Sat 10 Jan 2026, 14:30
Regional 2 Tribute Ale South West
Weston-super-Mare 69 Teignmouth 12
Weston-super-Mare emulated their pre-Christmas form for their first outing of the New Year as they outscored visitors Teignmouth by ten tries to two, having racked up nine tries, including five from wing Hayden Main, when the sides met at Bitton Park in October, writes Chris Heath.
This bonus point victory extends Weston’s unbeaten run to 14 games at the top of the Regional 2 Tribute Ale South West table. They now have a 24-point lead over second-placed Tiverton, but the Devon side has two games in hand.
It was a beautiful, crisp, sunny afternoon at the Recreation Ground, and the home side wasted little time before troubling the scoreboard when fly-half Archie Tilseley landed a penalty.
Teignmouth counterattacked and were awarded a penalty, which they kicked to the corner. But they hesitated, and the opportunity slipped away. A storming run by lock George Talbot led to Tilsley feeding centre Marcus Nel crossing for the first try.
Tilsley added the conversion before Weston increased their lead when loosehead prop Ieuan John made a concerted gallop towards the visitors' line, and after he was stopped, several forays were thwarted.
That was until Nel released prolific left-wing Hayden Main for his twenty-fifth try of an incredible season. Weston, however, were beginning to concede penalties with monotonous regularity, and Teignmouth were starting to get a foothold in the game.
From one such infringement, they kicked to the corner again, and there then followed wave after wave of attack, which eventually resulted in them crossing in the left corner to open their account in the twenty-ninth minute.
The conversion was missed, but the visitors were well and truly in the game. Weston went straight on the attack from the kick off when flanker Jacob Cox retrieved the kick off before the backs spun it and Nel's partner in the centre, Alex Howman, crossed the whitewash.
Tilsley missed the extras but was back on song two minutes later when Main went open from his wing to scythe through wilting defence to give Weston their bonus point try, with ten minutes of the half still to play.
It was now turning into a procession, and following more good work by Nel and Main, fullback Ryan Watterston, in his last home game before returning down under, went over for a deserved try, which Tilsley was once again successful with.
Weston looked certain to have scored another try when Nel then cut through, but referee Ed Eades adjudged that Howman somehow managed to lose the ball over the line, leaving the hosts going into the break 34-5 ahead.
Weston made two changes with Sam Light replacing John and Sam Larrimore replacing Talbot. Early in the second period, with Teignmouth on the attack, Weston scrum-half Jack Press intercepted and ran seventy metres to touchdown.
Tilsley once again provided the extras and converted the next try after another blistering Nel run ended with an inside pass to Watterston, who galloped under the sticks for his second score of the game.
Another Nel break resulted in a try for right wing Keanu Ballard with another conversion for Tilsley. Cameron Maslen then replaced Press with Watterston, redeploying to scrum half, and Howman dropping to full back.
A long pass by captain Tom Sugg put Main away on a sixty-metre run for his hat trick, following a superb defensive tackle by Cox, who was then replaced by Talbot, who sustained a slight injury.
Ballard raced away for his second following a Howman offload with Tilsley again adding two points. John then replaced tight head Maison Turner. An injured Watterston then left the field for stitches following an altercation with Press, rejoining the fray.
Hooker Gary Carpenter was then yellow-carded for not releasing a player on the floor, and Teignmouth took advantage by crossing under the sticks for a converted try.
Impressive flanker Callum Kingscott was then replaced by Turner for the scrums. There then followed more shenanigans, which resulted in both Nel and a Teignmouth player receiving yellow cards.
Carpenter and Kingscott then rejoined the game for the closing moments, and Weston ran out worthy winners. For Weston, there were several outstanding performances, but Nel's outstanding running and distribution earned him the Man of the Match award.
Weston have a tough challenge on Saturday (January 17) when they travel to Egloshayle Road to face fourth-placed Wadebridge Camels, who are unbeaten in their six home games this season. Kick-off is at 2.30 pm.
