It has been another positive pre season for Field, led by the coaching team of Matt McLean, Liam Perkins and Andy Patience, with multiple new players joining the ranks. Furthermore, the Academy system continues to produce players with multiple graduates making the step up to men’s rugby this season. The team will be itching to get onto the pitch to showcase their fitness and skills, which have been drilled into them over the last 6 weeks.

As for our fellow Hampshire opponents, this will be a challenge for the Portsmouth 1st XV, who currently sit in Hampshire Counties 1, the league below the Petersfield 1st XV. After finishing 7th in the previous season, Portsmouth will no doubt be looking to push for promotion and their player drive this offseason has reflected this, with new players coming in and former players returning. Similarly, the Portsmouth 2nd XV are in the league below the Petersfield 2nd XV, also finishing mid-table last season. This should make for some entertaining and gruelling rugby for a sunny day at Penns Place!

Director of Rugby Matt McLean expressed his excitement ahead of Petersfield’s first outing of the season, saying: “The long wait to return to rugby is finally over and we are eagerly looking forward to our first hit out against Portsmouth.” While the competitive edge will be there, McLean emphasised that this match is about more than the scoreboard: “I’m sure the objective of the game for both Peef and Pompey is very much about weaving together the principles that have been worked on over pre-season, building confidence in the style of play, moulding together some combinations and reacclimatising to the contact and attritional elements of the game and getting the lungs working hard - the score line is very much secondary in our minds today.” Looking ahead to the action, he added with a smile: “We will no doubt look to make the most of the conditions and throw the ball about - to the front row’s delight.”

Over the years it has become a crucial goal at Petersfield to retain players and continue building a core group, which has certainly been reflected in both line-ups, with plenty of returning talent infused with the new squad members.

The front row is a familiar trio, as Jackson Clark, Sam Brown and Dan Sargent lead the engine room once again. Progressing through the ranks, we see our local Croatian Franko Tomic make up half of the second row, accompanied by new recruit Zac Conley, looking to make his mark on a competitive position. As we look at the back row, you will see a position swap for Gregory Jansen who shifts from centre into the blindside slot. Jansen certainly possesses the skillset and size to make the change so it will be a pleasure to watch him join the pack. Last season’s player of the year Jack Janaway takes the usual spot at 7, as Karter Whittock leads the scrum from number 8.

It is a youthful backline for this first fixture, with recent Academy graduate Dan Chinnock leading the team from scrum-half. Chinnock featured in a handful of games last season, impressing the coaches and crowd on multiple occasions. Bradley Caparo, in his second season at the club now, will be looking to boss the team as the fly-half. Moving into the centres, it is a new combination of Toby Colwood and Tommy Spencer – a pair of hard hitting Academy graduates looking to solidify their position in the squad. There is only one debutant in the backline this weekend, as Lewis Munt takes to the rugby field for the first time in nearly a decade. A former standout American Football player at Bath University, Munt joined Petersfield this offseason with an impressive showing at the fitness rankings and will be hoping to translate that to the field this weekend. He is joined by Eddie Matthews on the right wing, as Joe Knowles completes the starting team, once again demonstrating his versatility by playing full-back.

A formidable bench awaits the Portsmouth side, as Liam Perkins, Ryan Morse and Chase Thomas bring serious ball carrying power, while Charlie Muir and George Davis bring boat loads of pace to an already strong back-line.

As always, congratulations are due to the two debutants – Zac Conley and Lewis Munt!

Those who followed the 2nd XV last year will be used to seeing a blend of experience and youth for the team, and it is no different for this weekend!

Club veterans Mark Butcher, Jamie Williams and Chad White compose a strong front row with years of experience between them. Oliver Hunt and James Barden link up for a staggering second row combination. Carl Sharrock will be at the head of the scrum as he resumes duties at number 8, flanked by the energetic duo of Oli Bott and Tom Ffrench-Lynch. Bott played the previous season in the backs but as his strength and skills improved, the coaches have brought him into the pack. It is a debut for Ffrench-Lynch too, who has impressed with his fitness and physicality throughout the pre season.

It's the usual suspects at halfback for the 2nd XV as Oscar Horsfall and Archie Whitear link up once more for 80 minutes of shouting at the forwards. Ross Eastlake wears the 12 shirt for the first time, joined by Ethan Horsfall who moves into the outside centre position from his usual back three position. Jamie Guthrie will be looking to impress and break his way into the 1st XV from the left wing, as he is joined by Adam King on the right. Mackenzie Van Laun caps off another young backline with another Academy graduate.

Just the 5 players on the bench for Field 2s as Nathan Bambrough-Smith, Jorge Villalon, Ben Murphy will contribute to an already strong pack with their size. For the back replacements, talented young fly-half Zach Harris is joined by debutant Jake Wadsley who returns from his studies this season.

A massive congratulations to the three debutants from the 2nd XV: Tom Ffrench-Lynch, Ben Murphy and Jake Wadsley!