14-Man Thirsty 3s Run Riot in Regent’s Park

On a glorious autumn afternoon in Regent’s Park, the mighty Thirsty 3s picked up where they left off last season as cup winners, cruising to a convincing 67-5 victory over Belsize Park IV. A late withdrawal from Jordan meant the Hammers couldn’t field a contested scrum and were therefore forced to play the full 80 with 14 men. With two-thirds of the side making their Thirsty 3s debuts, it was hardly ideal preparation, but the Hammers quickly found their rhythm.

The tries came thick and fast, with hat-tricks for captain Sam Smith and Simon, a brace for Jordan, and one apiece for Reuben, Ollie and Alex. Smithy and Jordan shared the successful kicking duties, slotting three conversions each. A special mention must go to all the debutants, who slotted in seamlessly and made light work of the numerical disadvantage. Not a bad afternoon’s work for a side playing a man down.

Of course, no Thirsty 3s performance would be complete without a little chaos. An unfortunate early clash of heads between two Belsize players left Simon patiently waiting to take a conversion, only for him to promptly miss from directly in front of the posts once play resumed, earning immediate retirement from kicking duties. Despite starting with 14, the Hammers also somehow managed to collect three yellow cards, with Jordan, Simon and a third offender whose identity remains under investigation all enjoying spells on the sidelines. Simon redeemed himself with a hat-trick and a well-deserved Man of the Match award. All in all, a cracking afternoon of rugby and a strong start to the season for the reigning cup champions.