A clinical performance at basement side Teddington Antlers saw London Cornish produce a record 9 try 53-0 win at the Bushy Park HQ of their hosts. The win was the biggest the exiles have ever registered in London 2 South-West, and the biggest away win by any side in the league this season. There were hat-tricks for hooker Tim Homan and former Saltash wing Rich Skinnard, plus a brace for top try scorer Mark Osei-Tutu.

A blustery day was bound to play havoc with lineouts and kicking alike, though a decent surface would ensure good rugby would be rewarded. Cornish would play into the elements and up the hill in the opening period. From the outset it was clear that the hosts did not want to force any set pieces, and with their very first lineout the visitors demonstrated why this was – on 3 minutes a rolling maul was illegally halted, and when scrummie Rob Healey tapped he burst into the home 22, the ball quickly recycled for Homan to smash across the line for his first try, the conversion attempt fading wide. On every occasion Teddington won a penalty or free kick, they ran the ball but they were twice pinged for holding when well placed, back rows Ciaran Acford and Jamie McDonald each with a steal on the floor. Cornish thought they had added to their score on 24 minutes when a Luke Spells chip through was missed over the tryline by the covering wing for Robin Heymann to pounce, but the referee ruled a drop out. The hosts countered and powered to the exiles 22, but a loose pass was snaffled on the floor by Skip Dave Theobald for Dave Soar to clear. Soar, playing the conditions beautifully, rolled a grubber 10 out on 32, and when the hosts coughed up the lineout to Bridges, Cornish set another maul that ended with Osei-Tutu claiming his opener, this too unconverted. Now the visitors began to hit their straps, a fine move seeing Soar link with Spells and Osei-Tutu to thunder into the 22 only for the final pass to be knocked on. With time running out on the half, Acford won another ball on the floor on, Healey spinning a pass to Hakes on halfway, Spells hitting a line through the defence to send Skinnard away to sprint beyond the cover and score wide left, a magnificent conversion by Spells from the touchline bringing the curtain down at the break, the visitors 17-0 to the good.

Dominant in all phases of set play, Cornish were not about to let up playing down the slope and with the wind at their backs. On 45 minutes the outstanding Ben Ievers won a lineout 10 out, but instead of rolling the maul, a set play saw prop Mike Bond round the front and his inside pass was met by the flying Homan to dive over for his second try, the bonus point secure even if the conversion wasn’t. Cornish made a triple change now, Tom Lloyd, Alex Soskin and Phil Francis on for Bond, McDonald and Heymann. With pressure mounting, one of the hosts young backs was binned for diving over the top of a ruck on 56 minutes. Cornish elected for a scrum, and as they drove towards the line, a Ts back row winkled the ball out on the blind side of the referee allowing his side to clear. Back came Cornish, phase after phase driving the hosts back to the shadow of their posts, and when a penalty was conceded, Healey spun the ball out right for quick hands to send Francis over with virtually his first touch of the ball, this score also converted. Now the floodgates began to open, Spells producing a rare burst of speed on 66 and linking with Soskin to punch through to 5 out, and when he recycled it was Homan sniping round the fringes who benefitted to drive over for his hat-trick, unconverted but the score now 34-0. Utterly inspired and having claimed the kick-off, Homan burst straight through the home d and offloaded to Bridges, from where Soar hit Skinnard flying up the left wing to outstrip the defence and score his second, Spells adding the extras. The Cornish wing was not long waiting for his hat-trick score, a loose Ts clearance falling to full back Adam Rae, who cleverly drew the defence in before offloading to Skinnard to sprint around the cover and plant the ball down for an unconverted try, the score out to 46-0. With darkness falling, Cornish worked the blind side with time nearly up, Osei-Tutu twice involved and Francis keeping the play alive before the exiles no 8 powered through a tackle to score the try that took his side over the half-century, Spells capping a fine team display with the extras.

Teddington have been in this position before, and have the talent within their squad to turn their current predicament around. They are missing some of the key components that make them such a threat, and need those players back on the park to help them back to winning ways. They may lack the facilities of most of the league, but the atmosphere in the bar post match is always second to none and we wish them well both on and off the pitch.

Cornish head into the break in a comfortable 4th place in London 2 South-West. The highest points scorers away from home in the league, and with 6 home games to come, the exiles have a chance to register their highest ever finish in the league system – they will need more of the level demonstrated in the last couple of games to top that 4th place!