Pre-season Friendly
Longlevens ran out 52–14 winners against Smiths in their second pre-season outing, but the scoreline only told half the story of a game played in two very different halves.
The Griffins fielded two entirely separate sides across the match, with the first-half XV enjoying plenty of territory and possession but struggling to turn pressure into points. It was Smiths who struck first, crossing from close range to edge ahead. Longlevens hit back when Mike Yorke finished well to level the scores at 7–7, only for Smiths to respond just before the break with another converted effort to lead 7–14 at half-time.
The second half saw wholesale changes, and with fresh legs came a dominant performance from the home side. Playing with pace, accuracy, and a clear focus on the structures put in place during training, Longlevens seized control. The Griffins ran in seven unanswered tries: Dave Edwards, Sam Reynolds, and Piers Fortey all got on the scoresheet, while Isaac Meredith impressed with a brace. Tom Barton and Ty Grant also added their names to the tally. From the tee, Brad Wilkins and Zac Oliver kept the scoreboard ticking with some well-struck conversions.
It was a powerful display that underlined the squad’s depth and highlighted plenty of positives, while still leaving areas to sharpen up before the competitive season begins. With one more pre-season test against Stow-on-the-Wold to come, Longlevens will be looking to keep building momentum.
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