Injuries to key players proved costly as newly-promoted March Bears started life at a higher level of rugby with a 24-9 home defeat against Mersea Island. Bears were playing their first Counties 2 Eastern Counties League on Saturday on the back of an undefeated season in 2023/24, which saw them gaining a well-deserved promotion This however was to prove an attritional game with little given by either side and for the Bears it was a huge test against a well-drilled, experienced outfit from Mersea Island. With 29 penalties given against Mersea, March officials were baffled why it took until the …