The club is dropping admission charges for Saturday’s game against Guernsey Raiders in a bid to attract wide support from around East Kent for this important fixture. The kick-off has been brought forward to 2.15pm to accommodate Guernsey’s return flight times. Victory would guarantee our place in National 2 East next season.
The Islanders sit one place above us in the table but history is on our side as we have never lost to them at the Marine Travel Ground.
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
This week really feels like we are on the final approach of the season and we have some important fixtures on the horizon. For us to get the points we want at Old Albanians this weekend, we know we will have to put in a performance. Our focus over the last fortnight has been to reignite our strengths and getting back to the standards that we set in the games against Worthing and Tonbridge.
In our last game against Bury, territorially, we had the start that we had planned for with the first quarter of the game being played in Bury’s 22. We had a very honest review which was led by the players and it was painful to see how many chances we had squandered. We know if our accuracy and ability to execute our plan had been better we would have gone in at halftime with a very different score line. We know what we need to do, Saturday is about doing it.
We also had some news to celebrate this week, thanks to Chris Fullbrook’s knowledge of the league regulations the Pilgrims league table was adjusted and the Pilgrims have been crowned champions. The coaches and players have had a fantastic season and this has been the cherry on the top.
Matt Corker, Head Coach
The club has announced the appointment of its first Director of Rugby. Taff Gwilliam, former Head Coach at Medway RFC and currently Director of Rugby of the Kent County representative teams, will join Canterbury on July 1st. “Taff’s appointment will take the club in a new, focused direction as he guides rugby strategy and our community rugby commitment, “said chairman Giles Hilton. “It gives Head Coach Matt Corker the freedom to concentrate on the playing and coaching side and he and Taff will work in close cooperation.”
“I am looking forward to the challenge of taking the club to the next level” said Taff Gwilliam. “I had been thinking of taking a break from rugby but Giles made a compelling argument for me to return. Canterbury is one of Kent’s top clubs with good coaches and players. They have excellent sponsors and supporters and to be involved in growing such a club was too good an opportunity to turn down.”
Welcoming the new appointment Head Coach Matt Corker said: “It’s great that Taff will be involved, bringing his wealth of knowledge to the club. My focus is on giving all players throughout the club the best rugby experience possible and Taff’s appointment is going to help us take a strategic approach to this goal whilst deepening our links with the Kent rugby landscape.”
The new Director of Rugby comes with a strong record of success at both club and county levels. During his time with Medway he led them to several promotions and his involvement with Kent included three National County Championship finals at both senior and Under 20 levels.
An unchanged starting line-up at Rochford on Saturday is something of a luxury for us so perhaps that is a good omen.
Head Coach Matt Corker says:
Last Saturday turned out to be a bit of a nail biter in the end, as all good derby’s should be. 0-14 after ten minutes is not an unfamiliar position for us this season and the team responded in the best possible way. I was really impressed with how they adjusted, and to score four tries in a 13 minute period is a great accomplishment. When we have played the best teams in the league this season, they have been very clinical whenever they have possession in attacking areas, and that’s was exactly what we did. The story of the second half is pretty much explained by the penalty count. To come out and score first was exactly our intention but to give away nine penalties, eight when in defence, means that we gave Sevenoaks eight opportunities to have another chance to attack. That said, there were some strong defensive performances and that commitment and resilience saw us home.
This week is another big challenge. Our fixture away at Rochford last season is still strong in the memory and we know if we do not turn up ready to win collisions it could be a long afternoon.
Friday night at The Marine Travel Ground this week (February 24th) sees a big East Kent derby when Canterbury Pilgrims take on Dover 1st. The floodlit game is pivotal for both clubs ambitions to become league champions of Counties Kent 2. Pilgrims are top of the table with Dover only four points behind in third place. Kick-off is 7.30pm and we are asking all supporters to come and enjoy a great night of rugby. Admission is free and the bars and restaurant will be open from 6pm
SEVENOAKS 2nd 15 CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 14
This game went to the wire in a nip and tuck affair with Pilgrims playing some of their best rugby of the season. They came close to opening the scoring but after a couple of impressive driving mauls Eoin O’Donoghue was held up and it was Oaks who went ahead with an unconverted try. Still, it was Pilgrims who were looking the livelier side but Oaks weathered the storm and when a couple of missed tackles gave them territory on the stroke of half time they went further ahead with a converted touch down.
The second half started with the Pilgrims on the front foot. More pressure and Luke Webber came away with a great try, converted from out wide by Ollie Ashley-Jones. Shortly after, a silly penalty allowed the home side an easy three points. This would prove to be costly! Will McColl went on an amazing powerful run. More pressure, the Oaks received a yellow card for a deliberate knock on, and Canterbury made them pay. A line out, a swift backs move from left to right and Sherif Lanre went over to score and Ollie kicked another excellent conversion. Alas, time ran out on the Pilgrims for whom full back Jack Weaver had an outstanding game. They were the first team to take a point from Sevenoaks all season and gave them their sternest test to date.
This weekend the Pilgrims welcome Sidcup 2nd to the Marine Travel ground. Go online and book a lunch and come and watch. See you all on Saturday for a 3:00 o’clock start under lights.
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
MATCH PREVIEW
Saturday’s game will be seen as a real opportunity to end to a four game losing streak. Rochford Hundred have three victories this season, including a shock win at Tonbridge Juddians, and are three places above Canterbury in the league table. However, the Essex side have a poor defensive record, averaging 32 points per game in the ‘against’ column’. They suffered a 28-3 reverse at Barnes last week. Matt Corker makes a couple of changes to the squad which did service at Sevenoaks with Dave Irvine returning to the second row and Frankie Morgan to the wing. Guy Hilton is still undergoing concussion protocols so Will Calder takes the Number 14 shirt, with Max Halliday moving to the replacements bench.
The Pilgrims travel to meet Sevenoaks 2 who are currently the undefeated leaders of Counties Kent 2.
Matt Corker says: “When you have lost a game, it is much harder to find the positives. We obviously still have things that need work, but even though results haven’t been going the way we want, the team has been making improvements week on week. So why aren’t we winning? We have some clear areas that we need to be more clinical in, and this week they have been our focus on the pitch but I have also spoken to the players about the quote below from Jacob Riis, the American 19th Century journalist.
“When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”
This has been used by other sporting teams, but I think it applies to our situation. All good teams go through difficult times, it’s what we love about sport. My message to the players has been don’t put down your hammer just keep pounding the rock, because when your back’s against the wall it’s the only way out.”
SEVENOAKS 26 CANTERBURY 17
by David Haigh
This latest defeat leaves Canterbury hovering unconvincingly above the relegation zone as they slipped to twelfth place in the National 2 East table. A worryingly familiar performance saw them fail to put points on the board when they had momentum and then let the game slip away in the final stages. Going into the last ten minutes there was only a point between the sides after Canterbury won a penalty try for a collapsed maul and ‘Oaks lost a player to a yellow card but it was the home side who reacted positively. In the left boot of full back Ben Adams they had a potent weapon and his second massive penalty goal pegged the city club back before the work of the Oaks pack paved the way for a decisive try by Charlie Naismith. It was a tight but deserved win over a Canterbury side who were too predictable in attack and lacked any real penetration in the back division. The pack, as ever, did an honest job with Tyler Oliver and Jamie Stephens carrying well and the line out work giving Sevenoaks plenty of problems, but it was never quite enough. They did well to survive Oaks early blast and it wasn’t until the end of the first quarter that Canterbury broke out and took the lead through a Frank Reynolds penalty goal. The home side made a quick reply with a try that had a touch of good fortune about it as their loose pass was twice hacked on and Ben Adams won a finger tip touch down. It was in the second quarter that the city side took a grip but avoidable errors and a shortage of finishing power, plus an Adams penalty goal, left them still five points adrift at the break. Adams slotted a long range penalty goal five minutes into the second half but there was little between the sides and a swift response saw Billy Young finish off an organised catch and drive and Reynolds nail a good conversion. The best try of the game was scored by ‘Oaks wing Jonny Short as he slipped into mid-field, wrong footed the defence and left Adams an easy kick. When Canterbury hit back with the driving maul which brought the penalty try and the difference was down to one point again they had every reason to think they might squeeze a result out of a gritty contest. Instead, their lack of staying power sent then home empty handed.
Canterbury: R.Howard, M.Halliday, W.Waddington, T.Best, W.Calder, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young (repl A.Cooper), N.Morris, D Herriott (repl E.Lusher), R.Cadman (repl A.Evans), J.Stephens, H.Andrews (repl R.Cadman), C.Murray, T.Oliver
