Post-Match Reactions:
Vice-Captain Ronan Perkins added:
“Super happy with the lads today, defence was the foundation we built on and when we got in the red zone, we were patient and built the pressure on a strong Amersham & Chiltern side – looking forward to the next round vs Harpenden”

Man of the Match:
Alex Bickers: A Debut for the Olney RFC Colts was topped with a super performance at 9, played in some wet and slippery conditions at times. Bickers stepped into 9 looking like he’d played with the lads for years. Well done, Bickers!

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