Cobham crowned league champions with late victory over Vandals

Cobham travelled to The Island in Walton-on-Thames for their penultimate match of the 2025/26 season against league leaders Weybridge Vandals. Suffice to say this was the most eagerly anticipated game for Cobham in many seasons, as victory for either team would secure title and promotion. Weybridge Vandals entertained over 200 Past Presidents, members and guests for their Presidents Lunch, including two tables of Cobham supporters with President Ian Thomas, Chairman Steve Heard and Past President Lionel Frewin.

As the attendees spilt out of the pavilion, they found another 200 supporters of both sides and the scene was set. Weybridge had referred to the game as being one of their biggest and most significant fixtures in their 94 year history. Cobham won the London South West 2 league title against London Cornish on 9 April 2016 with Ben Joyce and Jake McQuade in the front row, and Chris Lippiatt on the bench. Ten years on, Captain Chris Lippiatt ran out with Jake and Ben once again but this time with Ben's two sons, Noah and Lewis in the squad.

Cobham kicked off in glorious sunshine and after Vandals won the first lineout, Cobham turned over the ball and won the first scrum. Penfold, filling the scrum half role, released Fin Savill to break the Vandals' defence. Whilst the break could not be developed, both sides were looking to put down markers early doors. Following a turnover of the second Cobham scrum, Vandals threw the ball down their backline in both directions, but Cobham's tackling, which was a feature of the afternoon, held firm. When a knock-on provided Cobham with their third scrum, possession was secured and McQuade picked up from the back and the ball was fed to Millerd on the wing, who provided an early display of his pace.

A successful 50:22 kick from Vandals' stand-off Dan Wellden gave them the territory and possession to launch attacks and it required Savill to put in an important tackle to avoid a breakthrough. To the neutral observer, Vandals certainly had the majority of the territory and possession during the opening ten minutes so what came next was against the run of play.

Dellapina took a penalty for Cobham just inside their half and the lineout was well won by Joe Harker. The ball was fed to McQuade, playing this time in his trademark backline position and not only did he gain metres but ultimately secured a further penalty. On this occasion, Dellapina signalled a kick to the left, but instead took a tap penalty and much to the delight of the Cobham supporters, sidestepped his way through the Vandals defence to score one of the best individual tries Cobham have created this season. Burnett added the extras and first blood to Cobham (0-7).

Following the kick-off and Cobham clearance, Vandal's full back Thomas Bolger tried to run the ball out of his half but was pushed back in his tracks by a fierce tackle from second row Porter. Minutes later it was Porter again who prevented the Vandal's winger from escaping down the line. Tom Davison was making incursions into the Vandals defence and always finding opportunities to offload from the tackle. However, slowly but surely Vandals edged their way back into the Cobham half and you could sense a momentum building. Cobham spurned a kickable penalty opportunity earlier and this time Vandals declined a penalty in front of the posts. From the scrum and a number of offside penalties, they converted a possible three points into seven as prop Lloyd Pullen went over the line and Wellden converted (7-7).

Dellapina's hanging kick-off was expertly collected by Porter and from the subsequent possession, Savill and Bond connected to put Dellapina over but he was adjudged to have been held up much to the chagrin of the Cobham supporters. Soon after Cobham's woes were to increase as a penalty, lineout and rolling maul enabled Vandal's to add to their tally with a converted try from Callum Hennessy (14-7). With the first half coming to a close, Cobham raised their game and from a lineout successfully collected by Davison, hooker Patient finished what he started from the back of the rolling maul and Burnett added the extra points with the final kick of the half (14-14).

The match was more than living up to expectations but both sides had incurred injuries; Ben Joyce was replaced by his son Lewis and Vandals lost their second row Adam Bullett. Within minutes of the second half starting, a slipped pass from Savill to Patient provided him with space to charge deep into Vandal's territory and the tackle to bring him down incurred a yellow card for winger Harry Reed. From the penalty and lineout, Cobham spun the ball wide only for full back Bolger to knock-on deliberately to prevent Redknapp going over. Another yellow card and Vandals were now operating with rugby league numbers.

Cobham took advantage of the extra men but it was more down to Savill's evasive running technique as he ran towards the line and provided Noah Joyce with a last-minute pass to go over. Burnett adding the extras (14-21). Credit is due to Vandals for taking the ball back into the Cobham half and then benefitting from a yellow card to Porter, as they levelled the score (21-21) after Pullen went over for a second try from a lineout drive. There were still 20 minutes to play and this scoreline would still require Cobham to win this weekend to secure the league title. Both sides were now looking at trying to score the fourth bonus point try and secure a win.

Vandals, back to full strength, had the one man advantage and parked on the Cobham line it was the visitor's turn to demonstrate their resilience. Every turnover and tackle was cheered on by supporters as if it were a score. Murphy, back from injury, came on for Patient and made up for his lost playing time by charging through, but as the game ebbed and flowed it was another tackle from Savill that was key in bringing down full back Bolger as he raced away.

With Porter back on the field for the final five minutes, there was literally everything to play for and Cobham earned their fourth try which they created from twenty metres out with a rolling maul. Penfold sent the ball to Bond, he ran into space passed to Redknapp who provided the ball to Noah Joyce to touch down for the league title and promotion (21-26).

When the final whistle blew the sheer joy of this season exploded both on an off the pitch. Chairman Steve Heard provided Captain Lippiatt and the squad with the league cup and winners medals. In an extraordinary double, the Second XV have also won their Surrey Alliance league this year.

Cobham will play their final game of the season at home to Old Caterhamians on Saturday (25 April) and will seek to end the season unbeaten having scored more points already than in any recent season. If you are thinking that next week's match may be an anti-climax and a foregone conclusion, you only need to look at the result of this week's clash between Old Caterhamians and Trinity which finished as a 59-59 draw.

If you were unable to get to Vandals, come down to Cobham to provide support and welcome the league champions home.

Cobham 1st XV Squad:

1. Chris Lippiatt (Capt.)

2. Joe Patient

3. Ben Joyce

4. Joe Harker

5. Louis Porter

6. Noah Joyce

7. Tom Davison

8. Jake McQuade

9. Rory Penfold

10. Connor Dellapina

11. Charlie Redknapp

12. Fin Savill

13. Taylor Burnett

14. Josh Millerd

15. Jordan Bond

Substitutes:

16. Andrew Murphy

17. Lewis Joyce

18. Wilf Saywell

Scorers:

Tries: Dellapina, Patient, Noah Joyce (x 2)

Conversions: Burnett (x 3)

Man of the Match: Fin Savill