Match Report: C Lions vs Wasps 2nd XV
Middlesex Merit Division 2 – Round 5
Saturday 18 October 2025
Venue: Wasps RFC
—————————-
Ruthless C Lions storm to big away win over Wasps
The London Scottish C Lions delivered a commanding performance on Saturday, running in an impressive 76–5 victory against Wasps 2nd XV in Round 5 of the Middlesex Merit Division 2.
Despite travelling with only 15 players, and later finishing the game with 14 men, the C Lions showed discipline, structure, and ruthless efficiency to secure their biggest win of the season.
Credit must also go to Wasps, who, despite facing squad shortages of their own, rallied several of their veteran players at short notice to ensure the fixture went ahead. The C Lions were full of respect for their efforts and commitment — a true reflection of the grassroots rugby spirit shared between both clubs.
—————————-
Match Summary
The game began evenly, with Wasps looking to use their physicality to make ground through the middle. The Lions’ defence held firm before striking with precision when the opportunity arose. A sharp team move down the right saw Isoa Koroi cross in the corner to open the scoring.
From there, the Lions found their rhythm and rarely looked back. David Heavey, making a welcome return from injury, made an instant impact — his pace and timing in attack cutting through the Wasps defence twice for quick-fire tries.
The Lions’ half-backs, Alex Reeve and Rio Iwabuchi, both making their league debuts, controlled the tempo superbly. Reeve marshalled the forwards and provided quick, clean service from the breakdown, while Iwabuchi directed play confidently and kept the Wasps defence guessing.
Reeve grabbed a well-deserved try of his own, sniping from the base of a ruck, before Ed Dale – who was immense all day with his physical carrying – powered over for another score. Soon after, Heavey broke through the midfield and was dragged down just short of the line, managing to offload brilliantly to Stuart May, who finished the move to give the Lions a commanding halftime lead.
In the second half, the tries kept flowing despite the Lions going down to 14 men – fresh back from injury, David Heavey was on a reduced appearance (doctor’s orders) and was removed at the start of the second half. Johnny Newman and Flynt Preston (2) both crossed after sustained pressure, with Preston’s power through contact proving too much for the tiring Wasps defence. Graham Thomson added another after a strong run through midfield, while Iwabuchi capped off an excellent debut with a spectacular solo effort – breaking from halfway and racing 50 metres to score in the left corner.
Wasps battled bravely throughout and were rewarded with a late consolation try from a well-worked lineout, but the day was all about the Lions’ attacking quality and relentless work rate.
—————————-
Standout Performances
Every player in the C Lions jersey put in a massive shift, especially given the squad played without substitutes and finished the game one man down.
Men of the Match honours went jointly to Rio Iwabuchi and Alex Reeve, who impressed in the half-back pairing with their control, communication, and confidence on debut.
David Heavey’s return from injury was another huge boost — his pace, angles, and attacking threat caused Wasps problems all day. Ed Dale was immense with ball in hand and led the line with real presence, while Johnny Newman and Ross Arthur were tireless in the loose, consistently breaking the gainline and setting the tone up front.
Graham Thomson produced one of his finest performances in a Lions shirt — powerful in contact, solid in defence, and rewarded with a well-taken try.
—————————-
Tries: I. Koroi (2), D. Heavey (2), A. Reeve, E. Dale, S. May, J. Newman, F. Preston (2), G. Thomson, R. Iwabuchi
Conversions: D. Heavey (7), J. Newman
Men of the Match: Rio Iwabuchi & Alex Reeve
—————————-
Looking Ahead
The C Lions will look to carry their strong form into their next fixture on Saturday 1 November, when they take on Belsize Park 4th XV. It promises to be an exciting matchup, with Belsize Park currently sitting 4th in the table and the C Lions just behind in 6th. With confidence high and momentum building, the Lions will be eager to make another statement and continue their climb up the league table.
—————————-
Saturday 25 October
Next up for the Club:
Lions vs Maidenhead (H)
– Venue: King’s House Sports Ground (W4 2SH)
– KO: TBC
