A bumper crowd was served up a classic display of running rugby at a sun-baked Leicester Road on Saturday, in an end of season finale that had everything a rugby follower could want. With nothing at stake other than pride, the match felt much like an exhibition match as Hinckley ran in ten tries, including a hat-trick for Will Callan, against the visitors’ four in what became something of a demolition of a Hornets side who had defeated Hinckley in the first game of the season way back in September last year. Hinckley extended their winning run to twelve games, a record for the Club in the national leagues, and consolidated third place in the division. That is the highest ever finish for the Club, equalling the third place achieved in National 2 North in the Covid ravaged 2019-20 season. It all bodes well for next season.

The final quarter was a disappointment, yielding nothing in terms of points and descending into a fractious niggling affair which saw the referee show four yellow cards, one for Hinckley and three for Hornets, in quick succession. That aside though, it was a joyous occasion and a fitting send-off for Head Coach Emyr Lewis’ last game in charge, but in the back of every Hinckley supporter’s mind will have been the question of what might have been had the team not had such a wretched start to the season. Hinckley lost only once in 2026 but lost five of their first seven games in 2025 and found themselves next to bottom of the table in mid-October. It was a spectacular turn-around and should be celebrated as such but the ‘if only’ question will not go away.

The fun started early when Will Callan picked up at the back of a maul 10m from the Hornets line and wriggled over for the first try, converted by Tom Addison.

Hornets responded almost immediately and Hinckley found themselves defending on their own line after a series of penalties had yielded 50m. Patient work from the visitor’s eventually allowed centre Connor Vickery to force his way over the line and Jack Gapper added the extra two….7-7 after twelve minutes.

From the restart, Sam Read knocked the ball back for Oli Bee to pick up. He was pulled down but a chip to the wing and Matt Guilfoyle was able to collect to go over in the corner.

Two minutes later, Ben Pointon made a break from halfway and ran to the line for Addison again to convert.

Rory Vowles chipped over the defence on halfway and a fortunate bounce allowed him to collect and feed inside to Sam Read who crashed over in the corner. It was glorious stuff and when Addison again added the extras, Hinckley led 24-7 after 22 minutes and had their bonus point.

It didn’t stop there! Josh Kent took the restart kick, the ball was worked to halfway, and Kent picked up at the back of the maul to run 50m unchallenged to the line.

Next, from the kick-off, Addison broke out of his 22m to halfway, Devon Coulson came rampaging through to carry to the Hornets 22m and Hinckley won a penalty. Addison kicked to 5m and a splendidly executed set play at the line-out led to Isaac Thompson forcing his way over. When Addison converted, it was 38-7 in the home side’s favour after just 30 minutes.

Hornets were reeling but did grab the next score from a short-range line-out which saw Huw Morgan go over out wide with half-time imminent.

There was still time for another though. Read collected a kick in his own 22m, fed Mitch Lamb who offloaded to Callan to finish an end-to-end move of wonderful quality. Addison converted and the side went in at 45-12.

Hornets came out the sharper and scored the next try from a line-out on the Hinckley 22m, converted by Gapper, but that simply seemed to goad Hinckley.

A tap and go Hinckley penalty in the visitor’s 22m found its way to Addison who chipped to Callan on the wing to go in for his hat-trick try and the half century for the Leicester Road men before another delightful passing interchange in the Hornets 22m yielded a second try for Guilfoyle.

Hornets came back with a classically executed catch and drive from 15m which might in other circumstances have raised questions about the Hinckley defence but no-one was in the mood to criticise, and when Evan Carey notched the tenth try shortly afterwards all was forgiven.

That was it though. The last 20 minutes was tetchy and unpleasant and certainly tried the referee’s patience. It was awful stuff but when the final whistle came all that was remembered was the beauty of what had gone before.

Nick Robinson