Fareham Heathens RFC on brink of sealing cup final appearance in London

Fareham Heathens are just 80 minutes away from reaching a cup final. Back (from left): Harry King, Ade Taylor, Jonny Guald, Jim Gardner, Graeme Wilson, James Whitefield, Steve Compton-Rae, Pete Samways, Matt Carter, Josh Bisset, John Corner, AJ Mills. Front: Ross Finden, Henry Brown, Max Maidwell, Cameron Guthrie, Louis Cadden, Brandon Draper, James Lee.

They reached the semi-final of the Papa Johns South Shield with a 24-14 victory over Dartmouth at Cams Alders.

Now they host another Devon club, Totnes, this Saturday with a place in the final at the Stone X Stadium, the home of Saracens, on May 7 awaiting the winners.

Heathens have hit some good form since the Hampshire Counties 3 season finished with them second bottom, with just five wins in 22 games.

They received a walkover in the first round of the South Shield as scheduled hosts Fairford, in Gloucestershire, couldn’t raise a side.

Fareham then thrashed Guildfordians away by a 46-26 margin to reach the quarter-finals.

Heathens are hoping to follow in the footsteps of another local club, Havant, and reach a Papa Johns final.

Hampshire’s highest-ranked team will take on Yorkshire club Driffield in the Regional 1 Championship final at Twickenham this coming Sunday (5pm).

Havant have never played at the west London venue before and the match is possibly the biggest in the club’s history.