Verulamians got a first-hand look at the standard required in Herts Middlesex Division One as they fell to a 42-7 defeat at London Scottish Lions.

After relegation a trip to one of the title favourites was always going to be a tough test for the young Cotlandswick-based outfit but as they showed last season, there is plenty of fight and never-say-die attitude in them.

Two early tries set the tone and two more followed before a well-executed score from Luke Bell, converted by Jim Cormack, made it 20-7 at the break.

Two quick tries in the second half ended any hopes of a comeback and Vees also suffered an injury to player-coach Sam Perry.

But they rallied in the last 15 minutes and could have scored on at least three occasions and the performances of newcomers Oli Fountain, Phil Weldon and Gregor McKay, as well as the usual hard defensive work of Joe Breeze and Cameron Craig, gives plenty of hope for the future.