The London Skolars ‘A’ team began their Southern Premier campaign on Saturday with a win over last year’s Premiers, Hammersmith Hills Hoists. In a sometimes brutal game, the sides toiled in the rain, with both sets of players putting in some massive hits. It was always going to be a case of the side that played the conditions best would come out on top. The Skolars managed to maintain possession in the first half and forced some errors from the Hammersmith side to turn over the ball frequently. The home side quickly turned the territory into points and went in at half time 16-0 up with tries from Will Colleran, Louis Robinson and Austen Aggrey, Michael Cawthorn goaling twice.

The second half saw the surface become boggy and the game turn into a war of attrition. The amount of defending Hammersmith did in the first half caught up with them and the Skolars went further ahead through Danny Burke, Smokie Junor and Lameck Juma, Cawthorn adding a further two goals. Hammersmith got a deserved try for their efforts midway through the second half and, although the final score line of 32-4 might suggest otherwise, more than played their part in a very physical encounter.

London Skolars ‘A’

1. Will Colleran
2. Smokie Junor
3. Dave Arnot
4. Chris McNamara
5. Aaron Small
6. James Fletcher
7. Michael Cawthorn
8. Austen Aggey
9. Danny Burke
10. Louis Robinson
11. Ollie Bloom
12. Jaroslaw Obuchowski
13. Joe Mbu
14. Angelo Thomas
15. Paul Hyder
16. Dion Chapman
17. Dalton Van Loggerenberg
18. Cameron Gall
19. Lameck Juma

Tries: Aggrey, Burke, Colleran, Juma, Junor, Robinson

Goals: Robinson 0/1, Cawthorn 4/5