Match Report 7th March 2026

CS Stags 1863 20 – London Scottish Lions 27

Stags pick up a single losing point bonus against London Scottish Lions, in yet another close, hard fought match.

Read below, or open up attached PDF

Many thanks to Shell Patrick for providing her link to the photos she takes, and shares. Enjoy Shell’s additional photos here, plus on Pitchero club website, click on Media/Albums tabs to view photo album of the game.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9iCUxpEpPdf8ZAYn7

Stags welcomed the London Scottish Lions to our ‘home’ match against them on Saturday. A decent crowd watched on beside the AGP at Kings House, and more than 40 Stags and Lions faithful sat down together for a pre-match lunch, and Lions reciprocated presentation of their club shield with Honorary Secretary Nick Alway.

A really hard fought match ensued, with two strong teams battling it out to prove their deserved lofty league positions. The first try came around the sixteen minute mark when Lions went over for the first try through their winger Logan Trotter. 0-5. Stags hit back just five minutes later with centre Harry Parkes going over after a well worked move. David Wilkinson converted, 7-5 the score to Stags midway through the first half. Another fifteen minutes of dour midfield battles followed, before Stags were awarded a penalty on 37 minutes, that Wilkinson duly dispatched to take a 10-5 lead. However, Lions responded immediately with two quick tries before the half ended, through flanker Joseph Emson and number eight Mark Bright, on the 38 and 41 minute marks. Lions scrum-half Nicholas Hill converted the second try, and they took a 10-17 lead into the break.

Lions opened up a wider gap soon into the second half following a breakout and counter attack, their scrum half Hill scoring the try and converting himself on 44 minutes. 10-24 the score. Stags pushed hard to hit back, but it was another 11 minutes later before centre Harry Parkes picked up his second try, with a good run in support of a Stags attack on 55 minutes. 15-24 the score. Lions could sense that a Stags big push and onslaught was coming for the rest of the second half, and took the opportunity of a penalty straight after that from their kicker Hill, to extend the gap to 15-27.

It was on the 70 minute mark that Stags pressure finally paid dividends, and fly half Wilkinson found a gap through the Lions defence after several rucks camped on the Lions line. The conversion just went wide, but the score was now clawed back to 20-27. Despite great effort and determination from Stags, the boys just fell short in the attacks to get that fourth catch up try needed, and the Lions defence held out. 20-27 the final match score.

Credit to both teams for a good, hard game. Lions showed why they are second in the table, and have a defence to match the one the Stags have had for several seasons now. Great effort and commitment from the team – onwards and upwards to the last three games of the season, and to finish on a strong note near the top of the league.

Tries: 15 points (x3) – Harry Parkes (x2), David Wilkinson
Conversions: 2 points (x1) - David Wilkinson.
Penalty: 3 points (x1) – David Wilkinson.

There was no Staghounds (2nd XV) game on Saturday, as Barnes II’s could not make their home fixture in the Gaucho ROC London Shield.

A break week for CS Stags 1863 next weekend, with it being “Super Saturday” in the Six Nations, and the next fixture being against Worthing RFC away on 21st March.

CS Staghounds are due to play Ampthill RUFC (II’s) at home next Saturday, 14th March.