.png?v=638978825409961080 "4 matches 4 wins Bulls finish pre-season on a high (1)")
Aylesford Bulls 1st XV vs Gosport & Fareham 1st XV
After victories earlier in the day for both the 2nd XV and the Academy, Aylesford Bulls’ Men’s 1st XV took to the field aiming to complete a club-wide treble against old friends in Gosport & Fareham. The visitors, who finished fourth in Counties 1 Hampshire last season, represented a significant challenge on paper — one the Bulls’ coaching team welcomed with confidence.
With a strong crowd gathered for the 3pm kick-off, it was Gosport who struck first. Dominant in the scrum and sharper in the early exchanges, the visitors raced to a deserved 0–10 lead. The Bulls were forced into a defensive shift, making 71 tackles in the opening half and conceding 14 penalties, which disrupted momentum and eventually resulted in a yellow card. Despite this pressure, Aylesford showed resilience to remain within touching distance at the break.
The half-time message was clear: remain composed and stick to the game plan. The response was immediate. Within minutes of the restart, the Bulls had crossed the line twice through their back three. First, Christian Dolley exploited space with trademark pace, before Tom Hughes followed up with a clinical finish. Both players, key attacking threats last season, showed they will once again be central to the Bulls’ ambitions.
With greater control and far less defending required — just 29 tackles made in the second half — Aylesford began to dictate play. Fly-half Si Rumsey, returning to the red and blue after several years away, orchestrated proceedings with composure. The scrum steadied, providing a platform for winger Addison Gear to carve through the defence down the right wing, linking neatly with Hughes and Fin Ashdown-Denney for a superb length-of-the-field try under the posts.
The final score of the day came courtesy of centre Devon Berrington, who had already featured in the 2nd XV fixture. A patient build-up from the forwards created space out wide, allowing Berrington to finish another well-constructed team move.
At full time, the Bulls celebrated a 24–10 victory — a result built on defensive grit in the first half and attacking precision in the second. The win capped off a perfect weekend for the club: three home victories at the Jack Williams Ground and a fourth courtesy of the Bulls Ladies 1st XV’s impressive triumph away at Beckenham.
A lively clubhouse rounded off the day, reflecting the strong spirit and momentum within the Aylesford Bulls camp. Attention now turns to the Counties 2 Kent league opener on 6th September, when it’s the Bulls Men’s 1st XV’s turn to travel to Beckenham for their first competitive fixture of the season.
After victories earlier in the day for both the 2nd XV and the Academy, Aylesford Bulls’ Men’s 1st XV took to the field aiming to complete a club-wide treble against old friends in Gosport & Fareham. The visitors, who finished fourth in Counties 1 Hampshire last season, represented a significant challenge on paper — one the Bulls’ coaching team welcomed with confidence.
With a strong crowd gathered for the 3pm kick-off, it was Gosport who struck first. Dominant in the scrum and sharper in the early exchanges, the visitors raced to a deserved 0–10 lead. The Bulls were forced into a defensive shift, making 71 tackles in the opening half and conceding 14 penalties, which disrupted momentum and eventually resulted in a yellow card. Despite this pressure, Aylesford showed resilience to remain within touching distance at the break.
The half-time message was clear: remain composed and stick to the game plan. The response was immediate. Within minutes of the restart, the Bulls had crossed the line twice through their back three. First, Christian Dolley exploited space with trademark pace, before Tom Hughes followed up with a clinical finish. Both players, key attacking threats last season, showed they will once again be central to the Bulls’ ambitions.
With greater control and far less defending required — just 29 tackles made in the second half — Aylesford began to dictate play. Fly-half Si Rumsey, returning to the red and blue after several years away, orchestrated proceedings with composure. The scrum steadied, providing a platform for winger Addison Gear to carve through the defence down the right wing, linking neatly with Hughes and Fin Ashdown-Denney for a superb length-of-the-field try under the posts.
The final score of the day came courtesy of centre Devon Berrington, who had already featured in the 2nd XV fixture. A patient build-up from the forwards created space out wide, allowing Berrington to finish another well-constructed team move.
At full time, the Bulls celebrated a 24–10 victory — a result built on defensive grit in the first half and attacking precision in the second. The win capped off a perfect weekend for the club: three home victories at the Jack Williams Ground and a fourth courtesy of the Bulls Ladies 1st XV’s impressive triumph away at Beckenham.
A lively clubhouse rounded off the day, reflecting the strong spirit and momentum within the Aylesford Bulls camp. Attention now turns to the Counties 2 Kent league opener on 6th September, when it’s the Bulls Men’s 1st XV’s turn to travel to Beckenham for their first competitive fixture of the season.
Aylesford Bulls 2nd XV vs Gosport & Fareham 2nd XV
Under clear skies and warm afternoon sun, the Bulls 2nd XV kicked off at 1:30pm against a well-supported Gosport side. With strong travelling numbers, the visitors brought energy both on and off the field.
Late injuries in the Gosport camp during the week led to a reshuffle, and in the true spirit of rugby, Bulls provided players to ensure a competitive contest. This generosity also highlighted the depth of talent across the Bulls’ senior set-up, built through hard pre-season work.
The final scoreline read 43–20 in favour of Aylesford, though the contest was hard fought. Early on, Gosport’s powerful forward pack applied significant pressure, making strong carries and testing the Bulls’ defence. Their ability to break tackles and gain ground gave them momentum in the opening stages.
However, Aylesford, guided superbly by captain Paul Cooper at fly-half, stuck to their structures and gradually imposed themselves. Once the Bulls settled into shape and began to spread the ball wide, their backs took control of the game and exploited space with clinical finishing.
At the heart of Aylesford’s attack was Devon Berrington, whose physical presence in midfield caused constant problems for Gosport. His combination of direct running and deft handling created repeated opportunities, allowing the Bulls’ pace out wide to flourish. Tries under the posts became a regular reward for sustained pressure.
On the flanks, both Joe Berry, returning strongly from injury, and newcomer Rory O’Rielly impressed with their defensive work rate and commitment. Their ability to nullify threats — particularly Gosport’s lively scrum-half in the first half — was crucial in shifting momentum towards the home side.
The match showcased the progress made by the Bulls 2nd XV since last season. Their improved cohesion, fitness, and depth were clear to see, and the performance provides a strong platform heading into the league campaign. Attention now turns to September 13th, when Bulls 2nds host Weavering in what promises to be another exciting fixture to kick off the season.
Under clear skies and warm afternoon sun, the Bulls 2nd XV kicked off at 1:30pm against a well-supported Gosport side. With strong travelling numbers, the visitors brought energy both on and off the field.
Late injuries in the Gosport camp during the week led to a reshuffle, and in the true spirit of rugby, Bulls provided players to ensure a competitive contest. This generosity also highlighted the depth of talent across the Bulls’ senior set-up, built through hard pre-season work.
The final scoreline read 43–20 in favour of Aylesford, though the contest was hard fought. Early on, Gosport’s powerful forward pack applied significant pressure, making strong carries and testing the Bulls’ defence. Their ability to break tackles and gain ground gave them momentum in the opening stages.
However, Aylesford, guided superbly by captain Paul Cooper at fly-half, stuck to their structures and gradually imposed themselves. Once the Bulls settled into shape and began to spread the ball wide, their backs took control of the game and exploited space with clinical finishing.
At the heart of Aylesford’s attack was Devon Berrington, whose physical presence in midfield caused constant problems for Gosport. His combination of direct running and deft handling created repeated opportunities, allowing the Bulls’ pace out wide to flourish. Tries under the posts became a regular reward for sustained pressure.
On the flanks, both Joe Berry, returning strongly from injury, and newcomer Rory O’Rielly impressed with their defensive work rate and commitment. Their ability to nullify threats — particularly Gosport’s lively scrum-half in the first half — was crucial in shifting momentum towards the home side.
The match showcased the progress made by the Bulls 2nd XV since last season. Their improved cohesion, fitness, and depth were clear to see, and the performance provides a strong platform heading into the league campaign. Attention now turns to September 13th, when Bulls 2nds host Weavering in what promises to be another exciting fixture to kick off the season.
.png?v=639065860329469219 "The Bulls Sheet - Third Edition - cover")
