A proper day of social rugby in the mud for the Warlingham club team. With so little rugby played locally due to wet pitches it was great for East Grinstead to get 3 home games on.

To be honest, the pictures speak a thousand words with the Warly players resembling Fran Cotton in that iconic Lions photo from the NZ tour. No one embodied the spirit and endeavour like Elliott Jones who face planted in a puddle in the first play and continued to do so until he was so weighed down by mud he had to retire.

The game was attritional. Every inch was hard fought and Warlingham kept making the hard yard carries and tackles up the middle. Matt Talboys, James Lynch, Mike Kennedy and Nick Hammond led from the front, with Oli Archer’s dancing feet at 10 kicking well and opening up gaps that Noah Clay and Roy Hart exploited but their usual pace was a little diminished by the pitch. Aqua planing might have been better.

Warlingham were joined by team mates from the Sussex emergency services team who played well and were on hand for other treatment. East Grinstead provided a bottle of port before the match which proved medicinal and prevented hyperthermia.

In the end, a 0-0 might have been fitting but East Grinstead bagged a late try and goal to take the win after a sustained period of pressure on the Warlingham goal line. Warlingham’s defence was immense throughout with Nick Kewell, Elliott Jones and Gulliver Martin getting stuck in to keep the Sussex side at bay.

The referee’s whistle saw mudslides, warm handshakes and a picture that will live long in the memory. Thank you to East Grinstead for the hospitality. This is rugby!