Despite some heavy showers, both sides felt the benefit of some match play after a month of fitness training, balls skills and unit work. For Avon, it was heartening to see an extra 12 players on the side lines, allowing the coaches to rotate their playing squad to give everybody some game time. It was also a useful exercise to test out the new tackle laws with the three sessions being sympathetically controlled by Somerset referee Wayne Davis.

The main emphasis was on a decent run out for the squad but the friendly match was notable for new Avon recruit Lister Metcalfe scoring 2 tries on his debut at the tender age of 43 years. The other Avon tries were touched down by Zak Harwood, Dan Cousineau and Jack Moore. Combe Down responded with three tries to complete the scoring.