Author: David Haigh

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.

Kent RFU

KENT CALL UP FIVE

Posted on | by David Haigh

BACKS IN DEMAND
Five Canterbury players, including four of the back division, have been named in the Kent senior men’s squad who begin their defence of the English County Championship title against Hampshire at Havant rugby club on Saturday, May 18th.  There are first time call-ups for backs Will Waddington, Garry Jones, Presley Farrance and prop forward Cameron Macmillan. Joining them is wing Alfie Orris who was a member of the Kent side which defeated Lancashire at Twickenham in last season’s final.  Other Canterbury players who were part of that title winning side, the captain Jamie Stephens, Frank Reynolds and Danny Herriott, are taking a break from rugby after a long league season, while Tom Williams and Dave Irvine are ruled out through injury.   After the visit to Hampshire, Kent are at home to Cornwall on May 25th and Surrey on June 1st with both games played at Charlton Park Rugby Club. The Cornwall match kicks off at 2pm and the two other games at 3pm.

Bonus Point Finish

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY 34 SEVENOAKS 21

by David Haigh

Canterbury ended their league campaign in positive style with this bonus point victory which sealed a seventh place finish in National 2 East. The season’s biggest crowd watched the city club take charge of the first half, ride out a Sevenoaks challenge in the final quarter and send their Kent rivals home empty handed. Three of Canterbury’s four tries came in the first forty minutes and it was the back division that brought a touch of flair to all of them. Frank Morgan got the first after only seven minutes, the centre cantering under the posts when wing Alfie Orris slipped into the line to carve out the gap. A sin binning for flanker Harvey Furneaux might have put a damper his side’s ambitions, but not a bit of it and they scored again. A great turnover over by Tom Mackenzie forced a scrum on the Oaks’ 22 metre line and scrum half Presley Farrance sold the sweetest of dummies to the visitors back row before sprinting over. Sevenoaks hard hardly been seen as an attacking threat but five minutes before the break they took their chance when Canterbury lost possession and a loose ball gave them field position. They forced a five metre scrum then mounted a series of close range drives before Matt McCrae crashed over and Ben Adams converted. That lapse stung Canterbury into the swiftest of replies as they won the ball at the restart, launched the backs and it was Morgan’s show and go that brought him a second try. The league’s top points scorer, Frank Reynolds, landed his third conversion and in the final minute of the half added a penalty goal to open a 24-7 lead. Things got even better just three minutes after the break when the city backs ran the ball from deep, put Orris into space and he stormed home, swatting aside defenders in a spectacular 50 metre run. With another Reynolds conversion and a bonus point in their pocket Canterbury may have thought the job was done and they lost concentration. As they failed to look after the ball it gave Sevenoaks fresh momentum and they punished the home side for their shortcomings. Two tries from centre Barney Stone, both converted by Adams, could have been the prelude to an upset in those last 20 minutes but the city side settled again, albeit uneasily, until a final Reynolds penalty goal gave them back control.

Canterbury; W.Hilton (repl T.Best), G.Jones, F.Morgan, W.Waddington, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance (repl B.Cooper), C.Macmillan (repl D.Huntley), E.O’Donoghue, E.Lusher, C.Murray (repl S.Kerry), J.De Vries, T.Mackenzie (repl N.Morrris), H.Furneaux, J.Stephens

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v Sevenoaks - 27 April 2024

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

A SEASON OF PROGRESS

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY V SEVENOAKS: THE FINALE

And before you know it it’s the last one of the season, and what a game to end on. A derby game, with league positions at stake, in front of a sponsor’s lunch crowd it’s going to be a great afternoon of rugby. Our first game of the season was away at Sevenoaks where we lost a tense encounter by one point. We didn’t put in the performance we were aiming for and this Saturday is a good test of how far we have progressed since September. In recent performances we have be playing the rugby that we think is the best version of ourselves. From my perspective I am very proud of the progress the team has made; we know we are not the finished article but out of the ashes of last year’s frustrating campaign we have made a clear step forward. There have been some great highlights, doing the double over Tonbridge and Guernsey, beating Bury for the first time in three seasons and the excitement of the last play win against Worthing at home. These victories were built on winning key moments and the players showing their attacking ability with the ball in hand. Several times we have pushed the top teams close, Esher at home we were two points short, Henley away only one behind, but for us to take another big step next season coming out on the right side against the best in the league is one improvement we need to make. In any season there will be games that get away from you so the other improvement for us is to keep these to a minimum. We have let too many league points slip through our fingers to have the right to sit in the top five. The growth in mindset amongst the playing group in the last few games has created a shift in a very positive direction. This is something that I look forward to continuing to grow over pre-season, as the key to unlocking our full potential is to continue to develop in this area.
After such a great season in 2022-23 the newly promoted Pilgrims had modest aims in September. To go on an eighteen game winning streak, only lose two games all season and end as champions at the first opportunity is an incredible achievement. The success of this team is so important for the club and this is shown not just in the Pilgrims league position but also by the number of players that have progressed to play for the 1st XV. Jon Foster and Justin Loveridge have done a fantastic job coaching the team, and John Mitchell has kept everyone on track (and on time) as team manager and best dressed.
It is also important to mention the promotion winning season of the Canons (3rd XV for the uninitiated). Tom Short, assisted by Ryan Flockhart, have had a great year in the team’s first season in the RFU leagues, navigating new administration to lead the side to sit top of the table.
I say this at the end of each season, but our club is such a great place to play and watch rugby thanks to the army of volunteers who work tirelessly, and the sponsors and supporters who make everything possible. We would not be able to operate the way we do without such generosity of time and money and the club continues to be a rugby stronghold in the South East.
My job would also not be possible without the support of a vast number of people. My assistant coaches, Alex Veale and Danny Herriott, have again poured their energy into the team and the improvement in the players is clear to see from their input. Taff has come on board as director of rugby and has brought his attention to detail and vast experience to the club, making improvements in many different areas. Andy Rogers has made sure the team is in the right place at the right time with another season as team manager, and Chris Fullbrook adds more each season to his list of roles with the team. Charlie Bannigan has chalked up another season in the physio room backed up by Ben Cassidy and Leon Benning as well as our two students from the University of Kent, Evie Johnston and Louis Miles. The players development in CTPT took another step forward this season, led by Sam Sterling and Tristan King and plans are being made for a pre-season to remember. One member of staff who is moving on is our Analyst, Carrick Blake, who is graduating from UKC and moving to Cardiff Met to go on their renowned analyst course. Carrick is a fantastic asset with a bright future in the game and he has developed this part of the team significantly. The real measure of the man is in his willingness to improve the team in any way he can, from filling water bottles on training nights to being a pair of hands in any situation you can think of. Carrick, I’ll miss you a lot.
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 and the other must go to the players, who I love working with. It is full of great characters who are striving to write their own part in the clubs story. We are proud of what we have achieved this season, but not satisfied. Next season there is more to come.

Matt Corker, Head Coach
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Kent RFU

KENT FINALS DAY

Posted on | by David Haigh

SUNDAY SILVERWARE

The club is hosting the Kent Finals day on Sunday, April 28th with East Kent clubs involved in all four games at the Marine Travel Ground. Sides from Thanet Wanderers, Dover, Whitstable and Ash will be looking to take home silverware. Bars and food outlets will be open throughout the day and the first final, the Kent Salver, is scheduled to kick-off at 12 noon. Full programme and kick-off times:

Salver: Cliffe Crusaders v Ash, 12 noon
Vase: Whitstable v Brockleians, 1pm
Plate: Beccehamians 2 v Thanet Wanderers 2, 2pm
Shield: Dover 2 v Bromley 2, 3.30pm

The Late, Late Show

Posted on | by David Haigh

HENLEY HAWKS 36 CANTERBURY 35

by David Haigh

The tries flowed, the result went Henley’s way by the barest of margins and Canterbury showed huge resilience to snatch two valuable league points from the final play of the match. Henley’s late score threatened to rob the city of anything and that would have been a serious injustice in a game that was always in the balance. But as the clock ticked into the eighty minute zone they launched one last offensive and Harvey Furneaux put in the essential finishing burst for his second try of the afternoon. Canterbury’s biggest regret will be their failure to put away their first half chances when their scrum was on top and they spent plenty of time on the front foot. A poor start saw them concede a try in the first minute as Hawk’s Guy Rawsthorne completed Alex Hayton’s break and it was the hosts greater ability to finish the job that earned them a 17-8 lead by the break. A Frank Reynolds penalty goal, won by the front row, put Canterbury on the scoreboard but five minute later Hawks hit them with a catch and drive touchdown from Tom Emery. The city side’s lack of accuracy frustrated them although there was plenty to admire about the one try they did manage. With the ball swept wide Will Hilton was on Garry Jones’ shoulder to take his pass and make the score. Hawks matched that after Ryan Crowley’s chip kick led to some clever angles and handling for Rawsthorn’s second touchdown, converted by Max Titchener. Then came a second half that underlined that you cannot afford to pass up those earlier opportunities in this tough National 2 East division. Canterbury started well with a Furneaux try in the first minute, went on to capture the lead twice and outscored Henley overall. It was not quite enough. The accuracy of Reynolds boot was an important feature, with two further penalty goals and three conversions, starting with the Furneaux score. But in a fascinating contest Hawks were always a danger. Crowley slid a kick behind the visiting defence and won the race for the touchdown before Will Waddington hit the line hard for a converted try which edged Canterbury into the lead for the first time. George Wood’s corner flag try and Titchener’s conversion rubbed that out before Reynolds’ final penalty goal, on 68 minutes, made it a one-point game. It was Dave Manning’s late try for Henley and Mitchener’s conversion that seemed to have wrecked Canterbury’s afternoon, but this side now has a bit of old fashioned ‘bottle’ and it deservedly rescued them here.

Canterbury; W.Hilton (repl T.Best), G.Jones (repl P.Farrance), F .Morgan, W.Waddington, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance (repl B.Cooper), C.Macmillan (repl D.Huntley), E.O.Donoghue (repl N.Morris,), W.Lusher, W.Hunt (repl T.Mackenzie), J.De Vries, C.Murray, H.Furneaux, J.Stephen

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v Henley - 13 April 2024

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

THE HENLEY CHALLENGE

Posted on | by David Haigh

MATCH PREVIEW: HENLEY HAWKS

Saturday was our first victory against Bury in the last three seasons and the team had to dig deep, literally uphill and into the wind, to earn the win. Games hinge on key moments and our ability to win these, doing the right thing at the right times, proved to be the difference. Frank Reynolds had another great day off the tee, and when the Bury kicker was having a very different afternoon our fly half’s contribution was also crucial. We could have put ourselves under less pressure had we given away fewer penalties, especially in the open exchanges. This weekend we have the same referee and need to learn those lessons quickly.
Henley continue to have another good season currently sitting in 5th, one place ahead of their 6th place this time last year. With two games to go they will also be looking to finish strongly in their last home fixture of the season. We have had some great games at Dry Leas over the years, and with the sun expected to be out the stage is set for another. Our focus is on bringing the performance we know we are capable of.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

Pilgrims Final Day Flop

Posted on | by David Haigh

BECCEHAMIANS 63 CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 0

by John Mitchell

Pilgrims saved their worst performance of the season for their final Counties 1 Kent league game as they were comprehensively outplayed. Against a top three side it was expected to be a close contest but Canterbury’s non-tackling defence saw Beccehamians turn the contest into an embarrassing rout. By half time they were 25 points ahead and the nearest an ineffective Pilgrims had come to a score was a touchdown by Max Campbell which was ruled out because of a knock-on. Things became even worse after the break as the home side exploited quick ball to telling effect and ran in another six tries, three of them in a five minute spell midway though the half.
It was a disappointing end to an otherwise excellent season in which Pilgrims were unbeaten at home. They may want to forget this day, but hopefully will learn from it.
An eighteen game winning streak tells the real story of the champions who had a final record of Played 22 Won 20 Lost 2. Thank you to all our supporters and sponsors, without you we could not do what we do. Finally a special mention for Adrian Geddes who played in all twenty-two league games.

Frank’s Boot Was Crucial

Posted on | by David Haigh

CANTERBURY 29 BURY ST EDMUNDS 25

by David Haigh

Some victories are down to superior skills; some, like this narrow one from Canterbury, can be built on determination, plus a player who was able to harness a buffeting wind. The visitors may have won the try count by five to four but it was fly half Frank Reynolds, National 2 East’s leading points scorer, who made the difference in the end. He teed up the win with three conversions, two of them from difficult angles, and a penalty goal while his Bury counterpart, Ben Penfold, was off target every time. When the city side reached half time only seven points in front the odds seemed against them as a wind assisted Bury scored twice to edge ahead in the 56th minute. But Canterbury dug in, found fresh momentum in the final quarter, and produced two well worked tries for centre Will Waddington to regain the lead before fighting off Bury’s strong finish. It was the visitors who started the game on the front foot, too, finding gaps and sending full back Kodie Drury-Hawkins over for the opening try. Canterbury survived an early yellow card for Will Hunt, got on the scoreboard with Reynolds’ penalty goal and made the most of a superb break by Cameron Murray. When the flanker was stopped the ball was swiftly recycled for Alfie Orris to score at the corner. Reynolds converted and was on the mark again, this time from the opposite touchline, when a controlled driving maul brought the second try from prop Elliot Lusher. Before the break, however, fierce Bury pressure ended in a short range score by prop Ben Cooper and although Penfold missed an easy conversion their opening salvo in the second half spelled trouble for Canterbury’s chances. The tries came first from Number Eight Matt Bursey and after the forwards had done the heavy lifting the ball was spread wide for Penfold to make their fourth touchdown. It was now a test of the city side’s character and playing to their strengths they found a way. Waddngton’s tries came in the 62nd and 68th minutes and both had their roots in threatening catch and drives. With the defenders sucked in, crucial space was opened and together with some precise handling Waddington did the rest. The second try gave Reynolds a straight forward conversion and the city side a nine-point advantage to protect. Bury’s final flourish, a try by wing by Harry Simpson, came three minutes from the end to earn his side a second bonus point but Canterbury gave them nothing more and pocketed all five.

Canterbury: W.Hilton (repl T.Best), G.Jones, F.Morgan, W.Waddington, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance (repl B.Cooper), C.Macmillan, N.Morris (repl D.Huntley), E.Lusher (repl D.Herriott), J.De Vries (repl S.Kerry), W.Hunt, C.Murray, E.O’Donoghue, J.Stephens

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v Bury St Edmund - 6 April 2024

Images may be subject to copyright- Phillipa Hilton