Civil Service say Barnes are beatable.

The visitors kicked off and stayed in the opposition half helped by Barnes' errors to get the first penalty. Their pack set for a drive from 13 metres out but the defence was too good and forced the second penalty 4 metres out. Barnes got out of their own half with that and setup their first attack. This faltered with a serious injury to their wing Strong who had to go off. They stole a line-out then were penalised after several recycles. Service ran the penalty then kicked upfield to get a scrum in the other half from pressure on a defender. An excellent sequence of phases took them to another put-in 5 metres out. They got a penalty just after that and put the ball into touch for a 5-metre line-out. After Barnes' pack held that, they released wide bringing fullback Peel into the line and he side-stepped left rather than going wider to touch down fairly wide out after 16 minutes. He converted.

Barnes had a ball stolen at the back of their scrum then were penalised taking Service to their line-out 17 metres from their opponents' try line. Their pack tried to drive but were turned over. Barnes ran upfield then won a penalty; they kicked for a line-out then had that stolen. Service increased their lead with a penalty kicked by Peel after several good phases then kicking into the 22 and tackling the last defender early in the second quarter. Barnes now responded. They regained their restart; centre Butler and flanker Givens took the ball forward before possession was lost 6 metres out. They wheeled the opposition put-in to get their own. From the scrum they released to centre then set up a drive to the line. This was held up over the line then from their next scrum they first kept ball close then after one recycle fly-half Williams-Davies went to the posts and just got there, before the half-hour. Wehbe added. The rest of the half was played in Barnes' territory with the home side playing liberally yet comfortably contained by Civil Service.

Barnes' fullback Wehbe had a good run early in the second half. 5 metres out Barnes were penalised then sent 10 metres further back. They stole the subsequent line-out in the opposition half and threw the ball about without advancing. Service got the next scrum and soon tried a chip-through; Barnes dealt with this and after one recycle Williams-Davies sent a very good kick close to the corner flag and the visitors had to clear to touch inside their own 22. Service were probably expecting a drive from the opposition pack but quick ball was got to Butler who advanced to get ball wide for Reeves to cross near the corner inside 6 minutes. A very good conversion from Wehbe followed. After an error, Barnes stopped a Service attack and won a penalty to get into the other half. The visitors' defence was good and when they regained possession Peel made a strong break then kicked ahead before being impeded; the ref. said illegally and reduced Barnes to 14 for 10. The touch kick from where the ball landed took Service to a line-out 6 metres out. They kept ball tight but the defence was too good and won a penalty. Another on half-way got them to their line-out at their opponents' 22. The pack drove to 8 metres out then two recycles got them a penalty 5 metres out and both teams down to 14 men. The ball was put into touch and driven over by the pack with flanker Malaney's hands on the ball on 16 minutes. The conversion was wide.

The restart kick went 9 metres and Barnes knocked it on. Service got a penalty as Barnes wheeled the scrum. A very good touch kick took them to within 6 metres. They defence was good but conceded a kickable penalty, 7 metres out, which was missed by Peel. Service ran back the 22 drop-out to get another, further back but straighter and he kicked this at 23 minutes. Service got the first scrum after the restart but Barnes got the next penalty taking them to a line-out inside the opposition 22. They varied their recycling before scrumhalf Reeves broke to the line before the half-hour. Wehbe added. Service regained their restart and quickly broke through, chipping to the corner. Barnes just got back to touch down. The visitors attacked well from the 22 drop-out. Wing Hersey intercepted and nearly got away but was ankle-tapped by Peel. Barnes continued on and into the opposition 22. They were forced back then came again before having their long-thrown line-out stolen just outside the Civil Service 22. Barnes were penalised in Service's half then from the line-out the visitors advanced to get the next scrum. From that fly-half Lapidus made a break and offloaded to create an overlap for three-quarter Price to cross at the corner. The conversion was wide at the final whistle.

Bright, warm in direct sunlight, cool in the shade, a little breeze occasionally.