As part of Hertfordshire's preparations for this season's County Championship, the County hosted Crawshay's Welsh RFC on Sunday, 27th April at Old Albanian RFC. The match also honoured the memory of Vivian Jenkins, the former Welsh International, who lived his later years in Harpenden. Vivian was a Life Member of Hertfordshire RFU and was also President of Crawshay's Welsh XV at the time of his death.

The game was similar in many ways to last year's inaugural fixture, though last year's glorious weather was replaced with rain and a soggy pitch. Once again Crawshay's XV contained many players with National League experience and the Herts team was missing some of the players that hopefully will represent the County in the County Championship.

Despite the conditions the game was open and fluid and after a hesitant first quarter, during which the visitors raced into a 19 point lead, the Herts back got together and began to play as unit. They managed to take one scrum against the head towards the end of the half and it was unfortunate that a succession of injuries, resulting in uncontested scrums for most of the second half, nullified their increasing scrummage advantage. The loose play of the Herts players, with skipper Dave Archer (Henley Hawks) to the fore improved as the game went on and provided plenty of possession. The backs couldn't make a break though in the later stages of the first half, but used the ball well to score three tries in the second.

Before the Herts XV could gel or get used to the pace of their guests, they conceded three tries in the first 15 minutes of the game. Wings James Hawken (Rugby Lions) and Roman Piotrowski (Blackheath) scored the first two tries then scrum half Owain Walbyoff (London Scottish) crossed the line from a 5 metre scrum and with Lee Cholewa (London Scottish) converting two of the tries the visitors were 19 points up. Herts gradually got into the game as their defence tightened and the pack gained more than equality in the scrums. Although, with 10 minutes of the half left, Crawshay's skipper and No 8 Glen Remnant (Cambridge) added a try, converted by Hawken, the half ended with Herts pressing at the visitor's line.

Herts put all their replacements on at half time and made some positional changes. More adjustments had to be made after 8 minutes when prop Jim Remfrey (Caldy) was injured and uncontested scrums were required. After 12 minutes play the home side got their first score when wing Baba Sodeke (Hertford) was on hand to touch down after Crawshay's had knocked the ball back over their own line following a good attacking move by the Herts backs. The game fluctuated with both sides trying to run all their ball, but it was slightly against the run of play when the visitors increased their lead as they snatched loose ball and put Mike Rust (Rugby Lions) in under the posts. Hawken added the easy conversion.

Minutes later Herts struck back when a fine break by Ian Crompton (Stevenage Town), now playing at centre, made space for Mike Mansfield (Old Albanian) to sprint over the line, Mansfield converting his own try. Perhaps Herts should have added another try soon after, but Crompton knocked on on the line as he tried to gather a grub kick. The on the half hour, Jon Child (Welwyn), who was having a fine all round game and now at fly half, made a clean break from a scrum 10 metres out, touched down and added the conversion. However, maybe Herts became a little too confident, because some sloppy passing resulted in Crawshay's gaining loose possession and Tryfan Edwards (Old Albanian) capitalised with a try converted by Hawken. The final minutes saw the visitors back on top and forward pressure produced a try for Brett MacNamee (Luton) just before the final whistle.

A 45-19 defeat was no disgrace, especially as honours were even in the second half at 19 a piece. A number of players staked their claim for a place in the Championship side next Saturday and the game as a whole was a good work out for the home team.

Hertfordshire's County Championship Shield campaign opens with a game against Eastern Counties at West Norfolk RFC, near Kings Lynn, next Saturday, kick off 3.00 pm. This is followed by two home games against Cornwall and Oxfordshire at Hertford (10th May) and Old Albanian (17th May) respectively.

Hertfordshire: Peter Fermse (Hemel Hempstead); Ian Crompton (Stevenage Town), Jon Child (Welwyn), Ryan de La Harp (Letchworth), Mark Mansfield (Old Albanian); Richard Woodard (Luton), Mark Evans (Old Albanian); Jim Remfrey (Caldy), Matt Cross (Loughborough), Arthur Jefferies (Hemel Hempstead), Adam Amos (Stevenage Town), Peter Coke (Hertford), Alfie Church (Hertford), Phil Pearson (Stevenage Town), Dave Archer (Henley Hawks) (Capt).

Replacements: (all used) Baba Sodeke (Hertford), Ed Coy (St Albans), Tavita Faamausili (Stevenage Town), Jon Arrowsmith (Harpenden), Craig Bailey (Hemel Hempstead).