Verulamians start season with eight-try demolition of Old Actonians

Verulamians stormed to the top of Herts Middlesex Division One with a crushing 55-0 victory over Old Actonians.

The Cotlandswick-based rugby club delighted their supporters with a superb opening-day display, running in eight tries against recently-relegated Actonians.

Vees captain James Hayes demanded a win from his side and the other team members responded gloriously.

Their pre kick-off team talk obviously exuded self belief and in the first half they easily contained all the oppositions’ forays.

From the kick off, Vees swiftly secured a penalty which George Harding confidently converted.

He went on to punish Actonians with six conversions.

For the remainder of the first half, Vees powerful tackling put Actonians’ sterling defence under severe pressure and eventually it broke with Mike Hollister bludgeoning his way over to send Vees into the break 10-0 ahead.

And with the visitors still reeling from their first-half punishment, Vees struck swiftly in the second period with Josh Lawrence bursting through a melee for the third try.

That opened the floodgates as scrum-half Mickey Seymour and playmaker Harding began to unleash the lightning speed of the backs.

George Irwin scored twice on his return from a year-long injury and there were also scores for Harding, George Seymour, Owen Ahearne, Ben Russell and Ross Graham.

Verulamians travel to Royston this Saturday.

The second team also started their Herts Merit League season with a success, beating Chesham 19-3.