Match Report | Combined Southern Regional Men's side v Australia and New Zealand Exiles

Two tries in the final 15 minutes helped Australia & New Zealand Exiles overcome the Combined Southern Regions Men’s Team 24-16 in an entertaining and absorbing encounter at Twyford Avenue Sports Ground in Acton, West London.

Under sunny skies and in front of an impressive crowd at the home of Wests Warriors, the Exiles drew on all their talent and experience – including a swathe of players from 2025 Southern Conference League Champions Hammersmith Hill Hoists – to edge past the Combined Southern Regions side in the closing stages.

Formed earlier this year to provide a performance pathway and representative Rugby League for players outside of the North of England, the Combined Southern Regions side impressed on their competitive debut, overcoming a slow start to take the lead midway through the second half. While they ultimately could not hold on to this slender advantage, the Combined Southern Regions side signalled their potential ahead of a first encounter with Wales Dragonhearts, the representative side for the men’s community game in Wales, in Neath next Saturday.

The Combined Southern Regions side started the game brightly, forcing the Exiles to defend deep in their own territory without making a breakthrough. Their Antipodean opponents made them pay on eight minutes, full back James Duchatel breaking through on the back of a repeat set for Southern defensive indiscipline. Exiles skipper Jack Ryan pulled his attempted conversion attempt wide.

The Exiles quickly got into their stride and over the 20 minutes that followed dominated both possession and try scoring opportunities. With the Combined Southern Regions struggling to complete sets, the Exiles carved out – but failed to take – a string of chances to extend their lead.

Eventually, they took one of these opportunities. With 27 minutes on the clock, Duchatel and second-rower Tim Crossle combined superbly to get the Exiles down field, before centre Kyle Tucker strolled over on the right0hand side. Once again, Ryan missed the conversion, leaving the Exiles 8-0 up and cruising.

The Combined Southern Regions side improved as the half wore on, completing more sets and tightening up defensively. As the first half drew to a close winger David Bofenda made an eye-catching break, but was pulled down 30 metres out. On the back of a quick play-the-ball, first receiver Tyler Johnson-Thomas broke through the Exiles defence. While half-stopped by a superb tap tackle by Duchatel, Johnson-Thomas picked himself up and dived over the line to reduce the arrears. Dan Robinson couldn’t covert, leaving the Combined Southern Regions trailing 8-4 at the interval.

The visitors’ improvement continued in the second half. Within three minutes of the restart, they took the lead. Replacement centre Andy Prosser scored a superb solo try after breaking through the Exiles defence 40 metres out, with Robinson slotting over the conversion from wide on the left.

With the Southern side in the ascendancy and the Exiles looking visibly tired, the home side needed a spark of genius to get them back into the game. That duly came on 50 minutes, when Jack Ryan collected an inside pass from Hammersmith team mate Jimmy Russell 10 metres out before chipping over the onrushing defence for Russell to collect and touch down. Ryan’s attempted conversion bounced back off the posts, leaving the Exiles just two points ahead.

10 minutes later, the Combined Southern Regions re-took the lead. Second rower Dom Aston showed great strength to force his way over the line after being released by full-back Callum Whitcombe. Robinson’s conversion attempt sailed between the sticks and suddenly the Southern side was four points ahead.

With the game on a knife edge, ill-discipline could potentially make the difference. So it proved to be with 15 minutes left on the clock, when the Exiles were rightly awarded a penalty for obstruction 40 metres from the Combined Southern Regions line.  After hammering away down the middle, the Exiles quickly shifted the ball to left winger Semisi Ikahihifo, who squeezed in at the corner despite some desperate scrambling defence. With the scores tied, Ryan converted from the touchline to give his side the lead.

With the clock ticking down and the Combined Southern Regions side desperate to find a winning try, the Exiles defended manfully. When presented with an opportunity to attack late on, the Exiles took it, landing a knockout blow with less than 90 seconds on the clock. On the last tackle, a short, bobbling grubber kick somehow evaded two Combined Southern Regions players, Tom Crossle winning the scramble for the ball to touch down. Ryan added the extras to secure a hard-fought 24-16 win for the Exiles.

Despite the loss, Combined Southern Regions Head Coach Jamie Jones was pleased with what he saw from his side. He said: “First of all, I’d like to congratulate the Exiles on the win – it was a very fluid and dynamic performance from them.

“We are proud of our performance. We knew it was a tough ask to win today’s game given that it was our first run out as a team. It was a great test to lead us into next week’s game over in Wales, where we’ll be looking to nail an all-round performance and improve in areas such as set completion and marker defence.”

 

 

The Combined Southern Regions Men’s Team next head to Neath RFC to face Wales Dragonhearts on Saturday 18th October (K.O 2.30pm).

 

Match Facts:

Australia & New Zealand Exiles - 24

Tries: James Duchatel (8 mins), Kyle Tucker (27), Jimmy Russell (50), Semisi Ikahihifo (65), Tom Crossle (79)

Goals: Jack Ryan 2 (from 5)

 

Combined Southern Regions - 16

Tries: Tyler Johnson-Thomas (40), Andy Prosser (43), Dom Aston (60)

Goals: Dan Robinson 2 (from 3)

 

Referee: Peter Parker (Southern Society)

Touch Judge: Anthony Creasey (Southern Society)

Touch Judge: Pablo Bawdekar (Southern Society)

 

Player of the Match Awards:

Exiles: Keanu Laumatia-Paki (prop forward)

Combined Southern Regions: Tyler Johnson-Thomas (second row)

 

Australia & New Zealand Exiles

1. James Duchatel (Hammersmith Hill Hoists)

2. Semisi Ikahihifo (Wests Warriors)

3. Tamati Gribble (Wests Warriors)

4. Kyle Tucker (Wests Warriors)

5. Kane Strachan (Hammersmith Hill Hoists)

6. Jack Ryan (captain, Hammersmith Hill Hoists)

7. Matthew Beasley (Wests Warriors)

8. Keanu Laumatia-Paki (Wests Warriors)

9. Dylan Leney (Wests Warriors)

10. Matt Jessop (Hammersmith Hill Hoists)

11. Todd Peut (London Chargers)

12. Tom Crossle (Hammersmith Hill Hoists)

13. Tyler Rush (Hammersmith Hill Hoists)

 

Interchanges

14. Jimmy Russell (Hammersmith Hill Hoists)

16. Chris Williamns (West Warriors)

18. Mitchell Cairns-Nelson (Wests Warriors)

 

Combined Southern Regions

1. Callum Whitcombe (vice captain, Brentwood Eels) 

2. Louis Baker (Medway Dragons)

3. Dan Robinson (Telford Raiders)

4. George Jackson (Wests Warriors)

5. David Bofenda (Eastern Rhinos)

6. Liam Fussell (Telford Raiders)

7. Luke Drummond (Elmbridge Eagles)

8. Jack Jonson (Nottingham Outlaws)

9. Doug Chirnside (vice captain, London Chargers)

10. Euan Tiernan (Brentwood Eels)

11. Georgie Treffers (Brentwood Eels)

12. Tyler Johnson-Thomas (Wests Warriors)

13. Coryn Ward (captain, Nottingham Outlaws)

 

Interchanges

14. George Moore (Medway Dragons)

15. Andy Prosser (Oxford Cavaliers)

16. Jake Cummins (Elmbridge Eagles)

17. Tyler Long (Hemel Stags)

18. Dom Aston (Elmbridge Eagles)

19. Ed Brown (Bedford Tigers)

20. Callum Dockerill (North Herts Crusaders)

 

Story by Matt Anniss (Combined Southern Regions Media Manager)

Photo Credit: Mediapac Sports Photography