Our Touch team headed to Enfield Ignations on a warm Monday night for their final Spring league game against league winners, FNB, & friendlies against two of the top Touch teams in Hertfordshire, Royston & Hemel Hempstead.
Firstly a word for our hosts Enfield who only started playing Touch a few months ago & will join the Masters Mixed Touch League for the Summer League. Their blitz event was run extremely well & welcoming, attracting 8 teams & well over 100 players on Monday night. Superb progress in such a short time!

First up was the league game versus league winners FNB who have now started playing at the national level, providing a pathway to many Fuller’s members who want to play at that higher level (it is confusing to play them when so many FNBs wear Fullerians shorts still!). That experience & their pace proved too much with FNB running out 8 to 1 winners. Referee Nick Foster did comment that we scored the best try & who are we to argue…..the referee is always right!

Next up was Hemel Hempstead playing under the monocle of Camelot Jesters! Similar to FNBs, Camelot regularly compete at the National level & included in their ranks an ex-England Touch player. Despite resolute defence Camelot’s pace & structured attack with set moves overwhelmed our brave Fuller’s defence and they ran out 5 to 1 winners. Later on Camelot beat FNB’s 6 to 1.
With Royston, who finished second in the league, up next things weren’t looking good. Captain for the day, Lucy Daviss, rallied the troops before kick off. The match started off cagey with both sides’ attacks being repelled. Two thirds through the first half Fullers drove deep into Royston’s half & then went wide leaving Mac with a one on one which he nailed to score. At half time, Fullers 1 Royston 0.
As the second half started Royston tried to rally and launched some furious attacks. At one point they appeared to be through but they butchered the opportunity. Realising that we needed to extend our lead, Fullers drove hard down the pitch and then launched down the left hand side. With Royston all drifting to the left, Fullers switched right against a rush defence with the ball finally finding Club Treasurer, Jon Bunyard on the wing who stepped inside to score the vital try! Unfortunately, the referee felt that earlier in the move Fuller’s were guilty of a touch & pass & chalked the try off awarding a penalty to Royston. As we said for the FNB game, the referee is always right even when he was wrong! Minutes later Fuller’s were attacking again passing the ball to Mike Smith on the left wing! Mike calmly rounded his defender to score our second try to seal a great victory!

Head coach Steve Simmonds had refereed three matches & desperately needing rehydration led the team to the bar afterwards for some lemonade & sherbet in Enfield’s convivial bar. As is traditional Fullers were amongst the last standing whilst the highly trained athletes from FNB & Camelot were amongst the first to leave.

Reflecting back, the Spring League has been a great success with more teams set to join, & Fullers ending up third in the table. There’s no resting on our laurels either as the summer league which will be bigger & better – starts very soon!