Author: David Haigh

It’s an unchanged squad that takes on North Walsham for the last game of the National 2 East season and it’s a significant day for the visitors who need to earn one league point to ensure they avoid relegation. It is also a special match for two Canterbury players. Sam Rogers will be making his 250th appearance for the first team and prop Billy Young plays his final game before heading for Championship club Jersey next season.

Head Coach Matt Corker writes:

“The final day of the season is upon us again. The first season of the new structure has provided more local derbies and all the excitement that these occasions bring with them. We have had some great Saturdays at the Marine Travel Ground (and one at the Langton!) with the all-action win against Worthing at home and the intense victory away at Tonbridge Judds as the highlight. When we have played to our potential, I believe we have put in some great performances worthy of the Canterbury badge. My honest reflection is that great performances have been too few this season and that is why we are at the opposite end of the league table to where we want to be.

The Pilgrims, on the other hand, have been such a fantastic success story. The turn around in 12 months has been phenomenal and to go from begging to get a team out to earning promotion and joint champions is something I think the club should be enormously proud of. Jon Foster and Jack Bairstow have created a great place for players to develop and create memories and John Mitchell puts in many hours to ensure that the boat stays afloat

The players have all been on their own journeys this season and there are seven players who have played in the National Leagues for the first time, four from our own Colts. This is a massive credit to the hard work the individuals themselves have put in, the development path within the club and the support they have received from coaches and family. I see the development of our own and East Kent’s finest as the future of the club and this will be something that we continue to focus our energy on next season.

When we travel around our league you can’t fail to notice how well Canterbury RFC is run and supported. The club is built on the hard work of the army of volunteers who give their time so generously to make our club a great place to play and watch rugby. I am extremely grateful to the many individuals and business that enable all players at Canterbury RFC to create memories for life. The amazing ten year commitment from Dave Thompson and his company Marine Travel to the club as principal sponsor to be highlighted, you don’t see commitment like that anywhere in world rugby!

It wouldn’t be possible for me to do my job without the support of so many people. My assistant coaches Alex Veale, Mark Livesey and Danny Herriott. Their input continues to raise the standards and move us forward. Mark will not be coaching with us next season due to his time becoming more squeezed. He has given so much energy in his time with us and I know he won’t be a stranger to Merton Lane after all he has given over the years. Chris Musgrove has continued to support the players and coached with his mental skills wizardry, and Carrick’s analysis support continues to expand and give us deeper insights into the way we and oppositions play. Charlie Bannigan has chalked up another season and he continues to get players back onto the pitch. He has been assisted again by Ben Cassidy, who has also looked after the Pilgrims on a match day, and Roz South and Skye Vurnum providing a high calibre massage service to the players. Andy Rogers has, as always looked after the team, and kept us pointing in the right direction and Chris Fullbrook always gives his sage advice on any tricky situations way beyond his role as a 4th official.

My final thanks go to the committee, for allowing me to lead the team for another season. It will always be a privilege for me to be part of such a great club. The other must go to the players. I am so fortunate to be able to coach such a motivated and entertaining group of people. My focus for us next season is to hit the ground running.”

OLD ALBANIAN 35 CANTERBURY 21

by David Haigh
Two Albanian tries in the final two minutes before half time left Canterbury chasing a game which, until those lapses, was wide open. They chased hard, too, dominating the second half but then, incredibly, threw away the bonus point their hard work deserved. The early action had a familiar feel about it with Canterbury dominating possession and territory without making best use of it and then falling behind the first time their defence was tested. After finding a good touch Albanians set up a series of close drives before Nathan Mitchelow plunged over between the posts and Greg Lound converted. Six minutes later Canterbury, again of the front foot, responded and when their forward battering failed to make an impression they whipped the ball wide to make an overlap try for Guy Hilton which Frank Reynolds topped up with a fine conversion. They fell behind again to a smart Albanian try as wing Jordan Evans made the most of a clever chip kick and kind bounce, but with only seven points in it and the half drawing to a close the city side looked comfortable until those fatal lapses. A missed tackle gave Albanians the opportunity to send Jarryd Sage over for his side’s third try and Canterbury quickly folded again. A scramble in defence, a yellow card for Sam Rogers and a catch and drive try which saw Lound nail his fourth conversion did the damage. From that low point the city side set about a repair job in commanding style. They controlled the second half, playing with pace and verve, chipped away at the deficit with two catch and drive scores from prop Billy Young, both converted, and looked on course for even better things. They denied Albanians a score, survived a yellow card for Reynolds and seemed to have secured a losing bonus point. That was threatened when Lound was given a last minute penalty chance which fell short but with the clock showing red Canterbury just needed to make the ball dead. Instead, they attempted to run from their own line. Was it fine ambition or madness; take your pick? The ball was dropped, it gifted Albanians the softest of touchdowns and left the scoreline telling a wildly unrepresentative story.

Canterbury: C.Kingsman, G.Hilton, W.Waddington, L.Hollidge, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, E.O’Donoghue, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, S.Rogers, C.Murray, J.Stephens. Replacements: E.Lusher, C.Macmillan, T.Oliver, P.Farrance

View match photos

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 31 ROCHFORD HUNDRED 12

by David Haigh

For Canterbury, relief as they ended a four game losing run with a bonus point victory and won praise from Head Coach Matt Corker: “I am really pleased for the players after a difficult period.” he said. ” Our composure and the way we played territory in the second half was excellent.” Two tries in the final ten minutes sealed the win after Rochford had cut a comfortable seventeen point lead to just five and once again raised doubts about Canterbury’s resilience. Too often the closing stages have been the city side’s downfall but this time they had the game and the power to pass the test with scores from Ben Cooper and Alex Evans. They knew they had work to do after a largely dominant but patchy first half was marred by errors and ended with a modest ten point lead. Frank Reynolds, who made an important contribution with a flawless display from the tee, converting all four tries, put the first points on the board with a penalty goal but it was not until the 28th minute that Canterbury could top it up. The visitors defence for once went missing and Tyler Oliver scored under the posts. Rochford, however, could be quietly pleased as they had the breeze and the slope in their favour after the break. They made an early impact in the second half but a try saving tackle by Will Calder and a great turnover from Frankie Morgan rescued Canterbury and from that point they took control of the third quarter. Rochford leaked penalties and when Reynolds kicked his side into the corner the pack did the rest with a driving maul and touch down from prop Elliot Lusher. All seemed well in the Canterbury camp until the Rochford backs, quiet for much of the day, sprung to life and produced two tries in the space of four minutes. Centre Damian Brambley scored them both, the first from a move to savour, and with a Chris Dudman conversion trouble loomed for Canterbury. It was then that a new found character and good decision making were rewarded. Reynolds and Tom Best combined neatly to send scrum half Ben Cooper in for the third try and a tiring Rochford were firmly trapped in their own territory. As the game wound down they were pressured into another penalty, the city forwards pounced with a powerful driving maul and Alex Evans completed a job well done.

Canterbury: R.Howard, W.Calder (repl M.Halliday), W.Waddington (repl T.Halliday), T.Best, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young (repl A.Cooper), N.Morris, D.Herriott (repl E.Lusher), D.Irvine (repl A.Evans), J.Stephens, H.Andrews, C.Murray, T.Oliver