BOURNEMOUTH star Scott Chislett admitted he had realised a boyhood dream – not once but twice – by repeating his Twickenham try-scoring heroics.
The 24-year-old centre, on the scoresheet when Dorset & Wilts triumphed against Leicestershire last year, did the business when Twin Counties yesterday defended their County Championship Shield title.
Part of a Lions sextet in yesterday’s starting XV, Chislett bagged one of six Twin Counties tries to see off Surrey 43-22.
Slow out of the blocks, Dorset & Wilts found their feet and claimed victory after a double from Tom Baldwin and efforts from Bournemouth hooker Frazer Wilford, Wimborne back Lewis Warner and captain Adam Westall, who added 13 points with the boot.
Bournemouth-born Chislett, a former Ferndown Upper School pupil, was delighted to seal back-to-back triumphs at English rugby’s headquarters.
Chislett told the Echo: “When you are growing up, Twickenham is where you want to play your rugby.
“Everyone in rugby would love to play at Twickenham and, luckily, we have done it twice now.”
There were few signs of the runaway second-half success to come as Dorset & Wilts started tentatively in a scrappy opening.
Utilising their powerful pack, Surrey shoved scrum-half Steve Munford over from a patient catch-and-drive.
Dorset & Wilts steadily gained a foothold and their adventurous approach was rewarded when, having stretched the Surrey backline with some expansive phases of play, they struck through Wilford’s burst.
Twin Counties forged further ahead when Westall smashed through from close range before adding a neat conversion.
Accurate with their kicking throughout, fly-halves Matt Noble and Westall traded penalties before the former reduced the arrears to a single point at the interval.
Surrey launched a series of attacks after the break and their pressure told when Fraser Cliverd was sin binned, with Noble slotting the resulting penalty to leave Twin Counties 19-17 adrift.
However, Dorset & Wilts were galvanised by their numerical disadvantage and roared to the silverware with 26 points in the final 27 minutes.
Warner weaved through three defenders to put the reigning champions back in the driving seat. Noble hit back with his fifth penalty but Dorset & Wilts were not to be denied.
With 18 minutes remaining, they ended Surrey’s hopes with a try from Baldwin, who scored after an excellent break from Bournemouth scrum-half Sam Hardcastle, who was a bright influence all afternoon.
Chislett capitalised on a mistake to cruise over unopposed before Baldwin completed the scoring.
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