EIRFC has been acting as a feeder for the Hertfordshire vets teams this season, and three players, namely Stephen ‘Moose’ Renny, Wes Warren and Rondel Bernard, all embraced the county showdowns against Essex with relish on 14 March.

Moose Renny, having been blooded in the clash with Sussex and very much part of the Herts Super Vets set-up (50 plus), clearly enjoyed the game despite the county’s agonising 50-48 loss at Hoe Lane – the home of Hertford RFC.

In ways this was an elevation of sorts, with the backrower putting in a full 80-minute shift this time around from the back of the scrum, and there’s little doubt that his contribution, with a little bit of help from his team-mates, helped steady a listing ship.

For an Essex team, complete with its powerful centre combination and elusive fullback,
certainly hurt the Herts Super Vets team on the scoreboard, as they clicked into gear with a vengeance.

Cue an eventual change in tactics, as Herts, playing with their heads as well as their hearts, opted instead to truck the ball up via their powerful forwards, and it almost brought about the desired result – with Herts agonisingly falling just short at the line.

Moose said: “It was a fantastic game. Essex built a very big lead and ours(Herts) was a massive comeback. We found the key by smashing up through the forwards in the second-half. I really enjoyed it and the referee, I must say, was fantastic.”

It’s possible that the backrower may be pressed into further county action this season.

Wes Warren and Rondel Bernard were instead drafted into the Herts Vets’ team (32-50), and despite a 52-10 loss, they would be the first to admit that the standard and experience was a good one, and that the experience was an enjoyable one at that.

Photo (left to right): Rondel Bernard, 'Moose' Renny and Wes Warren.