Hampton School's 1st XV knew they faced worthy opponents at Dulwich College in Round 7 of the RBS Daily Mail Cup and the 15 - 12 score line reflects what a tight game this was. 
 

Hampton opened play with the slope advantage and the game quickly assumed a pattern with Hampton using their powerful front five to run at the Dulwich defence from pick and drive moves and short passes.

Dulwich defended well, managing to break into the Hampton half to win the first penalty.  From the kick off, Hampton quickly equalised through a well struck penalty by the away side’s Man of the Match, Tom MccGwire, after an offence at the breakdown.

Another infringement at the tackle area meant that Hampton conceded another penalty in their own half, which Dulwich duly converted to make the score 6-3.  Hampton rallied through a series of attacks that pushed Dulwich back into their own 22 metre area and then this led to another infringement in the tackle area, which Hampton converted through the boot of MccGwire – the scores were now level at half time, 6-6.

 
The second half saw Dulwich take advantage of the slope and their territorial play took the game into the bottom left hand corner where the home side began a number of thrusts towards the Hampton try line. Hampton were resilient in their defence of their own line, although they conceded a penalty at the breakdown on the 5 metre line.  The Dulwich scrum half took a quick penalty and made a dive for the line, but was stopped by the Hampton hooker, Ryan Baitz.  However, the referee deemed that Baitz was offside and this resulted in a yellow card.  Dulwich missed the resulting penalty goal attempt, but managed to maintain the pressure.  Dulwich looked as if they might score out wide on the right while a long penalty advantage was being played, but they were stopped. The referee was unhappy about the manner of that and showed a second yellow to the Hampton inside centre, Alex Tavener, for not using his arms in a tackle on dummy runner. Dulwich went into the lead again, 9-6.

 

Despite being down to 13 players for 12 minutes of the second half, Hampton demonstrated immense character and determination and found themselves launching waves of attack into the Dulwich half with renewed vigour.  This play bought them a penalty, which was kicked to touch. This time the line-out ball was secured and a maul successfully set up, but was adjudged by the referee to have been taken down illegally by Dulwich. Tom MccGwire kicked his third successful goal and scores were level again at 9-9.  Dulwich responded and applied pressure on Hampton, despite the away side going back to 14 men. 

 
When finally back to full strength, Hampton managed to clear to their 22 metre line, but Dulwich returned the ball, winning a penalty. Hampton were then penalised at the ensuing 5 metre scrum, enabling Dulwich to re-establish a three point advantage, 12-9.

 

Hampton responded and began to chase the game with a more expansive strategy - their backs threatening to break through on several occasions with the emergence of Joe Battle at full back from the substitute’s bench.  Hampton were rewarded for this adventure with another penalty at the tackle area on the Dulwich 22 metre line. With MccGwire having to leave the field because of injury, Ludi Hopkinson assumed the kicking responsibilities and bisected the posts, 12-12. 

 

With the scores level and 5 minutes left to go, Hampton looked as though they were through on the ‘Away Rule’.  Dulwich had to score again. Dulwich went onto the front foot and a ruck was formed out on the right just outside the Hampton 22 metre line. Hampton’s left wing, Martie Chawla, was caught on the ground, injured, under the ruck on the Dulwich side and he was penalised for being offside.  Penalty advantage was being played, and Dulwich chalked up the winning three points with two minutes left to go, 15-12.

 

Hampton desperately kicked off and won the ball back on the left hand side of the pitch and after a number of phases managed to win a penalty on the left hand side of the pitch between the 5 metre and 15 metre line, 40 metres out – this was the ‘final play’ of the game. Captain, Laurence Brown, decided that it would be better to take quick penalty to win the match rather than kick a very difficult goal to potential draw and see the team through.  A brave decision, led to a ‘quick tap’ and Hampton managed to gain field position 10 metres out from the Dulwich line on the left hand side of the pitch.  Suddenly, Hopkinson ‘darted’ down the blind side to make fumbled and forward pass to the oncoming wing support by Conor White, back on the field for the injured Chalwa.  Hampton lost a really close match, 15-12 .

Hampton's Director of Rugby, Mr Zoran Higgins says it was a game that could have gone either way:

“Credit to Dulwich College who performed brilliantly to draw us into a forward contest, preventing us from implementing the expansive game we had planned for.  Despite this, we may still have won the match and perhaps we can look back on the game and say ‘that was one that got away’.  I am very proud of the boys’ determination and spirit – this has been one of the very best teams in the country and Wednesday’s match would not have looked out of place in the final at Twickenham.  We wish Dulwich College the very best of luck in the rest of the tournament.”