The first of two games in last weekend’s home double header saw the London Scottish Lions B’s face Twickenham 2nd XV in a match that showcased the squad’s strength & depth.
This game marked the return of several players from long-term injury, including Fergus Chapman, Bruce Moffat and D’Arcy Mulrooney, much to the delight of the Club and its supporters. The Lions B’s, sitting 2nd in the league, were up against bottom-placed Twickenham, who were determined to spring an upset and claim their first victory of the season.
However, any hopes of an upset were quickly dashed as the Lions B’s hit the ground running. Just four minutes in, Fergus Chapman marked his return in style, scoring the opening try. Six minutes later, George Fisher crossed the line, putting the Lions B’s firmly in control. From that point on, the home side didn’t ease up, delivering a dominant display.
Johnny Newman, a Lions Club legend, was unstoppable, notching a hat-trick of tries, including a score just one minute into the second half. The forwards showed their power shortly after, driving a penalty lineout to within a metre of the tryline before Charlie Hay muscled over to add his name to the scoresheet.
In the 49th minute, Chapman again dazzled the crowd with his pace and vision. After fielding a kick, he stepped one defender and breezed past another before setting up Cameron McMillan for a perfectly executed try. Mulrooney capped off his return with a try of his own, contributing to a total of 10 tries for the Lions B’s. George Fisher added five conversions, while Twickenham managed a solitary try, leaving the final score at a resounding 60-5.
The win, combined with London Japanese’s defeat by Ealing 1871 2nd XV, sees the Lions B’s reclaim the top spot in the league.
Next week’s game against second placed Finchley 2nd XV is now a top of the table clash for supremacy, and promises an enthralling battle with the winner getting a little breathing space at the top of the table.
With confidence high and momentum on their side, the Lions B’s are ready for the challenges ahead.
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Next up for the Club, the Lions (1st) take on Teddington (10th) in a rescheduled game, and the Lions B’s (1st) are in a top of the table clash against Finchley 2nd XV (2nd).
Saturday 25 January:
Lions vs Teddington (A)
Lions B’s vs Finchley 2nd XV (H)
