The Rhinos travelled away to play Kingston in the opening game of the Middlesex Junior Vase and also the first competitive game for the Rhinos in the 2016/17 season. The squad under coach Sinan Rabee have been working hard during the preseason refining the game plan from last year and integrating new recruits into the squad.

The kickoff in the early autumn sunshine saw the Rhinos put Kingston on the defensive in their own half almost immediately and this is how it stayed for the majority of the half. Despite the good weather the Rhinos were keeping the ball with their forwards and only strong counter rucking from the Kingston pack kept the Rhinos out. Mid way through the half the ball was moved through hands to the winger Dwight Caulker who exploited an overlap and steamed down the wing to open the scoring for the game. Unconverted, Rhinos 5 – 0.

The score remained at 5 – 0 at the half despite new captain Owain Luckwell stopped just short of the line as the Rhinos again kept the ball wrapped up in the forwards and Kingstons strength in scrums and lineouts keeping them in the game. At the half, Rabee instructed his troops to reduce the forwards play and move the ball to the back line to probe for defensive holes further out from the fringes.

This new focus brought immediate results after the restart with centre Gareth Kirk beating three tackles on his way to score the Rhinos second try. Unconverted Rhinos 10 – 0. The Kingston pack were then able to fight back from the restart and once they got within range their powerful rolling maul got them over the line to narrow the gap. Unconverted Rhinos 10 – 5. The remainder of the half was one way traffic for the Rhinos. Kirk picked up his second try and Caulker his when he out muscled his opposite number to score in the corner. Both unconverted Rhinos 20 – 5.

The Rhinos forwards were starting to show their dominance in the second half with some strong scrum wins and providing the platform from which the backs could launch their raids at the Kingston defence. Ben Kelly was the standout for the forwards, especially in the loose with Dan Rycroft’s open play kicking and Hugo Murray’s work at full back notable in the backline. Caulker finished off the game with a kick chase to himself to secure his hat trick and Man of the Match award. Final Score - Rhinos 25, Kingston 5.