The "Young Bucks" are a newly constituted Buckingham U23s team that reunites players who have left for University with old teammates who have remained in the area.

Tuesday 20th December saw the eagerly awaited fixture against Towcester whose senior team have, in recent years, developed into a national league two outfit. This game inevitably had a little spice to it with the Buckingham team being cast as the underdogs.

Buckingham started quickly and the backs looked in good form as Towcester were stretched across the field. Within 10 minutes, Ryan Cooke had broken through in the centre to give Oli Crompton a simple finish for the first try. However, Buckingham’s set piece was showing the lack of practice as a unit as it struggled against a more organised Towcester. Buckingham gave a series of penalties away but grim defence kept Towcester out. At times the battle was truly epic and commitment from both sides saw the odd flashpoint and eventually a yellow for each team. Despite being camped in the Buckingham half for most of the first 40, Towcester couldn’t find the final touch and the score remained 5-0 at half time.

The second half started as the first had finished, with Towcester camped in the Buckingham half and dogged, committed defence, keeping the Buckingham try line virginal. Having absorbed the pressure that Tows could throw at them, good tactical kicking from Gurney and Kinman combined with the team starting to mesh to bring Buckingham back into contention. Working down the left hand touchline, Matt London broke the Towcester defence and as Harry Scarr chased a kick through from the ensuing ruck, two or three Towcester players decided he was fair game and the ref had no choice but to award a penalty try. Ed Kinman’s conversion made it 12-0.

Towcester were not done however and some tired bodies on the Bucks side (too much University life and not enough University rugby perhaps?) resulted in a flurry of penalties for offside. The last of these was close enough for a quick tap and then a forwards break through the middle of the breakdown to bring Tows back into contention at 12-7 and set up for a thrilling final quarter.

Stung into action, the Young Bucks now made all the running, pressing Tows back and threatening to score on a number of occasions. Kicking a penalty for a lineout 5m from the Tows line, Buckingham set up a maul which struggled to get going. Jethro Damant peeled off the back, down the blindside and forced his way over the line through the final Tows defenders to bring the final score to 17-7 and an historic first win for the Young Bucks.

A great evening of rugby for the large and enthusiastic crowd at Maids Moreton and obvious enjoyment amongst the players to be back on the pitch with old friends. If these boys can stick together and end up playing senior rugby together the future for both clubs looks even brighter.

Report by Ed Gibson