SATURDAY 22nd MARCH 2025 • K.O. 3:00pm
Eastbourne v Old Haileyburian RFC
Kick Off: 3:00pm
Midhurst v Eastbourne II
Kick Off: 3:00pm
Eastbourne III v Hastings II
Kick Off: 3:00pm
Eastbourne Women v Bognor/Heathfield & Waldron Women
Sunday 23rd March 2025 • Kick Off: 1.30pm
Saturday 22 MARCH 2025 - KICK
Saturday 1st March 2025 •
Eastbourne entered March in high spirits after losing only one game in their last 11.
On Saturday 1st March, they welcomed Cobham to The Fortress looking to avenge their heaviest defeat of the season in the reverse fixture.
Cobham have been competing for promotion all season and scored 60 points against Eastbourne in the previous encounter. Eastbourne knew they were going to have a physical game on their hands but were looking forward to putting on a display for the large home crowd.Well done to all involved.
Eastbourne enjoyed long period of possession and worked their way up the pitch. Cobham showed why they sit at the business end of the table and capitalised on two mistakes to run length of the pitch tries putting them ahead by 12 points after 30 minutes.
Eastbourne were quick to respond through captain Jake Howe, who once again rallied his troops and crossed for a try for Eastbourne. Eastbourne pushed for a quick second try but it wasn’t to be as Cobham secured a turnover and scored a try of their own bringing the half-time score to 7-17.
The hosts came out after half-time with the bit between their teeth.
They tidied up their previous errors and started to string together a large number of phases. Set piece dominance from the forwards gave the backs a platform to attack from with Jeremy Montes running in his first try of the afternoon.
Continued pressure saw Mason Dowle cross the white line followed by another try for Big Jerry. Eastbourne held out in the second half and the boys in blue and gold walked away as 24-17 winners.
MoM was awarded to Jeremy Montes for his inspired second half performance.
Saturday 8th March 2025 Match report by Matt Pysden
A week after the win against Cobham, Eastbourne hit the road for their furthest awayday of the season, against London Cornish, who were sitting one league position behind them but are a formidable home team.
Eastbourne were proud to give Cameron Burleigh and Finn Warner their first starts for the first XV this season and welcomed Alun ‘Crunchy’ Cranch back into the front row.
The sun was shining and the track was firm after recent good weather, making for a fast flowing game. Unfortunately for Eastbourne, Cornish made the much faster start racing into a 17-0 lead after only 12 minutes.
After knocking their heads together, Eastbourne responded through a try from Aaron Hossack and a penalty from Howe. Cornish continued to dominate the scoreboard and ran in a further two tries before Oliver Horley got one back for the away team, bringing the half time score to 38-17.
For the second week in a row, Eastbourne rallied at half-time and knew they had a mountain to climb in the second half.
Eastbourne started the second half stronger and a quick try from Stuart Baker got the scoreboard moving in the right direction. Once again Eastbourne relied on the dominance of the front row and this put the Eastbourne boys on the front foot.
Tries from Burleigh and Horley brought the game back to within touching distance but Cornish had other ideas. Two quick fire tries from the home team extended their lead to 16 points and Eastbourne only had five minutes to find a response.
A superb floated pass over the blitzing Cornish defence saw Maxence Saint-Andre score in the corner and Big Jerry couldn’t be left out, scoring in the final play. The final score saw Eastbourne walk away with two bonus points, losing 52-46.
Men of the match were Crunchy and Paul Smith.
Report by U16s Head Coach Lee Perks • Photos by Chris Warner
On a bright and calm Sunday, Eastbourne U16s hosted Haywards Heath in a pivotal league clash, with both teams knowing the significance of the result. With Eastbourne sitting at the top of the table, a win and a bonus point were essential to win the league and to secure their place in the upcoming trophy final. Standing in their way was a strong and unbeaten Haywards Heath side, setting the stage for a thrilling contest.
The visitors wasted no time making their mark, breaking through Eastbourne’s defence early with a penetrating run to open the scoring. However, the missed conversion kept the gap to just five points. From there, Eastbourne had to dig deep, as Haywards Heath mounted relentless waves of attack. But the home side stood firm, absorbing the pressure before finding their rhythm. With precise pod work and determined forward play, Eastbourne hit back with a well-earned try from Ethan S (1), converted by Ethan P (10).
Momentum began to shift, and Eastbourne capitalized, adding another converted score, Oscar M (11) catching an awkward pass but making the try for Ethan P (10) to convert to take a 14-5 lead at halftime.
The second half proved just as intense, with both sides battling for dominance. Haywards Heath responded well, executing their game plan with precision, stretching the Eastbourne defence and scoring two well-worked converted tries to reclaim the lead.
But Eastbourne refused to be outdone. A moment of determination saw Ethan P (10) cut through the defence with a powerful central run, dotting down for a crucial try, successfully converted by Harrison B. (16) The game remained on a knife-edge until Alonso R (12) showcased sheer determination to crash over the line for an unconverted try, sealing the victory for Eastbourne.
Final Score: Eastbourne 26 - Haywards Heath 19
With the win and all-important bonus point, Eastbourne remain top of the league and now march on to the trophy final on Sunday 27th April at Horsham RFC (Time TBC).
Both teams displayed true rugby values, making for a fiercely competitive yet respectful contest. Eastbourne’s grit, defensive resilience, and clinical finishing proved decisive on the day, as they continue their journey towards silverware.
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Eastbourne 3s travelled to Lewes 2s on Saturday 1st March for a really enjoyable match that epitomised the true spirit of rugby. Eastbourne lent 5 players to make it 13-a-side and ensure a fun match could take place. Photos by Chris Warner
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