Sat 20 Sep 2025, 15:00
Regional 2 Tribute Ale South West
Cullompton 19 Weston-super-Mare 30
Report by Chris Heath
Playing with the wind and up a slight slope, Weston-super-Mare received the kick off. With debutant Nasili Ikahihifo on the blindside alongside fly-half Kieran Hill and returning prop Gary Carpenter, Weston had rearranged from previous weeks.
This showed in the opening moments. The hosts were up for the fight and definitely started brighter. Weston weathered the early storm and ended up on the hosts' line following a long kick by Hill.
After a penalty was conceded, Weston earned a five-metre scrum, and after Ikahihifo and number eight Jacob Simpson had made inroads, a long pass by Hill found right wing Keanu Ballard, who cut in to score the opening try in the sixteenth minute.
Weston then earned a penalty when hooker Adam Fisher jackalled the ball, and Hill's kick to the corner ended with a catch and drive, which Fisher was on the end of to double Weston's lead.Weston then earned another penalty, which allowed Hill to open his account.
The returning George Talbot entered the fray on the half hour for lock Sam Light. The home loosehead prop Sam Cooke then made a searing break down the left, but Fisher eventually closed him down.
After a misplaced throw by Weston, the hosts attacked on the stroke of halftime and, after being awarded a penalty, decided to kick to the corner and then, after a catch and drive, scored their first points of the afternoon. The try was converted to cut Weston's lead to six at halftime.
After missing a penalty attempt early in the second half, Weston tried to settle down and start dominating, but on a not-so-hospitable day for rugby, little errors prevented any flow to the game.
Weston did eventually produce a solid attack when live wire open side Jacob Cox blasted through towards the posts, and prolific left-wing Hayden Main was on the receiving end of good hands to increase their lead.
Cullompton regrouped and attacked with a catch and drive, which they held onto very well to score under the posts to cut the lead to four points with twenty-five minutes remaining. With Weston's lineout creaking, any positive play by the visitors, unfortunately, usually ended in disappointment.
Still, they kept plugging away, and after deciding to take a scrum when awarded yet another penalty, it proved to be an excellent choice when Hill produced a sublime offload to put impressive centre Marcus Nel over for the bonus point. Hill succeeded with the conversion.
Cullompton hit back with a kick and chase to the corner, but the difficult conversion went just wide. Weston held a six-point lead with fifteen minutes remaining. Robson Bird then replaced lock Ash Russell.
It then looked as if Talbot had scored, but Cullompton came away with the ball, and the chance was gone. The hosts were then awarded another penalty and gained ten metres for yapping by the visitors, but they held out.
Light was then reintroduced at the expense of Talbot for the last few minutes. Captain Charlie Brabham provided the coup de gras with a bulldozing try in the 80th minute, which was no more than he deserved for a swashbuckling performance.
Although the hosts had time to kick off and Matt James had time to put the hit of the day in, Weston ran out winners on an incredibly difficult afternoon.
Match photos, courtesy of Reith May/Cullompton Rugby, HERE
Saturday's Regional 2 South West Results
Crediton 21 Wellington 12
Cullompton 19 Weston-super-Mare 30
Ivybridge 31 Teignmouth 26
Okehampton 28 North Petherton 7
Penzance & Newlyn 17 Wadebridge Camels 34
Tiverton 11 Winscombe 13
