Over the years, teams change. In the past, Quins used to regularly win against Abingdon, but defeats against them last season, and in the league this year showed that Abingdon had become a much stronger outfit, and they had finished top of the league that Quins were in this year.
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 Aylesbury played their part in this competitive but friendly fixture, but with the wind at their backs and following a slightly unsettled start, Quins began to put together some strong attacking moves, and coupled this with robust defending.
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One can usually tell when this U17 team is up for a match - and the relaxed atmosphere, laughing and joking in the sunshine before kick-off, didn't inspire confidence.
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Stow 7 - 19 Oxford Harlequins

Bolstered by the return of Matt from injury, and with Rob and Spencer both back Quins were very much up for this return match having narrowly lost 5-3 just before Christmas. Quins played some of their best rugby this year with a dominant scrum pushing the Stow pack back at every opportunity and laying a foundation through Rhys to release the backs.

Whilst Stow certainly made a competitive game of it, a good flowing move along the backs resulted in a strong finish from Irfan to take Quins into halftime 5-0 up. In the 2nd half, continued pressure by Quins at the Stow try-line was not converted into points and, while Big Ben was off the pitch having his ripped shorts taped up to preserve his modesty, a well-taken breakaway try and conversion put Stow in the lead. With around 10 min to go it seemed that Stow, although weakened by injuries as the game progressed, might also take this game by a 2 point margin, but two well-worked moves along the backs gave run-in tries for Irfan and Joe P, both converted with aplomb from narrow angles by Harry.

Overall, a significantly improved performance from previous weeks with many strong individual performances (Matt, Spencer, Joe H, Big Ben, Harry B), the reduced penalty count, and especially much better team support play all contributing. Man of the match was given by the team to George who was composed when put under pressure at full-back and his surging runs from deep pushed Stow back many times.  But this was a match that every player contributed well to a great team performance, and all came smiling off the pitch from an enjoyable game. 

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A battling performance by Oxford Harlequins was not reflected in the final result as Bicester scored 3 tries in each half of this post OBB league friendly match. With spring firmly in the air on a beautifully sunny March morning, this was a free-flowing game played in great spirit by both sides. Quins players delivered some good individual performances (Will, Ollie with an individual try in the 1st half, and man of the match Harry), but the lack of continuity in team players meant that as a team support was lacking at key times as Bicester ran in some classy tries.

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Bracknell kindly agreed to accommodate a morning kick-off in this last league match of the season, although as all their pitches were in use both teams made the nearby trip to Broadmoor (gulp).  Both teams needed a win in order to progress into the post league competition. The importance of the match was reflected in the rarity of an  essentially full team turnout, apart from the injuries, which meant we had just over 20 players for the 1st time in the season. In the event, all players were needed in a hard highly competitive game which Bracknell ran out worthy winners.  By half-time, Bracknell had scored 4 tries, which gave them the bonus point they needed to secure to progress, and in reply Ibbi had scored a breakthrough try for Quins. The 2nd half damage was limited to 2 tries, with Man of the match Rob taking one for Quins and a subsequent classy touchline conversion from Harry.

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After a sluggish start, this ended up being a comprehensive victory for Quins.  Both teams played this match in good spirit, and credit is due to Bletchley for contesting the match throughout despite some temporary injuries to some of their players, which kept the referee busy keeping the headcount correct on the field.
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Injuries and a couple of no-shows left Quins with exactly 15 players to start this league match.
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U17s finally got a match following a number of weekends of cancellations/postponements. Initially, it looked as though the frost might wipe this last one of 2011 out as well, but with the sun out the pitch was deemed just playable. Stow got off to a bright start with possession, but thereafter the match was a fairly even contest with perhaps the Quins forwards edging that phase of the game, but the opposition's backs looking sharp in attack. A good penalty kick by man of the match Harry Birtles gave Quins a narrow lead, but a subsequent unconverted try by Stow gave them the win. This was a well-refereed match played in good spirit by both sides. 

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Following last season's narrow defeat (6-9) at home in a friendly, the Under 17s met Reading Abbey on the opposition’s home turf in the League, and this time came out winners 11-5 in a well-contested match by both teams.
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Under 17s opened their OBB League campaign with a solid all-round team performance against unfamiliar opposition.
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From the start of this first match of the season it was evident that we were facing a different Aldermaston than the skeleton team lacking their county players that we played away against last season and won 31-0.
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