Sat 13 Dec 2025
It is never easy to follow a loss. There is particular significance to how a team reacts to defeat when it hadn’t needed to for a while. It takes character. Once more Oakham are a bit of an unknown quantity. They had been in the league above last season, with mixed results this campaign. However, a well-established club, a thriving junior section and a crowd fueled on by their Christmas lunch would always be a test.
In contrast to the last few weeks, it was in fact Sileby who would take the lead. And a nice moment for Hooker David Startin. Standing into throwing in the darts for the day he collected the ball at the back off the maul, trudged forward and dotted down for his first try for the Black and Green. The home team were playing against a fierce wind in the first half, and exiting was always going to prove difficult. With clear territorial dominance it was again the maul the provider. This time as it marched forward it dragged in too many Oakham defenders, allowing Scrum Half Josh Free to feed Winger Harry Greenbury a run into the corner (conversions weren’t on the cards today).
Whilst the wind was a clear factor, the Vikings were also playing well. Prop Steve Weston, Back Row Dave Maguire and a rampaging Harry Nichols – finding himself in the unfamiliar position of Second Row – were making dents in the opposition to were struggling to live with Sileby’s physicality. This, combined with strong tactical kicking by Full Back Jack Chantrell and Fly Half Ross Spencer meant there were always opportunities available to score. Both the next two scores, securing the bonus point, came from the scrum. First Winger Jon Griffiths took a short ball from Spencer to stroll under the posts; then Centre Nathan Thornton held the home team’s defence which created the space for Chantrell to assist Greenbury. 0-22 at half time.
The second half was different. Oakham had showed flashes of what they can do in the first. A break by their veteran 9 would have led to a score if not for excellent cover tackles by first Number 8 Adam Mayes, second Startin. And these flashes would eventually develop into more sustained pressure on Sileby. A loose ball at the breakdown was kicked through, a second try saving effort from Mayes required. However, it was not an indefinite shut out. Similar difficulties in exiting and creeping infringements providing the platform, and eventually Oakham would tally their first points.
When the Vikings weren’t conceding penalties, it was a stuttering performance. The attacking fluency of the first half had dissipated. Instead, incisive attacks came from individual brilliance. Steve Weston carried from inside his own 22 to halfway, which was as dramatic as it sounded. Mattie Lewis had a fairly remarkable kick return, stepping and swerving past several defenders until he too looked like he had spun himself into
discombobulation. The last and most decisive was after a turnover was won by Nichols (one of four for the day). Griffiths saw the opportunity others didn’t. A quick tap, a step and a pass to Flanker Dave Collison to take the score to 7-29.
The score at full time, around 20 minutes later, was 21-29. The home team will probably rue not finding their gears until the game was pretty much done. They started to play their phases, especially finding some space and decisive carrying in the wide channels. This, combined with more and more persistent ill-discipline meant that they were able to cross two more times and give the home crowd the final cheers on a blustery day in Rutland. This will be confidence they bring to Platts Lane later in the season.
5 points away from home.
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