Pinner 108 – 0 Quintin.

Pinner RFC travelled down to Chiswick on Saturday the 11th to face Quintin 2nd XV, on a day of fantastic conditions for running rugby and a high scoring game. Pinner had a few regular players missing but were faring better than Quintin who had failed to field a full team, however both captains agreed to play on. The home side kicked off and received a shock with Pinner showing great hands to spread the thin Quintin defence from left to right before breaking through for the first try of the game, from regular scorer Dan Smith.

This set the tone and four further tries in almost as many minutes piled the pressure on the home side. The spaces in their defence being fully exposed by a hungry Pinner side, eager to stamp their mark on the Merit Table and stretch their lead over their rivals. The kicking duties were handed over to stand in fly half Don Williams, who time and again released Pinner runners in space.

The pressure was too much for Quintin to handle, and with only twenty minutes on the clock the game was already far out of their reach. Pinner captain Aaron Nicholas took matters into his own hands and agreed with the opposition captain to even the playing field, literally. He pulled on a Quintin shirt and instructed lock Dave Logan to do the same before taking the field.

This was a true demonstration of sportsmanship and showed not only what Pinner RFC are all about, but what club rugby around the country is made of. One spectator asked this reporter “Why would they do that? Play against their own team for a side that are taking a beating?”… To which I replied, “Its what separates us from the footballers”.

The game was now much more challenging for Pinner and their aim now moved from putting a big score on the board, to keeping the opposition off it. Quintin played with renewed energy and had Pinner camped in their own twenty-two on a few occasions, although unable to break their duck. Pinner on the other hand kept the score ticking over and saw a few squad members get their hat-ricks, with winger John ‘Bo’ Petrella bulldozing his way over for his fourth near the end of the game.

The final score resembled that of a cricket match, Pinner keeping Quintin from touching the score board, and getting 108 points of their own. The result was an unfair reflection on a battling Quintin side who did their best to play right up until the final whistle. Pinner on the other hand will take the momentum from that game into the match this weekend against Ealing Exiles at their home in Shaftsbury Playing Fields.