Month: September 2024

BEST NEEDED AT SEVENOAKS

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PROSPECTS

Last season we didn’t get off to the start we wanted with an opening-day loss against this week’s opposition, so starting strongly has been a key focus during preseason. Scoring 50 points at home, even considering it was Colchester’s first game in National 2, is a result we can be proud of. There were some fantastic team efforts and standout individual tries that built the score. That said, we’re not getting ahead of ourselves — there is plenty to work on and we know we must improve week by week to build a winning habit.

Sevenoaks away has been a tough fixture for us in recent seasons, as local derbies often are. Over the last two years our performances in this match have been below our own expectations and we have come up short on both occasions. This year, we’re determined to change that and we know we need to be at our best. Saturday will be a great measure of how far we have come.

The Pilgrims also put last season behind them, contributing to a clean sweep for the Men’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd XV. Crowborough have been tough to beat at home over the past two seasons so leaving with a win is a brilliant result for the Pilgrims to build on. The Cannons kicked off their Counties 4 Kent campaign in style with a commanding 60-12 win over Medway’s 3rd XV, no mean feat as the league’s new boys.

The Pilgrims are the other half of this week’s double-header against Sevenoaks and will be looking to keep up their momentum at home on Saturday.

Matt Corker. Head Coach

Around the Ground

Around the Ground at the MTG

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

The 2024/25 season has returned with a bang! Three senior teams were out last Saturday bringing home three victories. We also had an exciting demonstration of Wheelchair Rugby from our Hellfires team who were joined by representatives from Crawley Jets and Brighton Buccaneers. Hellfire player Owain West was presented with a new wheelchair by Steve Brown, former captain of the GB wheelchair rugby squad and Hellfires Lead Coach. The custom built wheelchairs run into thousands of pounds and thanks to a deposit paid through money left to Owain from his granddad Barrie West, and funding from Cauldwell Children, Owain now has his own chair, leaving a club chair vacant for whoever wants to give this exhilarating and fast paced sport a try.

Continued support for the club from our business partners is so important, and with that we would like to thank Quinn Estates (Match Sponsor), City Contractors LTD (Ball Sponsor), East Kent Recycling Ltd and Gray Plant Hire (Lunch Sponsors) for their generous support on Saturday.

Our fantastic home game online live stream was brought to us by MMS-360 (Streaming Partner) and powered by OrbitalNet (Network Partner). The full match can be watched back at https://cantrugby-live.uk.

Last weekend’s scores

Canterbury 53 – 13 Colchester
Crowborough 15 – 21 Pilgrims
Canons 60 – 12 Medway III

Tonbridge Juddians 28 – 31 Canterbury U18 1st XV

This weekend’s fixtures and training

Saturday 14/09

Sevenoaks v 1st XV – Away KO 3.00pm
Pilgrims v Sevenoaks 2nds – Home KO 3.00pm
Sheppey v Canons – Away KO 3.00pm
Deacons v Sheppey 2nds – Home KO 3.00pm
Zingari v New Ash Green 2nds  – Home KO 3.00pm

Sunday 15/09

Horsham Women v Canterbury Women – Away KO TBC

Mini and Youth

U6 – Main Pitch Deadball area –  9.00am to 10.00am
U7- Grids – 9.00am to 10.00am
U8- Langton 4G – 9.00am to 10.30am
U9- Langton 4G – 9.30am to 10.00am
U10- Top Orchard – 9.00am to 10.30am
U11- Bottom Orchard – 9.00am to10:30am
U12- Training Pitch 10:30am to 12.00pm
U13- v London Irish, Bottom Orchard – 12.00pm KO
U14- Top Orchard – 10:30 to 12.00pm
U15- Top Pitch – 10:30 to 12.00pm
U16- Langton 4G from 10:30am
Colts 2nds v Thanet, Main Pitch – 12.00pm KO
Girls U12-U16 v Thanet (A)
Girls U18 v Old Alleynians (A)

Canterbury Rugby Club and Marine Travel extend a warm welcome to all visiting teams, players, and supporters.

Pre-match lunches

There are still places and tables available at our home game pre-match lunches. Food, drink, raffle, auction, and good company before home games. What’s not to like?

21-Sep-24 Worthing
05-Oct-24 Havant
12-Oct-24 Westcombe Park
26-Oct-24 Barnes
16-Nov-24 Bury St Edmunds
07-Dec-24 Oxford Harlequins
21-Dec-24 Sevenoaks
18-Jan-25 Guernsey
15-Feb-25 Tonbridge Juddians
08-Mar-25 Old Albanian
22-Mar-25 Henley

Contact kirsty@cantrugby.co.uk to book a place or a table of 8 – 12

Memberships

If you still haven’t renewed your club membership, now is the time to do it. All members must renew through the RFU GMS system. Details are available on the memberships page of the club website – https://cantrugby.co.uk/membership/

Alternatively, Sally will be at the Club to help Tues- 10th, Wed 11th, (6.00pm-7.00pm) Thurs 12th (6.30pm – 7.00pm), Sat 21st Worthing at home from 1.00pm -3.00pm.

You can also email members@cantrugby.co.uk. Associate members and season ticket holders will receive a card in the post. If this has not been received by 18th September please email Sally. Black membership cards will continue to give a discount at the bar/shop and Saucy Flo’s but will no longer give access to the ground on match days. That will be by Season card only. Age grade members can collect their cards from Sally on Sunday morning or during the midweek evening training at the times mentioned. All Seniors cards will be issued through the coaches.

Save the date!

Along with LGT Wealth Management, we are once again hosting our famous City Lunch at Smith & Wollensky on November 20th, 2024 at noon.

Lawrence Dallaglio OBE will be the guest speaker, and the cost will be £125 per person including a drink on arrival and wine with your lunch. For more details contact kirsty@cantrugby.co.uk

 

We wish you all the best of rugby!

Pilgrims Take Revenge

Posted on | by David Haigh

Crowborough 15 Canterbury Pilgrims 21

by Dan Gill

Pilgrims opened their Counties 1 Kent title defence with a tough fixture at Steel cross where they lost their 17-game winning run towards the end of last season against a Crowborough side who have been unbeaten at home for over a year. This time they took revenge
The opening minutes were even until Crowborough capitalised on a clear knock on missed by the official to score under the posts making the conversion a formality, giving the home side a 7-0 lead.
The Pilgrims drew level quickly after a well worked line out on the Crow’s 22 saw openside flanker Jake Dengate pick a good line, make a strong run and crash over for the try which fly half Tom McMann converted.
Crowborough were trying to apply pressure but were met with a defensive wall that was proving difficult to break down, with tackles flying in from forwards and backs alike. The home side were the next to score, however, but only after Canterbury were reduced to 14 after hard hitting back row forward Henry Kenny was adjudged to have infringed at the breakdown and received a yellow card. Sonny Trew-Neville had to step into the scrum from the wing and Crowborough utilised good handling skills to exploit the space he had left and score in the corner to make it 12-7 at half time.
After the restart and having returned to a full complement, Pilgrims looked to reassert themselves and came close to scoring after a strong run from full back Jack Cohen, but simple handling errors and mistakes were making the side masters of their own downfall. Crowborough punished some poor breakdown work with a penalty goal before the Pilgrims came back strongly. Captain Alex Evans lead from the front all day with some thunderous tackling and direct running and it was he who had the ball over the line out wide after good work from forwards and backs. He broke from a maul and dived over but the referee saw a cynical infringement in the process and awarded a penalty try.
The home side came close to scoring shortly afterwards, but some dogged defence on their own goal line saw Pilgrims scrum half Hector Valladares latching onto the ball and forcing the penalty after stopping numerous drives.
Pilgrims then had their best spell of the game and an organised driving maul gave the backs a platform and they moved the ball from one side of the pitch to the other to send wing Adrian Geddes over in the corner. Jack Cohen stepped up to slot the touchline conversion to give his side the lead for the first time with eight minutes remaining.
A boisterous home crowd did their best to spur Crow’s into a response, but Pilgrims defence continued to drive them back and only a last ditch tackle on prop James Everatt stopped a further Canterbury score. The Pilgrims showed great determination to avenge last season’s big loss and end Crowborough’s fine home record.

SEVEN TRY BLAST

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY 53 COLCHESTER 13

by David Haigh

This thumping victory gave Canterbury an ideal start to the new National 2 East league season. They dominated all areas as they crushed the league newcomers with a blast of seven tries. Although Head Coach Matt Corker said afterwards that there is still work to do he has plenty of talent at his disposal as he looks to smooth any rough edges. The city side’s forwards quickly took control and thirteen points in the first twenty minutes, through Cameron Macmillan’s catch and drive try and a conversion and two Frank Reynolds penalty goals, set the pattern. A Corey Button penalty goal put Colchester on the scoreboard but they were soon learning that life at a higher level will need serious adjustment. Their failure to contain a vibrant Canterbury backs division cost them dearly as Aiden Moss and Garry Jones scored converted tries to push the lead out to 27-3 at half time. The punishment was piled on early in the second half as two expertly marshalled catch and drives brought hooker Eoin O’Donoghue, who enjoyed an outstanding a game, a brace of tries. Colchester’s best spell was born of their ability to read Canterbury errors and a couple of unwise passes were intercepted to give the visitors rare attacking territory. Tries from Mike Stanway and Leroy O’Neil brought them temporary relief but in the last quarter it was business as usual for Canterbury. Frank Morgan sold a neat dummy to get his side’s sixth try and and a brilliant individual effort from replacement scrum half Tom Williams, which started in his own half, rounded off this impressive performance. Eighteen points from the boot of Reynolds, six conversions and two penalty goals, set last season’s top league points scorer firmly on his way once again.
Canterbury: H.Young, G.Jones, A.Moss, F.Morgan, M.Campbell, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, C.Macmillan, E.O’Donoghue, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, C.Thomas, H.Furneaux, T.Oliver. Replacements: N.Morris, O.Frostick, S.Rogers, T.Williams. K.Heatherley

TARGETING A STRONG START

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PROSPECTS

As we turn the page on preseason, this week represents the transition from preparation to action with our first league fixture awaiting us on Saturday. The squad has been outstanding over the past ten weeks, meeting every challenge we have thrown at them head-on. The data shows what we’ve already seen in training — most of the squad is in the best physical shape they’ve been in for the last four years, which is a credit to their hard work.

Having retained the majority of the squad for a second season we have come into this preseason further along the road than in previous years. Our strong finish to last season has given us a solid platform to build on and the new additions to the group have only strengthened us, adding depth and real competition for places.

The three warm-up games have been competitive and exactly what we needed. Esher and Blackheath provided us with valuable insights into where we’re strong and where we need to sharpen up. Harpenden gave us a different kind of challenge — a wet, physical game on a 3G pitch. That was important preparation as the three newly promoted teams this season all play on similar surfaces, so the experience will serve us well.

The Blackheath game was a great learning experience. It reminded us how crucial it is to make the most of the opportunities we create. That’s the next step we need to take if we want to start our league campaign on the right foot.

Colchester arrive at the Marine Travel Ground off the back of an exceptional season. They only lost two matches and finished 15 points clear of second place. Last season’s opener didn’t go the way we’d hoped and we’ve spent the summer preparing to ensure we start better this time around. Tomorrow is our chance to show what we are capable of and set the tone for the season ahead.

The Pilgrims’ trip to Crowborough highlights the level of competition we’ve got within the squad. The strength of the team travelling there speaks for itself. Crowborough was their final game of last season and those involved haven’t forgotten the bad result. They’re eager to put that right and give a much better account of themselves this time around.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

And we are off!!

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

To celebrate the Paris 2024 Paralympics, the first home game of the season, and welcoming Colchester to National 2 East, Canterbury Hellfire is bringing Wheelchair Rugby to the Marine Travel Ground for the very first time. Players, Members, Supporters, and Sponsors are all invited to come and see the incredible fast pace, hard hits, and amazing skills that come together in Wheelchair Rugby as a thank you from Hellfire for your support over the years.

Wheelchair Rugby is normally played indoors on a basketball court but to shake things up Hellfire along with many of the very best Wheelchair Rugby players from across the South East of England will be playing outside. In another first we have spare chairs and all the kit needed so you too can become part of the team, you don’t need a disability to be part of this extraordinary event. You will even get coached by 2012 Team GB Captain and Hellfire Lead Coach Steve Brown and Brighton Coach and former Hellfire member Omar Foster.

Tip off (the Wheelchair Rugby version of a kick off) is at 12:30. Get strapped in and come and be part of our amazing #OneClub experience.

Wasps’ Strategic Move to Kent: A Game-Changer for English Rugby

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

In a bold and transformative move, Wasps Rugby Club is set to make a significant comeback by potentially relocating to Kent, a region often overlooked in professional rugby. This move, expected to take place during the 2025-26 season, could be a turning point for the sport in England, not only reviving a storied club but also unlocking a new, fertile ground for rugby talent.

A Strategic Resurgence

Wasps, who entered administration in 2022, have been exploring ways to re-establish themselves in English rugby’s competitive landscape. The latest plans suggest that the club will play at The Valley, in a ground-share arrangement with Charlton Athletic, as they prepare for their revival in the Championship. However, this is more than just a venue shift—it’s a strategic decision with far-reaching implications.

Kent, known as the Garden of England, is home to 63 community rugby clubs, yet it remains largely untapped by the professional rugby circuit. The county has produced a number of top-tier players, but many have had to leave the region to pursue professional opportunities. By establishing a permanent base in Kent, Wasps aim to provide a clear pathway for local talent, ensuring that the region’s potential is fully realised.

The Broader Impact

The implications of Wasps’ move extend beyond the rugby pitch. This decision is part of a broader effort by the RFU and Premiership Rugby to decentralize talent development, ensuring that promising players don’t have to travel long distances to access elite training facilities. With plans for satellite hubs and revised academy boundaries, the landscape of English rugby is evolving to become more inclusive and regionally diverse.

Canterbury Rugby Club Leads the Charge

While Wasps are laying the groundwork for their future in Kent, Canterbury Rugby Club has already taken significant action. Recognising the need to develop local talent, Canterbury has launched an academy linked to Archbishop’s School in the city. This innovative program offers four rugby sessions a week to pupils aged 16 to 18, many of whom are refugees from Ukraine and Syria. The initiative is designed to bridge the gap between grassroots and professional rugby, helping local players transition into the professional ranks.

Funded by local sponsors and independent of the RFU system, Canterbury’s academy is part of a larger strategy to position the club as a key player in the region’s rugby ecosystem. The club is in talks with Saracens to establish Canterbury as a hub for their satellite academy, ensuring that talented players in Kent have a direct route to top-tier rugby without leaving the county.

A Vision for the Future

Wasps’ potential move to Kent represents a significant opportunity to transform the region into a powerhouse of English rugby. With Canterbury Rugby Club already taking the lead in talent development, the Garden of England is poised to become a key contributor to the national rugby scene.

As Wasps work towards securing a permanent home in Kent, they stand to not only strengthen the game but also to create a lasting impact on the community. This move could mark the beginning of a new era for English rugby, where regions like Kent play a central role in shaping the future of the sport.

Stay tuned as Wasps, a club with a rich history, embarks on this transformative journey. The potential for growth, both on and off the field, is immense, and the future of rugby in Kent has never looked brighter.

Read the full article at – https://lnkd.in/ej3PnZJT (subscription needed)

 

Kurt Heatherley

KURT JOINS THE SQUAD

Posted on | by David Haigh

NEW SIGNING

As we head into the opening game of new National 2 East league season with a home fixture against Colchester, the club have announced a major addition to the senior squad.

Former Auckland and Jersey centre Kurt Heatherley is joining us after a summer playing on the Sevens circuit in France for Clermont.
Head Coach Matt Corker said:”We are really excited to add a player with Kurt’s experience and physical presence to our squad. He will add a great deal to the team and I am looking forward to seeing him show his quality at the Marine Travel Ground”

The 29-year-old New Zealander, who has British ancestry, is an all round sportsman who was a star Australian Rules football player before switching to Rugby. He represented Auckland in the Mitre Cup competition before joining former English Championship side Jersey Reds.

Kurt already has a Canterbury connection with friend and colleague at Jersey, our former second row player Shay Kerry, now with Championship club Bedford.