Henley Academy 48-22 Shipston

By Lisa Tavinor

Henley Academy launched their rugby season in style with a powerful 48–22 win over Shipston in an entertaining and fiercely contested opener. From sensational solo tries to gritty forward play, Henley delivered a performance full of flair, discipline, and leadership.

Henley wasted no time asserting themselves on the game. Rundle opened the scoring with a confident finish, before producing a moment of magic for his second — fielding a kick inside Henley’s own 22, he burst down the wing, chipped ahead, and regathered to score a stunning solo try. Beesley converted, giving Henley a 12–0 lead.

Henley remained on the front foot, and soon it was Beesley himself slicing through the defence with some fancy footwork to score under the posts. He converted his own try to make it 19–0.

Shipston attempted to disrupt Henley’s momentum but struggled to slow down their quick tempo. Another sharp play from Henley saw Catt tap quickly from a penalty and power over, again converted by Beesley, pushing the score to 26–0.

Shipston responded just before the break with a penalty, going into halftime trailing 26–3 but showing signs of life.

Shipston began the second half with renewed energy, applying real pressure and finally finding a way through Henley’s defence for their first try of the game, narrowing the score to 26–10.

This was the moment Bradbury, Henley’s captain, stepped up. Leading by example, he powered over to re-establish Henley’s control of the match.

Then came a strong surge from Henley: Robertson, solid all game at hooker, crashed over to extend the lead. Not long after, Rundle capped off a sensational performance by completing his hat-trick, finishing off a flowing move and showing the same pace and physicality that had troubled Shipston all game.

To their credit, Shipston refused to fade and crossed the Henley try line twice in quick succession, narrowing the score and showing great spirit.

But Henley had the final say. In the closing moments, Bradbury crossed the line for his second try of the match, capping off a brilliant captain’s performance and sealing the 48–22 win.

Standout Performers:

  • Rundle – A hat-trick hero, combining electric pace with dominant physicality.
  • Beesley – Controlled the game beautifully from fly-half, adding a try and four conversions.
  • Bradbury – Inspirational as captain, scoring two key tries and leading from the front.
  • Robertson – A stabilising force at hooker; reliable and composed throughout.
  • Geggus – A constant attacking threat on the wing, keeping Shipston on their toes.

Man of the Match: Chapman – Relentless work rate in the forwards, consistently disrupting Shipston’s rhythm and setting the tone defensively.

Henley Academy will take plenty of positives from this opening performance. With clear attacking firepower and strong leadership across the field, they’ll look to carry this momentum into their next fixture against Newbury on the 12th October.