Author: David Haigh

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

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.

CANTERBURY GET A REMINDER

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY12 BLACKHEATH 41

by David Haigh

The power and pace of a Blackheath side which won this Friday night pre-season encounter by seven tries to two was a reminder of the standards required at higher levels of the game. The National Division One side bossed the breakdown, were ruthless with the catch and drive, which accounted for three of their tries, two of which were converted, and served up the clean ball on which their back division thrived. It was not, however, all one way traffic. Canterbury had their moments but when they created chances lacked the accuracy to turn them into points. Blackheath opened a seventeen point lead before the city side got things right, handled quickly and sent Garry Jones over for the try. The visitors hit back before the break with a converted touchdown and their forwards were in charge for crucial periods of the second half. The positives for Canterbury in those second forty minutes were that they matched ‘Heath in the set scrums and were unfailingly brave in defence but the visitors still added three more scores. Consolation came in the final play when scrum half Tom Williams, who minutes earlier had made a stunning break, finished off some good work by the backs with a try converted by Frank Reynolds.

CANTERBURY EASE TO VICTORY

Posted on | by David Haigh

HARPENDEN 7 CANTERBURY 52

by David Haigh

Canterbury cantered to victory in this second pre-season friendly, scoring eight tries and dominating their Regional level rivals from the start. Their overwhelming superiority at the set pieces left Harpenden struggling to get into the game and by half time the city side were thirty three points ahead. The biggest value for a 25 strong squad was to get game time and give experience to some younger players and it was one of them, wing Max Campbell, who claimed the opening try from a Frank Reynolds cross kick. Persistent ran did not dampen Canterbury’s ambition and four more tries before the break were all the result of positive rugby. Reynolds counter attack and Eoin O’Donoghue’s burst brought the first of two touchdowns for centre Frank Morgan. His second was created from a well rehearsed lineout move. Close quarter forward power and a catch and drive were both finished by Number Eight Tyler Oliver. Canterbury rang the changes for a second half that was not as tidy as what had gone before. They failed to put the finishing touches to some good attacking positions but still found three good tries to celebrate. Presley Farrance’s break made one for Aiden Moss and the pace of Garry Jones saw him round off the day with the last two touchdowns. Reynolds, in good form with the boot, landed six conversions, while an out gunned Harpenden broke away to earn a penalty try in the final minute.

1st XV v Esher pre-season friendly

Esher Win First Test

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY 26 ESHER 45
by David Haigh

The first pre-season game is always a test bed for club squads and this one, played in four twenty minute sessions, was no exception but went Esher’s way in the later stages. At the half way mark Canterbury, with their experienced combinations on view, had built a fourteen point lead and were giving the National One side plenty of problems. When changes were made in the last two run outs Esher’s strengths saw them dominate possession, seize on defensive errors and collect five unanswered tries. The visitors took advantage of untidy work at the back of a scrum to take an early lead with a converted try. Canterbury matched that when Presley Farrance’s tap penalty opened the way for Harvey Young to show his flair with a finish under the posts. It was the second session which saw Canterbury at their most effective as they controlled the set pieces and registered three scores. Head Coach Matt Corker will have been pleased with the way his side stuck to their game plan, before sending Eoin O’Donoghue crashing over, and the technical excellence of a driving maul which ended in Tyler Oliver touching down. Esher exploited a missed tackle to grab an unconverted try before the city backs handled crisply for a fourth score. With Frank Reynolds on target with three conversions the gap was 26-12 The introduction of new combinations and several young players shifted the action in Esher’s favour. By the end of the third session they were just two points behind, as Canterbury left gaps around the ruck and slipped tackles in mid-field. In the final twenty minutes the Surrey side had the momentum and opened up space clinically to create three more touchdowns.

View match photos

Pres Season v Esher

Photos may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

GARRY SHINES FOR TITLE WINNERS KENT

Posted on | by David Haigh

WING’S HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Canterbury wing Garry Jones got the best birthday present he could have wished for, scoring two crucial tries for Kent in their County Championship final victory over Yorkshire. After joining the club at the start of last season from Australian club USC the chance to play at RFU headquarters on Saturday, June 15th was a red letter day for the birthday boy. His tries came in the 50th ad 65th minutes and helped the county side to retain the title they won in 2023 by the narrowest of margins, 31-30. Garry, who is originally from Newcastle, was not the only Canterbury player to have a significant role in Kent’s successful campaign this season. He was joined in Saturday’s starting line-up by hooker Eoin O’Donoghue and flanker Cameron Murray, with Cameron Macmillan, Alfie Orris and Michael Fankah coming on from the replacements bench. It was Eoin’s pin point throwing at the lineout which gave his side a 100 per cent return in an area where they were superior to Yorkshire. In the Pool Rounds, centre Will Waddington was another first choice for the county until he suffered a shoulder injury against Hampshire. Kent’s back to back successes have been overseen by our own Director of Rugby Taff Gwilliam who also heads the county’s senior playing programme.

SUPPORT KENT TITLE BID

Posted on | by David Haigh

TWICKENHAM FINAL
Kent are in the final of the Bill Beaumont Cup County Championship at Twickenham next Saturday, June 15th. There will be a strong Canterbury representation in the squad as they seek to retain the title the county won last year under the guidance of our own Director of Rugby Taff Gwilliam. Garry Jones, Eoin O’Donoghue and Cameron Murray are named in the starting lineup with Cameron Macmillan, Michael Fankah and Alfie Orris among the replacements. The kick-off against Yorkshire is 3pm and admission is free, so let’s support Kent by travelling to RFU headquarters and have a great day out.

League newcomers

Three League Newcomers

Posted on | by David Haigh

The old season may still be fresh in the memory but the 2024/25 campaign is already taking shape with three new names in the mix. Havant, Colchester and Oxford Quins have been promoted to National 2 East while North Walsham and Wimbledon are relegated to Regional 1 level. For Hampshire club Havant it is a return to national competition after a number of seasons absence, but for Colchester and Oxford Quins it will be a fresh experience. As champions of Midlands Regional 1 the Quins would normally have been assigned to National 2 West but with two West Country sides, Cinderford and Taunton, relegated from National One they have been transferred East. The league fixture list for next season is expected to be published by June 14th.