Sat 3 Oct 2026
Ellingham & Ringwood II 26-63 Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight are on maximum points after two rounds of action, following this high-scoring match at Ellingham & Ringwood (ER). After a rocky start, IW assumed control and ran in some fine tries in the process.
IW started well, playing at a fast pace and engineering an early try for full-back George Huish. However, a series of errors gave ER traction and enabled their rapid right-winger to slice through for two tries and a 12-7 lead. IW could have been rattled at this point, but a slight simplification of the game plan worked perfectly and gave them the platform to dominate.
Flanker Tom Turtle finished off a flowing move to regain the lead for his team, who dominated until half-time. Tries for Huish and captain Luke Blackman gave IW the bonus point and a 28-12 lead at the break, though it could have been more, as they were held up or knocked on at close range on several occasions.
IW began the second half well, as debutant George Collett threw a beautiful long pass over the cover for Huish to complete his hat-trick. The speedster soon added a fourth to put the game beyond reach. It was not all one way though, and ER battled back to apply pressure on the IW line. In an echo of the last time these teams met, IW incurred the wrath of the referee and two yellow cards in quick succession, for Turtle and Jacob Wynyard-Wright. This led to a penalty try for the home side who now trailed 42-19.
Biffa IW man of the match Huish was not finished yet, breaking through after a concerted forward effort for his team’s seventh try. Again ER came back, and in spite of a brilliant cover effort from Fin Vickers which earned him a yellow card, they racked up another try and a bonus point of their own.
Despite the defensive lapses, IW were now really purring, as their offloading game was on point. There was time for two further tries, Dragonfly man of the match Turtle notching his second before centre Harri Jones-Evans touched down for IW’s ninth try. The irrepressible Huish, not content with his five tries, also converted all nine tries for a remarkable personal haul of 43 points. His performance was exceptional, but this was a team effort where IW clicked in attack on several occasions.
IW are alongside Alton and Fawley at the top of the table at this early stage, and now look forward to two home games, starting by hosting Winchester III on Saturday at 3 pm.
IW: Huish, Marsh, Jones-Evans, Sanderson, Wynyard-Wright, Ward, Vickers, Newnham, McQueen, Thorne, J Bishop, Collett, Hart, Turtle, L Blackman, Amer, Young, Evans.
