The Met Police signed off the 25-26 season with a statement victory, running in 11 tries on a hard, dry and dusty Imber Court. Entertaining Chipstead, with very little at stake for either side beyond pride, the Met might have expected a lacklustre performance, particularly with the hangover from midweek Cup success, but the two clubs that have unquestionably under-achieved over the League season produced a festival of running rugby, befitting the glorious weather. The Met confirmed their position as the League's second highest scoring home team and the second highest try bonus point winners, just behind runaway Champions Old Hamptonians.
An incredibly scrappy first five minutes barely saw all the opening exchanges take place between the halfway line and Chipstead's 10m line, without either side managing to retain possession. There was no sign of what was to come although Chipstead tried to move the ball at every opportunity. Aspiration exceeded ability and their nod to festival rugby was more a jam in a garden shed rather than the Pyramid at Glastonbury - the timing was off and more than a few passes were out of tune. The Met took advantage of Chipstead's mishandling to force their way into the 22 but without receiving the benefit of the referee's decisions. From a scrum put-in just inside the 22, everything suddenly clicked for Chipstead and crisp handling saw them go the full length to score in the opposite corner. A regathered chip, three passes and little more than a hand laid on a hooped jersey.
Chipstead may have flattered to deceive. The restart again saw the game fixed on Chipstead's 10m line. The visitors continued to move the ball with varying degrees of precision but were unable to gain territory. When the ball eventually went into touch, the Met had their first set-piece. The shortened lineout was duly won and the ball whistled down the line to Alaistair Short. The second row took off on the straightest running line Imber Court has probably ever witnessed. Looking more like Jonah Lomu than any lock in history, Short went straight through the centres and over the Chipstead full-back to score under the posts. The 52m carry was the furthest of any forward at Imber Court this season. Kallum Rees landed his first of six conversions, having taken the kicking duties from Sam Druce who had a heavily strapped thigh.
The try was a lightbulb moment for the Met. Although Chipstead had shown a desire to play an expansive game, their very youthful starting XV was somewhat under-powered to take on the pure heft of the Police. With Short's example fresh in the mind, the Met began taking on their opponents via route one. Stealing a lineout just outside their own 22, the Met stormed up the middle of the pitch. A potential knock-on escaped the referee's scrutiny and a kick through by Stirrup led to Sam Druce crossing in the corner. It was from another lineout, this time on their own throw, that Will Ferguson rose to gather the ball and set off for the try-line some 30m away. Two side-steps of which Bielle-Biarrey would have been proud and Ferguson touched down a glittering try.
With little over half-an-hour gone, Kofi Butcher finished off a flowing movement that had seen hooker Allen race some distance and execute a clever offload before the ball travelled through the three-quarters to the opposite wing, and the Met had their try bonus point. The Police's try bonus tally has only been bettered by champions Old Hamptonians this season, a remarkable testament to the Met's attacking ability.
Chipstead's determination to play a running game was admirable but the Met continually disrupted their efforts, and the penalty count began to tot up. An attacking lineout following one such penalty brought a try for hooker Allen and the Met went into half-time 29-7 to the good.
From the first lineout of the second half, just inside Met territory, Ferguson, leaping like a salmon, caught the throw and stormed up field, this time with his mates on hand. The Met moved the ball left then right, then left again until the ball found its way to Short, once again bidding for the centre shirt and there was no stopping the big man as he stormed under the posts.
Conor Finch added his name to the score sheet when Chipstead attempted to dink the ball over the Met defence, only for the ball to do what rugby ball's so often do, bouncing viciously back into the hands of the flailing yellow shirts and a precise inside pass put the centre under the posts unopposed.
Rugby is nothing if not an even-handed mistress and Chipstead quickly got their pay-back as winger Alfie Lamb chipped a little too strongly but a wicked bounce took the ball away from three Met defenders and centre Tom Lowe had the easiest of touchdowns adjacent to the posts. It did not signal a wholesale change in the visitors' fortunes. The Met quickly re-established themselves in the attacking half and, again, sloppy handling undid every Chipstead attempt to relieve the pressure. The Met, on the other hand (sic), found everything sticking. A half-break by Chris Padman followed by a sublime offload stretched the Chipstead defence; Willie Allen was on hand to juggle a pass that initially hit the back of his shoulder and run in his second try of the afternoon.
The Met's dominance of the lineout created yet another opening for Allen to drive through the Chipstead centres and Will Ferguson was again on hand to pick up at the base of a ruck and gallop 35 metres to score his second try of the afternoon. With the scoreboard showing 55-12, the Met understandably became a little cavalier in their own approach and a pass straight into opposite winger Alfie Lamb's hands gave the Chipstead man a 50 metre run to the line and a rather eccentric splashdown under the Met posts.
The lineout continued to be a source of joy for the hosts and skipper Joe Stirrup was next to benefit as a catch and drive created acres of space on the blind-side for the scrum-half to add his name to the scoring roster. He doubled his tally a few moments later completing a length-of-the pitch counter, with Kallum Rees's sixth conversion taking the Met to their highest points tally of the season.
In a fitting testament to their contribution to an enjoyable exhibition, Chipstead had the best of the closing minutes, not only driving the Met pack backwards against the head and earning a penalty, they finally secured a lineout with a throw over the top and immediately crossed the line to earn their own try-bonus point and herald the full-time whistle.
In the grand scheme of things, the result had no bearing on the final League table. The Met finished in 10th place, well clear of the two teams below them but still short of 8th and 9th. Like the Met, Chipstead will be disappointed with the 2026 half of the League season, finishing 7th, having been in the top four mix for much of the season. Still, the Met can be satisfied that they have a substantial roster to choose from and have fulfilled fixtures in spite of considerable draws on policing on Saturdays over the last eight months. The inevitable retirements will no doubt be felt on many levels but the future is bright.