Ellingham & Ringwood 1st XV started their first season in the highest league they have ever played in London & South East Regional 2 South against the team that got promoted with them last season away at Havant 2nd team. The team had a new look to it with some debutants such as Oscar and Isaac Churchill as well as Harry Shivas, Lewis Reeves and Callum Newitt. Tom "The Mud Pig" Sampson watched from the sidelines having helped his beloved Ellingham achieve promotion he had to make that hard decision to retire, but it does have its upside such as enjoying a pre-match meal with Havant and other Ellingham dignitaries. Before the game Tom gave an emotional speech to the squad outlining what this club has meant to him over the years from when he was a young mud piglet before growing into a full grown boar and he handed out the shirts to the players and he described Ellingham & Ringwood as being the best club in the South of England and I would echo that statement.

The game kicked off at 3.00 p.m., the pitch bathed in sunlight and both teams very committed from the start, it took seven minutes to break the deadlock when the away team in defence conceded a penalty which was duly slotted through the up-rights to give Havant an early lead. The home team were making their visitors work hard moving the ball across the pitch quickly allowing their fast back line to exploit gaps in Ellingham's defence and they went over in the 15th minute for a converted try. Prior to that Ellingham had their influential winger Chris 'Pablo' Frost retire to the side lines after injuring his right shoulder in a tackle, he was replaced by Harry Shivas. Within two minutes the home team added another try when their inside centre Dillon Worsley scored in the corner to extend their lead, although the conversion was not successful.

Ellingham fought back and after some fine work from their forwards driving the ball up the middle of the park from a succession of mauls a penalty was awarded and Lewis Reeves playing at inside centre gave the away team their first points of the season with his successful penalty kick in the 19th minute.

Ellingham started to play a more cohesive game with their forwards and backs linking up well and after some sustained pressure Stu Pearce playing at number 8 cut a fine line his captain and the teams scrum half Sammy Veneroso delayed his pass from the bottom of the ruck having given Stu the nod and he duly delivered powering over to score the away teams first try of the game and Lewis Reeves added the two points to reduce the deficit. Unfortunately as the game was reaching half time the visitors could not stop Havant from adding a third try which was converted making the half time score Havant 22 - Ellingham & Ringwood 10.

Ellingham's new head coach Keiran Spencer pointed out the positives to the team from the first 40 minutes such as how well the scrums and lineouts were working. Ellingham came out of the blocks the quickest at the start of the second half and following some sustained pressure from the forwards prop David Budd crashed over to give the visitors their second try of the game, sadly this was last time the visitors were going to trouble the scoreboard despite their efforts. Especially towards the end of the game when replacement Tyler Grant playing on the flank having replaced Stu Pearce thought he had got a third try, but the referee did not agree.

Havant showed why they got promoted last season with an unbeaten record, as they were able to defend their lines despite the efforts of the away team and managed to score two more tries one being a very good break away try which left their prop who ran half the length of the pitch exhausted, Ellingham did not make it easy for themselves with replacement hooker Ted Johnson getting a yellow card for a second late tackle. Despite this Ellingham and Ringwood should be very proud of their efforts especially Stu Pearce (pictured) who was given man of the match award by the home team and the two Churchill brothers who stepped up to the challenges of playing regional 2 rugby.