ANDY Boyle could not have been prouder of the way his youthful Oxford Harlequins side secured a bonus-point victory over Swindon, writes JACK JOHNSON.
The Marston Ferry Road-based club showed plenty of endeavour against their Wiltshire visitors, but the South West 1 East clash was locked at 0-0 after 40 minutes.
Quins, who were without experienced heads Allan Purchase (illness), Ed Yeats (hand) and Fotu Latu (concussion) fielded two teenagers and a 20-year-old in their back row.
But they kept their heads to run in five second-half tries and triumph 35-3.
Head coach Boyle was delighted with the way Quins handled the disappointment of not making their territory count before the break.
He said: “At 0-0, having not done too much wrong, (although) maybe (we) kicked the ball a little bit too much, we could have gone.
“But the second half was as good as anything I’ve seen here (at Marston Ferry Road).
“We controlled, played sensibly and (18-year-old flanker) Dion Taylor put in, without doubt, the best blind-side performance I have ever seen.
“When a day like that happens, I could not be prouder of my team.”
l OXFORD University suffered their first defeat of the season when they were beaten 21-3 at Richmond Vikings.
Captain Conor Kearns kicked a penalty for the Dark Blues.
The sides will meet again at Iffley Road on Saturday, November 25.
l CHINNOR coach Ricky Khan will be involved with the South West Under 18s squad this season.
He has been appointed backs coach by the Rugby Football Union.
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