Despite a scoreless first quarter, Old Haberdashers were able to put early pressure on the hosts and it eventually yielded a try for Hugo Watson on debut 20 minutes in, converted for 7-0. Fullerians pulled it back with a penalty on 35 minutes in a low scoring half, 7-3 to the visitors at the half time whistle.

Charlie Johnson extended the lead for Old Habs in the 50th minute with a fine turn of pace, once again converted to make it 14-3. Once again, Fullerians were able to fight back through a try on the hour which went unconverted for a 14-8 scoreline, before Will Dell capitalised on a Fullerians mistake on 65 minutes for a third Habs try. Unconverted, it became 19-8 which is how the game finished.

Haberdashers were unable to take a bonus point from the fixture but travel back with four points in the bag, Fullerians coming away with nothing from their first game.

Fullerians 8-19 Old Haberdashers

Grasshoppers 26-41 Amersham & Chiltern

Grasshoppers - promoted from Level 7 - were defeated by Amersham and Chiltern on their Regional 2 Thames debut, but were able to come away with a try bonus point at Syon Lane.

Amersham raced into a 10-0 lead after eight minutes, looking to stake their claim as one of the favourites for the title and showing why they were runners up in the league in 2022/23, but Grasshoppers responded well and an unconverted try for Blaise Salle made it 10-5 with just 13 minutes played.

The visitors widened the gap once more with another five pointer (18') for 15-5. Salle then added a second for Grasshoppers with the kick successful to be 15-12 down after 28 minutes and they then took the lead for the first time in the game three minutes later via Deji Olajide, Conor Gilmore adding the two points to move ahead 19-15 just after the half hour, which is how it remained at the break.

However, half time clearly galvanised Amersham & Chiltern into action as they ran in four tries to lead 41-19 with just under ten minutes to go, before Grasshoppers clinched a crucial point in injury time, Matt Coakley scoring and Gilmore converting.

An encouraging result for Grasshoppers who take the single point, with Amersham heading to Buckinghamshire with the full five.

Grasshoppers 26-41 Amersham & Chiltern

H.A.C 24-20 Chobham

H.A.C (level transferred from Regional 2 Anglia, where they were runners up last season) started the campaign with a win against Chobham in a fairly balanced game in West London.

Chobham got the first points on the board via a Sam Davies penalty after five minutes, a lead that didn't last too long with Jordan Slack's converted try on 10' for 7-3 to the hosts. That became 7-6 before the teams swapped ends with a second penalty for Davies.

A sin bin just five minutes into the second half for Chobham's Pete McCain gave H.A.C a numerical superiority of which they took advantage of, Eddie Quinlivan going over shortly thereafter then Rory Bell following that - both converted - to take the gap to 15 points, 21-6 with 55' gone.

Now restored back to parity, a converted try for Chobham's Tommy Reed reduced arrears to 21-13 around the hour mark, but went down to 14 players again with a yellow for captain Sean Bellion (63'), the resulting penalty put through the posts to take it to 24-13 as the match entered the final quarter of an hour.

Chobham were able to secure a losing bonus point as Tom Martin's try in the last play of the game saw them pull it back to 24-20.

H.A.C take four points and Chobham one.

H.A.C 24-20 Chobham

Hemel Hempstead 38-54 Belsize Park

The highest scoring game of the weekend came at Chaulden Lane as the promoted hosts lost to Belsize Park, in a match that yieleded 11 tries and 92 points in total.

Belsize were 13-0 ahead after 10 minutes before a Matt Davis try (19') gave Hemel their first points, before Belsize scored again (28') to go 20-7 ahead. Hadyn Morgan's try - converted by Jamie Hearn - followed by a Hearn penalty just before the break cut the lead to three points, 20-17.

Three tries in the opening ten minutes of the second half for Belsize Park put them seemingly in control at 39-17, yet a determined Camelot continued to fight back, Matt Davis scoring in the 51st minute (converted) with a scoreline of 39-24. A penalty and another Belsize try (61' and 63') maybe ended the match as a contest at 47-24, though there was still time for 21 more points, Hemel Hempstead's Davis (securing a hat trick) and James Wilkins both scoring convered tries between a Belsize effort towards the end of proceedings for a full time score of 54-38 to the visitors.

Undoubtedly one for the neutral, Hemel take one point and Belsize the full five from the fixture with both showing a willingness to play running rugby.

Hemel Hempstead 38-54 Belsize Park

Leighton Buzzard 17-34 Aylesbury

Aylesbury scored six tries away to Leighton Buzzard as they started 2023/24 with a very solid win against the Regional 2 Thames new boys.

Buzzard took the lead early on but Aylesbury headed into half time 10-5 ahead through tries for Liles and Page. Buzzard got one back after half time to level things up before Aylesbury raced away, with Page and Andrews securing braces. Buzzard got their third before Buckland's late try gave Aylesbury a 34-17 win.

No points for Leighton Buzzard whilst Aylesbury take all five.

Marlow 12-34 OPRFC

Marlow, another team making their debut in Regional 2 Thames, were beaten by Old Priorians in the first game of the season as the visitors ended the day top of the table.

A purple patch for the Twisters put them 26-0 ahead in the first half, Cathal Sheehan, Kimen Nyam, Mishka Fibbens and Will Taylor all scoring tries, with Dean Whiteley's converted effort made it 26-7 at half time.

A scrappier, more physical second half resulted in just thirteen more points, a Taylor penalty and Sheehan Try for the visitors along with a Fulford five pointer for Marlow.

Marlow end the day without any points with OPRFC taking a bonus for five points.

Marlow 12-34 OPRFC

That concludes the round up. For fixtures, results and the league table, please visit the RFU website :

Regional 2 Thames