RHINOS kicked off their league campaign in London Division 3 North West with a north London derby defeat at Firs Farm in Southgate on Saturday. Haringey had endured a rigorous period of pre-season training under new head coach...

RHINOS kicked off their league campaign in London Division 3 North West with a north London derby defeat at Firs Farm in Southgate on Saturday.

Haringey had endured a rigorous period of pre-season training under new head coach and ex-player Tim Hutchins, but were nonetheless ill-prepared for their first competitive game due to a number of absentees.

Old Ashmoleans ran in two converted tries in the opening 20 minutes, and it took sustained pressure from Rhinos to get back into the game as Dom Gaines put winger Vusi Mudluli over in the corner five minutes before half-time.

Alan Cooper (pictured below) successfully added the two points, but the newly-elected captain unfortunately cost his side a try soon after, losing the ball behind his own try-line after an unlucky bounce.

Fourteen points ahead at the break, the home side drew blood again with a three-point drop goal, but Haringey's John McDervit took full advantage of a fumble to run in a 50-metre try, and Cooper's conversion narrowed the deficit to 10 points.

The scoreboard remained unchanged for 25 minutes but, having lost both Gaines and Mudluli to injury, Rhinos conceded two late tries as the game drifted away in the closing minutes.

This Saturday, both Rhinos and their second XV, Haringey Badgers, are playing at home against Old Streetonians and Ealing Exiles respectively. Both matches kick off at 3pm at White Hart Lane Community Sports Centre.