This was certainly not the start to the home campaign that had been hoped for. After the encouraging performance against East Grinstead the previous week this comprehensive defeat by one of the league’s newcomers was not one that one might that easily have seen coming despite the stuttering form shown by the Stags pre-season. There were missed tackles, handling errors and missed opportunities, missed line-outs, messed-up scrums and the only constant seemed to be the relentless blast of the referee’s whistle as yet another CS indiscretion was punished. Chichester’s second string kicker was in imperious form.

Two early penalties for the visitors – after a home effort had gone just fractionally wide - were followed by a converted Chichester try with the Stags’ first up tackling very unimpressive. The Stags were at least showing some fight, however, and a good break by returning fly-half, Scott Hadden was supported by Paddy O’ Halloran to bring matters back to 13-7. But every time during this period that CS closed slightly on their opponents they immediately conceded a score: the first time a try to an impressive driving maul, quite a feature of Chichester’s game. Then two penalties apiece were exchanged with the Stags seemingly infringing more or less straight from the visitors’ excellent re-starts. In contrast the Stags kicked one of their own into touch and another (admittedly later on) not ten and that 13 point gap was still there at half-time: 13-26.

Any hopes of a second half change of fortune soon evaporated when - after a CS penalty kicked deep into the visitors’ 22 - the line-out was lost and quick interlinking on the short side saw the visitors’ speedy winger scooting away to open what was now a three score gap. Instead of the promising field position and hoped for CS score they had conceded one. Although heads never went down totally this was now a hopeless case of trying to play catch-up against a team that could smell blood and Chichester were never going to let-up. Sure enough, they were able to register two more scores and CS’s late effort by Sam Emery, despite his commendable effort in keeping on his feet so long, was in the circumstances no consolation at all.

The Stags’ League of Nations (comprising players from – or at the very least with qualifications for - England, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Israel and Norway – Barbados was unrepresented on the day – and their South African and Samoan coaches) have much to ponder.

CS scorers:

Tries:

O’Halloran
Emery

Con: Hadden

Pens: Hadden (2)