Good squad work out for Horsham

The game was played as three thirds to enable both sides to give their full squads a run out. The opposition have been relegated this season into London South West 3, which is a parallel league to Horsham’s, and clearly hope to bounce straight back.

Johnny Ordidge opened the scoring for Horsham against the run of play following a break by Jake Lowe. Kyle Fairs and James Layzell both scored after breaks by scrum-half Ben Rush, and then a pass from Rush put Matt Stone over the line.
Teddington had a player yellow carded for the last ten minutes and the try scoring was rounded off by Lowe and Aled Price with Will Bell succeeding with every conversion including several difficult kicks from the touch line.

Coach Nick Stocker said: “This was just the fixture we needed. It was a tough game against a side that have just been relegated and so were a similar standard of opposition to Lewes and Heathfield & Waldron whom we will be facing this year. We needed to front up especially in the first two thirds of the match and our front row were put under more pressure than they have been for some time. It was a good pre-season game. They posed questions and it was important to see how we adapted.

I was particularly pleased because we were missing our three big biggest ball carriers. Dan Cass had another good game, Jonny Goward and Joe Green had solid games in the second row and Johnny Ordidge was able to demonstrate his all round game at both inside centre and Number 8.

Will Bell looked assured with his place and tactical kicking and gave us good field positions. He is such an intelligent rugby player and was cutting players down in the tackle who are much bigger than him.

Aled Price looked sharp and we will miss him when he goes to university. Jake Lowe was lively and we hope he will come back from university to play a few games, and Kyle Fairs was powerful in the scrum but unfortunately had to come off with a calf injury.

Ben Rush had one of his best games for us. He has added physicality and worked hard on his passing.

A takeaway is the number of players capable at this level and I was impressed by James Layzell and Pete Summers.”

Horsham’s next pre-season friendly is away to High Wycombe before the league action starts on September 13.