Month: September 2021

Ricky Strange

Ricky Strange 1942-2021

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Canterbury Rugby is sad to announce the death of Ricky Strange, who died on 2 September 2021 aged 78. Ricky was born in the northeast but the family moved to Canterbury in 1947. His father, Derrick (Frederick) St Clair Strange, was the senior orthopaedic surgeon at Kent and Canterbury Hospital and dealt with many rugby injuries – when the club started its ‘Broken Bones’ club in the late 1960s, Derrick was an honorary member.

Educated at Stowe School, Ricky was a tough, nuggety scrum half and was promoted to the Canterbury 1st XV when he was only 17. He loved his rugby but at 21 left Canterbury for New York to train in photography and became a leading travel photographer.

He married Mary in 1972 and set up home in Sturry, with children Will, Pete and Lucy although he continued to wander the world, building up an enviable photographic library. His interests changed to antiques and, in his later years, this became an absorbing pursuit for Mary and himself.

He was elected vice president of the club in 1979. The club extends our condolences to his family and friends.

(Our thanks to Tony Girling )

BSERC vs CRFC Away

Match Report – Bury St Edmunds vs Canterbury RFC 1st XV

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

BURY ST EDMUNDS 30 CANTERBURY 22

By Andy Rogers

Given an unprecedented and enforced delay of eighteen months it was of huge credit to both sides that they served up a thoroughly entertaining National 2 South game. The disappointment for Canterbury was finishing on the wrong end of the scoreline after leading at halftime.

In the end it was defensive failures that undid that earlier good work. Despite conceding a first-minute try Canterbury came back to score three of their own before the break. The first saw a steal on the Bury 22 metre line allow Number Eight Tyler Oliver to juggle the ball and touch down.Next was the turn of impressive tight head prop Danny Herriott, in his first start for the club, who took advantage of a dominant line out and burrowed over from close range. It was left to young scrum half Tom Williams – who may have been many peoples man of the match – to score the best try of the game.

Another line out win saw Williams dummy at the base before drifting through the Bury defence to dab down untouched under the posts. Bury replied with a penalty from their ever reliable full back Charlie Reed but with another Canterbury debutant – fly half Frank Reynolds – landing two conversions – and astutely kicking for position when called upon, the city club seemed well set to consolidate their 19-10 half time lead. Bury had other ideas. Directly from the restart, Canterbury’s lack of defensive nous out wide gave Bury winger Mick Stanaway a simple try. Reed converting again. To their credit the young Canterbury side responded positively, moving the ball wide and forcing the home side into some desperate defence. But when a fourth try seemed odds on Bury wing Levi Roper intercepted to run the length of the pitch before putting skipper Matt Bursey in under the posts. That score proved critical because at 27-19 Canterbury were now chasing the game. Reynolds did reply with another penalty but with Bury’s Reed adding three points to complete a perfect kicking performance it was enough to seal the result. Still there were positives for the coaches to work on. The line out and set scrums were impressive. The new half back partnership of Reynolds and Williams looks promising. Lock Jesse De Vries knows how to put in a shift and skipper Jamie Stephens never took a step backwards.

It is the defensive shape in the wide areas that needs immediate attention.

View match photos
v Bury St Edmunds

Images subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Kit up the Nation

Kit out the Nation

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Canterbury RFC is delighted to be supporting BBC’s Make a Difference Kit out the Nation Campaign to help provide sports equipment to children and young people who need it in order to get more active.

The campaign runs for a month and will get the kit to children and teenagers who need it at a time when the pandemic has seen levels of exercise plummet amongst young people.

If you have good condition sports kit that you don’t need, don’t want anymore or is simply lying around unused, you could make a real difference to a young person’s ability to access sport by donating this.

Donations can be made directly to the club at

Canterbury Rugby Football Club
The Marine Travel Ground
Merton Lane N,
Canterbury
CT4 7DZ

on these dates between 9.00 am and 1.00 pm

  • 12th Sept
  • 19th Sept
  • 26th Sep

There will be a designated drop-off point and someone there to take your donation.

For further information on Kit out the Nation please visit the BBC website here.