12/10/2026
Chobham made the short trip to leafy local rivals Camberley on Saturday for their third match in the RFU’s Regional 2 South Central league. On a day in which a chill wind heralded colder days to come, Chobham’s much-shuffled line up saw welcome debuts for Jack Seddon and Max Jarret and the fielding of no less than 14 graduates of the club’s prolific youth system. More than half a dozen former minis and youth coaches, amongst a healthy crowd of Chobhamistas, turned out to watch their progeny perform.
Camberley started brightly, with the combative ho**er Lovell-Smith and scrum half Griffin making inroads from a line out to set up a forwards drive over the line for a five-point lead. From there though, the mighty Chobham front row of Gus Hargan, Pete McCain and the immaculately well-coached Jonny Boylett (stepping up to loose head from the second row), squeezed the Camberley pack horribly. A series scrums and penalties sapped Camberley’s resolve until the ever-alert arch poacher Guy Mawhood seized his opportunity from a quick tap penalty five metres out from the line. Chobham duly moved into a 7-5 lead.
The pattern was set. Under intense pressure, Camberley conceded a series of penalties which tied them into their own half. On 23 minutes, Chobham worked possession from a tap penalty quickly right across the three-quarters to find the flame haired former Under 6 starlet, full-back Danny Watson, who squeezed in at the corner. Watson, who looks increasingly confident and assured at this level, was to have a big impact on the game. Nine minutes later, another powerful five-metre scrum took Chobham into a 16-point lead, followed on 38 minutes by a third which resulted in a second try for scrum half Mawhood. Camberley’s frustration started to show and a yellow card for Ison was an unfortunate portent of things to come.
A 28-5 lead as the half time break approached, with bonus point in pocket, represented a comfortable position for Chobham. However, Camberley were not cowed and an unusual cross-field kick pass by the bulky fly half Reid resulted in a try for winger Matthews. Camberley were imbued with hope going into the second half.
Hope led to fruition, as Camberley started the second half thunderously and Chobham seemed to switch off. A try by the Camberley No.8, Lovell-Smith, took the score to 28-17, soon to be followed by another for his brother to take the game to a distinctly uncomfortable 28-24. In between, Watson pulled off a cracking tackle to save an almost certain try. Chobham were under pressure and struggling to find a way back into the game when centre, Tommy ‘the Scythe’ Reed, was taken high by the previously excellent Lovell-Smith (the hooking version), who was promptly relieved of duties for 10 minutes. Chobham found breathing space, re-asserting their dominance at a scrum on 53 minutes, the comfortably quick ball gave left-winger Olly Mantel just enough space to squeeze in at the corner.
The 11-point lead soon became 18 points when a powerful drive by Reed eventually resulted in yet another scrum close to the Camberley line. Chobham swung the resultant possession quickly right where the impeccably well-coached Liam Androne was on hand to power over the line. Camberley, though, were still a threat and were in no mood to concede defeat. First Watson was again forced to make another tremendous last ditch tackle and then the Camberley second row, Tucina, found time and space to create a wonderful try straight from the South Pacific.
The game was tight at 42-31 entering the last ten minutes. Unfortunately, what might have been a tremendous dénouement dissolved into something of a fractious mess as an avalanche of ill-discipline from both sides led to a profusion of yellow cards (and a red for Ison’s second offence). With 20% of match participants absent, it was Camberley that had the last word when the winger Johnson sneaked in at the corner to take the final score to 42-36. Chobham were left to be thankful for the boot of Sam Davies who, after a horrible early shank in front of the posts, popped conversions over from many unlikely angles and distances. Given the circumstances, Chobham will be pleased with another bonus point away win, but will also know that they nearly squandered a seemingly impregnable position.
NEXT HOME GAME : 31st OCTOBER vs OLD TIFFINIANS
Words : Tim Connolly
Pics : John O'Brien
