The SCRFC men’s 1st XV have had an extremely difficult first half of the season – losing  all their league fixtures so far, writes Millie Ross.

It’s in the second half that they are at their strongest but even four tries at the  weekend against Purley John Fisher RFC  wasn’t enough to see off defeat.

A few key players are now beginning to return from injury – including Captain Adam Barnes and the team are hoping for a stronger start to 2019 to turn around their season and avoid relegation. They have a reasonable break for the Christmas period, returning in the New Year with an away fixture against Economicals on January 12. The 2nd XV have fared better, winning a good proportion of their games so far this season. 

Meanwhile, the ladies 1st XV are doing well, having played eight league games so far this season and lost only two. This included a recent narrow and hard fought 7-5 win over Hackney Ladies, having lost to them by a large margin in the earlier fixture at their ground at the start of the season. Going into half time 5-0 down, vice captain Mel Laidlaw-Anderson managed to power over in the corner early in the second half, and an incredible conversion by Jenny Frost secured the victory. Despite having won the second highest number of games in the league, they currently sit fourth due to Hackney and Battersea Ironsides having picked up enough bonus points to ensure that they lead on points difference. 

Having established that they can beat nearly all the teams in the league, 2019 will see the ladies endeavour to increase their points tally to earn their rightful place further up the table. 

They face Battersea Ironsides in the 3rd round of the Intermediate Cup on Sunday December 16 and then return for the New Year in an away league game against Barnes on January 6.