ENGLAND 2003 World Cup winner Lewis Moody visited Overton Minis for a training session last Sunday.

Initiated by under eights’ coach Stuart Miners through contacts with the Brain Tumour Charity of which Moody is an Ambassador through the Lewis Moody Foundation which he and his wife set up after injury forced the end of a long and illustrious playing career.

Moody posed for photos and signed autographs after visiting every age group assisting with coaching and imparting advice and wisdom to players and coaches alike.

The former England star commented that to be at a grass roots rugby club, in the mud and rain, bought back happy memories of how he started in the game running around with his mates and having a great time.

Moody was also able to keep an eye on the first team pitch as it slowly turned to mud where Overton and Fordingbridge combined under-14’s ran out winners against visitors Gosport and Fareham.

The previous day, the injury hit Hampshire Two leaders Overton lost at a new look Southampton side 20-12 The home side quickly realised that Overton’s wingers were struggling with pace and affected by the low sun, Southampton used their kicking game to keep their visitors pressed back.

Overton’s heavier pack dominated the early exchanges and ensured the village side were consonantly pressing forward and threatened the try line on a number of occasions with poor decision making and handling ensuring that the home side line was not breached.

Southampton struck first as again poor decision making gifted the ball to Southampton in their own 22, they were then allowed to shift the ball several times to run in a good score.

Overton struck back shortly after with strong running in the centres with support either side Dan Wright off loaded for captain Tristian Harper to score under the posts.

With a few minutes to go to half time further in discipline allowed Southampton a three point lead at the interval.

The second period started brightly for the home side as Overton tired and Southampton used their bench to keep up their intensity.

Overton used their front row dominated bench but were unable to reassert their first half dominance in the set pieces as Southampton held their own in the scrums and Overton’s lineout throwing was way off mark.

Further transgressions saw Overton concede penalties that allowed the Home side to pull clear.

Poor upfront tackling, normally a strength of the village side, allowed Southampton to score again and seal the game.

Overton managed to get back on top in the last 10 minutes but it was too little to late.

A further indiscretion by Ashley Pearless ensured the visitors finished the game with 14 players.

A driving maul from a rare Overton lineout success saw Harper score again, a conversion would have given the visitors a losing bonus point but this went wide.

A further opportunity went amiss as in the dying seconds of the game a decision to go for a lineout rather than a goal kick went drastically wrong allowing Southampton to kick the ball out of play.

On Saturday, Overton are at Petersfield, second in Hampshire One, in the semi final of the County Plate competition.

This will be a stern test for the village side and show what they will have to contend with if they manage to gain promotion.

Perhaps this will be an opportunity to ring the changes moving some of the rising stars in the seconds up.

Coaches Jonty Spall and JJ Inglis still have selection issues with several first team starters still unavailable from before the Southampton game but they will be able to see all the village sides players in action as the second team are also at Petersfield in a Solent Merit Two game against Petersfield seconds.

Overton seconds played at Laverstoke Park last weekend and faced a Millbrook side who were looking to move up on the village side who are one place above them in the league.

Unlike earlier in the season when Millbrook secured a five point victory using their young players to best advantage against a more senior Laverstoke park outfit team captain and manager Paul Bond was able to have the pick of the youngsters from within the club and used these players well.

The combination of youth and experience saw the home side run out 53-0 victors.

Tom Jolly, Rory Kerr and Marcus Blunden all showed well as did the more seasoned campaigners, however the visitors did not make the victory an easy one and never gave up chasing making sure Overton had to work for every point.