WYMONDHAM Rugby Club's pre-season programme continues on Saturday with a testing trip to Saffron Walden - who ply their trade one league above the Tuttles Lane outfit.

WYMONDHAM Rugby Club's pre-season programme continues on Saturday with a testing trip to Saffron Walden - who ply their trade one league above the Tuttles Lane outfit.

This is the penultimate friendly before the season opener against Beccles on September 12 and involves both first and second XV squads.

It will be the toughest examination of Dave Masdin's preparations and the club's current strength in depth.

This will also the last game for Tommy Elias who travels to Sandhurst next week where he begins his training with the army and the club wish him every good fortune.

The coach leaves Wymondham club at 11am.

First squad (from): M Buckham, S Clover, D Coltman, M Kerridge, J Cousens, C Shelton, S Sims, R Hibbert, J Wyatt, J Kelly, S Forton, G Clifford, L Summers, S Hickey, J Coltman, A Turner, A Nelson (captain), J Elias, M White, D Bake, A McAlister, P Turner.

Second squad (from): M Wake, S Holton, S Brown, B Martin, J Lake, M da Silva, M House, D Sillett, M Unstead, C Sykes, R Miller, M Dunsdon (captain), J Turner, B Pilgrim, B Larke, T Elias, J Mickleborough, G Shepherd, I More.

Thetford 19, Wymondham 64

Wymondham's second pre-season friendly ended with a comprehensive victory over Thetford but the young T's squad put up a stern test for the Wymondham side who were missing several key first-team players.

The game was played in four 20-minute quarters. Wymondham romped out of the blocks blasting Thetford with three tries (Clifford, Summers, Shelton) that left the home side reeling but towards the end of the quarter Thetford rallied with a try from Barry Scott.

In the second quarter Thetford had all of the play but determined defence and some poor finishing kept the score sheet blank.

At the start of the third quarter Wymondham's youngsters displayed some inexperience, handing the ball to Thetford who took an instant reward with a try from James Gardiner converted by Tony Watson, bringing the scores to within five and giving Thetford a welcome morale boost and visions of a victory.

This single score though acted as a wake up call for Wymondham who, collectively, came to life scoring 47 unanswered points with tries from Sims, Summers, Kerridge two, Harris and Turner.

With ten minutes left an injury to Sims left Wymondham without a general to direct backs play and the game became loose and fragmented allowing Thetford's Martin Sands to score a final try at the end of the game.

Final score: Thetford RUFC 19 (Tries: James Gardiner, Barry Scott, Martin Sands. Conv: Tony Watson 2). Wymondham RUFC 64 (Tries: Gareth Clifford, Lee Summers 2, Charlie Shelton, Steve Sims, Mike Kerridge 2, Adam Harris, Alan Turner, Penalty Try. Convs: James Wyatt 3, Sims 4).