Rosslyn Park destroyed this match as any sort of competitive spectacle with a devastating opening burst.

They had the four-try bonus point safely in the locker after only 17 minutes, and at 42-0 after 25 minutes it was effectively all over.

In the first minute the home side broke away up the left and worked the ball inside where prop Will Collier, coming on to the ball at speed was simply unstoppable, setting up an easy conversion for Ross Laidlaw.

There was an element of fortune about the second try. Fielding a kick out of defence well into their own half, the visitors tried to play their way out, only for a pass to ping off a player’s chest to concede possession.

The ball was gratefully received and worked wide to James Strong who sprinted in at the corner before the defence could recover, Laidlaw’s boot making it 14-0 after 4 minutes.

Rosslyn Park were straight back on the attack, and after some forward pressure the ball was spread for centre Billy O’Driscoll to lope in, Laidlaw again converting for 21-0.

There was an anxious moment for home supporters when skipper Rob Jewell limped off having popped a calf muscle. Marc Sweeney moved from the wing to replace him at centre, scrum half Allen Chilten moved to the wing and Graham Barr came off the bench to play scrum half.

It didn’t halt the home side’s relentless attacking, and it was indeed a long pass from Barr out to the left that played a part in the next score; the ball was quickly worked back to the other wing where Strong galloped in past a stretched defence to register the 4-try bonus, Laidlaw converting for 28-0.

Surging back on the attack, only four minutes later, Marc Sweeney sprinted in to finish off another good move.

The forwards, more than playing their part in establishing domination, soon drove to the line and visiting flanker Dean Sole earned 10 minutes in the sin bin for his role in halting it.

Any relief was short lived as the home side, from the penalty, set up another drive and Chris Ritchie was the player who got the ball to ground.

Ross Laidlaw maintained his 100% kicking record to make it 42-0 after only 25 minutes.

It was impossible that such intensity could be maintained, and when Rosslyn Park did ease back a bit on the throttle, plucky ‘Combe showed they were not as bad as the opening spell had made them look.

A penalty in front of the posts on 27 minutes saw scrum half Lee Audis kick them onto the scoreboard at 42-3.

The home side began to leak the odd penalty, Howard Quigley was given a yellow card and silly indiscipline saw another penalty brought forward 10 metres to a position that allowed the kick to find touch deep in their 22.

The last play of the half saw the home side belt the ball out of play behind their own in-goal to bring the whistle.

Given time to regroup, Rosslyn Park began the second half smartly with an attack up the left that saw Chilten bundled into touch near the line. ‘Combe then made one of those utter cock-ups that so often afflict sides that are struggling.

Awarded a penalty to relieve the pressure, instead they took a quick tap and passed the ball straight to O’Driscoll who had only really to place the ball down, Laidlaw again converting.

Hooker Chris Ritchie then limped off for the home side, flanker Jonny Barrett joining the front row, with Martin Anayi replacing him at flanker.

‘Combe came back with a good try, lock John Chance powerfully driving on to set up the opportunity for Audis to get over the line and convert his own try.

However, instead of building on that, with the home engine now developing the odd splutter, ‘Combe reached again for the button marked ‘self-destruct’. Trying to play out of defence, they passed to Sweeney who sauntered in to give Laidlaw his eighth conversion to stretch the lead to 56-10 after 48 minutes.

Game ‘Combe responded with an excellent try: a good move up the left flank put centre Graham Purdy in for 56-15.

But it was inevitable that the home side would have the last words in the matter, and they needed no ‘assist’ from the visitors.

Attacking up the right, some super inter-play between Sweeney and Strong found Graham Barr running wide in support to cross the line.

It was Dylan Pugh’s misfortune to have replaced Laidlaw just before the most difficult kick of the afternoon.

However, some smart work by Pugh contributed to the move that brought the final try, and with it Sweeney’s hat-trick, and the replacement kicked the conversion for 68-15.

A ten-try performance was not a bad way to bring down the curtain on the League season at Rosslyn Park. Now the team must visit Clifton and Canterbury in search of the vital league points that would secure a play-off for promotion.

Rosslyn Park: Simmons; Strong, Jewell (Barr), O’Driscoll, Sweeney; Laidlaw (Pugh); Chilten; Huggett, Ritchie (Anayi), Collier (Daw); Quigley, A Jones; M Jones, Barratt, Underwood.

Sub (did not play): Pape Park scorers: Sweeney (3T), Strong (2T), O’Driscoll (2T), Collier (T), Ritchie (T), Barr (T), Laidlaw (8C), Pugh (C).