Brighton vs Eastbourne Rugby Controversy

BRIGHTON RUGBY CONTROVERSY

A few weeks previously, as you may be aware, Eastbourne College’s 1XV played Brighton College’s 1XV in a thriller of a rugby match.

This comes after losing to Brighton ’ s 2XV the previous year and so to get a game against their 1XV was satisfying enough. However, the boys were more motivated than ever to disprove the general feeling of Brighton ’ s chances of winning, which you can assume were initially very high. However, it should be said our 1XV’ s confidence was running high especially after their 75-12 win against Sevenoaks school and their 57-22-win vs Lords Wandsworth College, who like making the trip down to college field whatever the season, whatever the sport, for a thrashing. These previous performances, coupled with the team's drive to succeed, would’ ve manufactured a clear headspace, clear enough for them to go on and win the game with a Jack Greig penalty in front of the posts in the dying seconds of the game to send Eastbourne 20-19 up. Unfortunately though, the fairy-tale ending was not to be.

Brighton College, who played a close to if not full strength 1XV side, proceeded to claim it was the 2XV who were the team to lose to our boys. So yes, Brighton College tried to claim they had 3 U18 Harlequins players in their 2XV: I wonder how strong their 1XV must be! Upon speaking to our 1XV skipper, Wilf Batham-Read, he produced these words: “I think it just shows how far Eastbourne rugby has come that a few years ago we would have been nowhere near even competing against Brighton and now that we not only can compete but beat them has shocked them so much to be embarrassed and have to deflect in whatever way they can by saying it was their twos. But it doesn ’t reflect badly on us that they ’ ve said it’ s their seconds; everyone knows it was the strongest side they could have put out. If I were to take anything from this, it would be to not allow the controversy regarding Brighton ’ s attempt to hide their embarrassment to diminish the boys ’ efforts! Congrats on a historic win, chaps!

Aditya Kumar