Sat 13 Dec 2025
Dave Pittams, the senior men's squad manager, reports:
Traveling away to Topsham with six of the players in team team aged 20 or under was going to be a 'big ask' and the list of those who are unavailable due to other commitments or injury keeps growing...
Topsham scored after only three minutes, helped enormously by a completely inadequate Marlborough midfield defence. Try converted.
Marlborough struck back with a well-struck penalty from fly-half, George Shakespeare, and the travelling supporters breathed a sigh of relief... only to see Topsham score a second try just ten minutes later when Marlborough were unable to defend a tap penalty on the 5-metre line; also converted.
Three minutes later, Marlborough struck back - an interception on the halfway line by winger, Akariva Seruvatu, saw the Topsham defence facing entirely the wrong way. Aka sprinted the length of the field to score a well-deserved try, which was expertly converted by Shakespeare.
On 35 minutes Topsham again exploited a Marlborough defensive mix-up to score; again converted. And this was followed, just before half-time with a penalty try, which also resulted in a yellow card for the Marlborough full-back, Shane Van Wyk, who was judged to have tackled the man off the ball in a last-ditch attempt to stop him going over.
Half-time score: Topsham 28-10 Marlborough
Unfortunately, at half time Marlborough had to substitute the captain, Chris Diamond, and his vice-captain, Seruvatu, due to injuries sustained by both players.
The second half can best be described as 'poor' from Marlborough.
This was a very young and inexperienced team, playing against a settled and well-drilled side. To make matters worse, one of Marlborough's more experienced players got what can diplomatically be described as an 'extremely unlucky' yellow card early on in the second period, with Van Wyk only just returning to the field.
Topsham now capitalised on Marlborough's lack of numbers; a situation exacerbated by the dismissal on a red card of lock, Metuisela Vereivalu. The coaches, staff, and players will look at this incident - what led up to it, and the outcome - in great detail. Where there are lessons to learn, we will learn them.
To summarise a dismal final thirty minutes, Topsham ran in five further tries. Having a man advantage throughout certainly helped, but Topsham were better at idenbtifying where our youth and inexperience showed and exploiuted it to their benefit...
Final score: Topsham 61-10 Marlborough
Elisi, Knoxy, and Dave are honest in their assessment:
"Looking at that score line it is difficult to be optimistic, but there are some 'green shoots' to take encouragement from.
"Young Ed Mills came off the bench at half-time for his first 1st team cap. During the second half, he managed to play: loose-head prop; blind-side flanker; and Number 8! His defence was absolutely on point and it was a first appearance he should be proud of.
"Chas Kindlon (second row) is only 18 years old. His was a 100% effort; he was committed and extremely tough and durable throughout.
"When prop, Lemeki Moala, was in the bin (yellow), Marlborough had a front row consisting of two 19-year-olds and one 20-year-old - the opposition front row comprised three men with more than 300 caps between them in the Topsham 1st XV... Our men stood up well and can be proud of themselves!
"Winger, Max Khawaja, has only just left school. Understandably he is on occasion getting caught out defensively, but he is listening attentively to Elisi and the other coaches and is learning and improving all the time.
"Our scrum-half is 19-year-old Vili Vunipola; he had a tough game, but showed some very impressive moments and is improving consistently.
"And the same is true of fly-half, George Shakespeare, who has a boot of gold and is maturing into the Marlborough senior squad in very fine style.
"We are immensely proud of this team of young men and we know that they will be capable of great things together in due course."
