12/09/2026
The “Surrey Springboks” beat Burgess Hill in a 50-3 Win over at Horsham RFC AGP.
Cranleigh v Burgess Hill 12/9/26 at Horsham on a 4G pitch. Result 50-3 Referee Paul Alik (London Society)
Cranleigh took a squad of 22 players to complete the last of three games on Horsham's 4G pitch. The match was played in two normal 40-minute periods. As the score suggests, this was the most impressive performance of the three games. Burgess Hill started the game looking strong in the pack and keen to attack. They went ahead within 7 minutes from a central penalty, but from then on Cranleigh did not let Burgess Hill into the game. The Cranleigh pack got into gear and started to provide good ball for the backs, and the first try came after eight minutes by Jack Downes, followed up by excellent play from a wheeled scrum, which Charlie Pankhurst scored - well converted by Rhys Thomas. Burgess Hill then threatened, but their mistakes and the Cranleigh defense dealt with any danger. Cranleigh got back to the Burgess Hill 22 and were awarded a penalty, and Jack Downes, at scrum-half, before anyone could blink, shot through and scored. Half-time 19-3.
The second half started with the referee injured and replaced by the young assessor. Cranleigh made many quality replacements, showing the depth of the side this coming season. Burgess Hill were probably the best of the three sides Cranleigh have played so far, but in the second half Cranleigh continued to show great improvement in all aspects. The pack dominated throughout, and quick ball allowed the Cranleigh fit backs to outrun the opposition. Positional kicking from Rhys Davies and Torrin Ross kept Burgess Hill in their own half, and added five more well-worked tries, the best from a fumble on the halfway line by the Burgess Hill scrum-half, Torrin Ross collected and ran 45 yards, outstripping the defense.
Burgess Hill, as much as they tried, did not get past the halfway line in the second half. Tactics during training sessions were clear and well executed, to the delight of the coaches. The scrum was excellent as always, with the front five dominant and the back row destroying the opponents' ball. The backs always looked dangerous. Sure, still a lot to work on, but with Jack Downes getting three excellent tries and Torrin Ross two tries, the side's improvement over the three games has been immense and they will have great confidence going into the league program, where for sure they will encounter stronger opposition in the first four games.
SQUAD:
1 Tobias Macey (C)
2 Toby Smith
3 Iain Weir
4 Milo Livesey (VC)
5 Graham Benton
6 Jamie White
7 George Disley
8 Charlie Pankhurst
9 Jack Downes
10 Rhys Thomas
11 Hugo McAllister
12 Theo Holohan
13 Ben Walker
14 Mikey Roser
15 Torrin Ross
16 Tom Tetley
17 Luke Fielden
18 Ben Terson
19 Monty Balfour
20 Ben Walker
21 Geoff Noonan
22 Sam Lawrence
