Author: Denys Andrianjafy

Match Preview V Dorking

Math preview – 1st XV V Dorking

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Dorking v Canterbury

Leading into the game last weekend we talked about creating rugby memories, and the best ones being when you win. I think the players put in a performance to be proud of and did just that. Across the team we raised the bar and the belief the lads showed to fight back from a considerable deficit is a marker of a strong team. It was also a herculean effort off the field by so many people to ensure the game was played and relocate everything necessary to the Langton 4G. Its only through the hedge but that doesn’t make it any easier!

Our challenge this week is to back up last week’s performance with an even better one against Dorking. Our focus is to keep building on our strengths and I have challenged the players to bring their own energy and focus. Dorking are also at the top end of the league, and after winning by a score in the final play of the game at Merton Lane I am looking forward to another close contest.

The Pilgrims are having a great season in their first year in Counties 2 Kent. They sit second in the league and have a top of the table clash with Sevenoaks 2’s and the Marine Travel ground this weekend. Kick off is at 3pm and if you want to see a great game of rugby, I can guarantee it will be worth a watch as two teams fight it out to be top of the pile

Matt Corker, Head Coach

Jamie Stephens V Worthing Raiders

Match report – Canterbury 1st XV V Worthing Raiders

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

CANTERBURY 43 WORTHING RAIDERS 33

by David Haigh

This was easily Canterbury’s best performance of the season as they mounted a superb second half fight back to destroy the promotion hunting Raiders.  Trailing by seventeen points as the game entered its last quarter they recaptured the lead with a try three minutes from the end.  Not content with that the city club crowned their afternoon’s work in the final play with a seventh try.   After watching his side produce pace, power, and attacking flair Head Coach Matt Corker said: “It was a great performance by the whole team and I was really happy to see the players show what I’ve known they are capable of for a long time. Worthing being right at the top of the table shows that we can play well and win against anyone. Our focus now until the end of the season has to be that we keep pushing our standards and our level of performance will follow.”  The shell shocked visitors might have thought the points were theirs after building a 33-14 lead shortly after half time against a Canterbury outfit hit by yellow cards and  temporarily reduced to thirteen players.  Raiders had reached the break four points ahead after a high tempo first half in which the lead changed hands five times and Canterbury lost both Guy Hilton and Tom best to injuries.  Fraser Bruce, Curtis Barnes and Dan Sargent scored Worthing’s tries, with Matt McLean adding two conversions.  Canterbury  replied through a close range finish from Cameron McMillan and when replacement Sam Sterling appeared for his first game of the season he quickly made an impact with a fine burst for the second try and went on to make a significant contribution. The only blemish was a swinging arm which cost him a yellow card and led to Sargent’s try a minute before the break.  On the resumption, Raiders were quickly out of the blocks and when Tyler Oliver joined Sterling in the sin bin they worked an overlap for Barnes to touchdown and Sargent followed that by bagging his second forward driven try.  Two more conversions from McLean left the city club with a massive challenge but they tackled it with relish. Restored to full strength the first breach was made in the 58th minute when Billy Young burrowed over and       Canterbury went into all out attacking mode, running from deep and punching holes in the visitors’ armour.  An Oliver try and Frank Reynolds’ third conversion cut the deficit to seven and when prop Elliot Lusher made an eye catching break it was the prelude to slick handling and a Reynolds try.  Raiders were now reeling under the onslaught and Canterbury’s adventure paid off handsomely when space was created for wing Frank Morgan’s 77th minute try which took his side back in front and recovered all the lost ground. As a final treat for the fervent crowd at the Simon Langton all weather facility, Oliver strolled over in the last minute to leave Reynolds an easy and satisfying shot at goal.

Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Hilton (repl S.Sterling), L.Hollidge, T.Best (repl T.Williams), F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, E.O’Donoghue (repl N.Morris), C.Macmillan (repl E.Lusher), D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, C.Murray, T.Oliver

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v Worthing - 21 Jan 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Philippa Hilton
Match Preview V Worthing Raiders

Match preview – Canterbury 1st XV V Worthing Raiders

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

CANTERBURY V WORTHING

There are changes to the squad which played at Blackheath. Prop Danny Herriott has a quad strain so is ruled  out. Cameron Macmillan moves to tight head and Eoin O’Donoghue, after a strong performance last week, starts at hooker. Tyler Oliver has recovered from his thumb injury so starts at Number 8 and it is hoped Elliot Lusher will be back among the replacements pending a late fitness test. .

 In the backs Lewis Hollidge returns in the place of Ross Gladdish and the familiar face of Sam Sterling makes his first appearance of the season on the bench.

Head Coach Matt Corer writes  “It might sound like I’m clutching at straws when talking about positives after conceding 40 points and losing, but in the huddle after Saturday’s game the players had some great learnings. To draw the second half 12-12 gave the players confidence that when we stick to the plan and use our strengths we are a match for anybody. The challenge for us is to take our performance from the second half and play like that from the first minute. The other big lesson was that from Blackheath’s four visits to our 22 in the first half they left with four converted tries; we had nearly as many chances but left empty handed. The focus this week is how we can turn those lessons into a better outcome. The players have been really committed to training and we have two strong teams selected with the Pilgrims also having an important encounter. I’m looking forward to another great weekend of rugby.”

Zingari V Deal & Betteshanger

Match Report – Zingari V Deal & Betteshanger Lions

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Zingari 39pts Deal & Betts 2nds 7pts

Try

Will Rayner 2 – Luke O’Regan 3 – Jerome Weigh 2 

Conversion

Luke O’Regan 2

The Zingari took another step in their East Kent League taking on Deal & Bettshanger Lions at Merton lane with a solid performance from both their forwards and backs. It didn’t take long for the city side to get on the scoreboard with will Rayner evading his tacklers to touch down out wide, and ten minutes later returning to the fold after a long absence Luke O’Regan showed us he still had the appetite for the try line with his first try of the afternoon. The Zingari forwards battling hard managed to keep the Lions pended in their own half for long periods, and with the amount of clean possession, Will Rayner was on hand with his second try of the afternoon converted by O’Regan. The city side was beginning to build a comfortable lead when Jez Weigh added to the cushion on the stroke of halftime, spotting a gap on the blind side of a maul took a pass to squeeze in at the corner.

At the turn round, Weigh was on hand again in the opening minutes following pressure from the forwards with a try from short range, and with O’Regan conversion Canterbury began to look out of sight. However, the Lions had other ideas using their forward’s power, and keeping the ball close they started to make inroads into Canterbury territory, it was now the city that had to defend. It was only the city’s fierce tackling that managed to stem the tide before Luke O’Regan put matters beyond reach. With Canterbury getting the ball wide for O’Regan he showed he hadn’t forgotten his finishing skills with two more tries to complete his hat trick, and put the city side beyond reach. The Lions despite this setback continued to mount ferocious attacks, and in the dying moments after camping on the city’s line broke through for a well-deserved consolation converted try.

The following day after the game, we received a message from Bill Hobba, Chairman of Kent Society of Rugby Football Union Referees. In his message, he stated that the Zingari V Deal game was refereed by a young official at the start of her refereeing journey, and understandably mistakes were made during the game. Bill went on to say –

“The players’ attitude towards her was tremendous and they (and Deal) supported her through the game with barely a murmur. It was exemplary and you and they should be proud. It was a timely reminder that the best of our game is alive and well!”

 

 

 

Pilgrims V Hasting & Bexhill

Match report – Pilgrims V Hastings and Bexhill

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Won 51-5 (H-T 31-0)

Olly Ashley-Jones 5+6, Sam Rogers 10, Tom Ashley-Jones 10, Will Calder 10, Adrian Geddes, James Read 5.

This game saw the return of some of the clubs’ stalwarts from the past! Three national one players, and it was great to see their contribution.

Within one minute the Pilgrims had made a statement, Sam Rogers got the ball to Tom Ashley-Jones who scored an unconverted try, 5-0. The visitors lost a player through injury just after, and then the Sam Rogers road show started for real! He scored his first try, converted by Olly Ashley-Jones, 12-0. Then a great run, with a sublime back pass from Sam Rogers to try scorer Will Calder, and an Olly Ashley-Jones conversion saw the home side take a 19-0 lead within 17 minutes, Rogers involved in all three tries.

Then followed perhaps the team try of the day, poetry in motion, involving most of the team, with Tom Ashley-Jones scoring his second try, converted by Olly, 26-0. The Pilgrims were in control, but the difference in ability caused issues! Hastings received a yellow card for kicking a player on the ground. Sam Rogers went on a great solo run with a number of dummies, a try nearly followed but was brilliantly help up by the visitors. Another good pattern of play saw Olly Ashley-Jones score an unconverted try, and the home side went into half time 31-0 up. Five tries to one, and the bonus point secured.

Another excellent move by the home side saw Adrian Geddes score an unconverted try, 36-0. Captain Harry Andrews, who put in an excellent shift, got the ball to Sam Rogers to score his second try, and consolidate his ‘man of the match’ award, 41-0. James Read was making inroads with some great runs. Champagne rugby was being played and Will Calder, who was also mentioned in dispatches by the home supporters, who were excellent, walked in a try, literally, but again, not converted, 46-0.

Hastings and Bexhill, to their credit, never gave up and were rewarded with a late try 46-5. James Read, making his first appearance of the season, after recovering from injury, ran through to score and make it 51-5. The pilgrims, due to an unexpected defeat for Dover moved into clear second, four points off the leaders Sevenoaks, but with a game in hand.

Next week the Pilgrims play Old Dunstonians at Simon Langton Astro at 3:00, why not come along and watch? If you really are a rugby fan then put the 24th February in you diary, Friday night under lights, Pilgrims v Dover, the giant East Kent rivals will go head to head, in an attempt to win the title.

Jamie Stephens V Blackheath

Match report – Blackheath V Canterbury 1st XV

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

BLACKHEATH 40  CANTERBURY 12

By David Haigh

The league leaders took control of this game from the first minute and although Canterbury put in a  determined second half effort they were outclassed.   The pattern was set from the kick-off. Canterbury dropped it, Blackheath had field position and their backs sent full back Alex Brown over for the first of their six tries.  Playing down the wind they were 28 points ahead in as many minutes with a bonus point secured and a convincing win looming.   For Canterbury, it was a daunting prospect but it was some familiar failings in attack that hobbled them.  They won a decent share of territory, put pressure on the Blackheath line, and made two clean breaks which should have produced tries. A strong home defence and that lack of a clinical finish denied them.  At the other end it was a different story with Blackheath’s forceful carrying and a back division assured in its handling and running lines bringing further tries for  Steve Leonard, Tom Ffitch and Archie Holland. Ffitch’s immaculate goal kicking put the boot into Canterbury even further.  With the wind behind them the city side recovered their poise in the third quarter and were rewarded with close range tries from Jamie Stephens and Billy Young with Frank Reynolds adding a conversion.    But with Blackheath increasingly in charge of the set scrums, where Canterbury missed the experience of Danny Herriott, who retired with a leg injury leg In the first half, they were able to manage the game comfortably.  Holland burrowed over for his second try, converted by Ffitch, after Canterbury gave away one too many penalties and six minutes from the end scrum half Chris Bell darted through a gap for a smart individual touch down.  Before this game Head Coach Matt Corker said it would be a test of how far his squad had come since the early days of the season. On this evidence, against a very good team, they still have plenty of ground to make up.

Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Hilton, R.Gladdish, T.Best, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, C.Macmillan, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Dengate, C.Murray, J.Stephens. Replacements: T.Williams, H.Furneaux, N.Morris, V.Meredith, E.O’Donoghue

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v Blackheath - 14 Jan 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Match Preview - Blackheath V Canterbury

Match preview – Blackheath V Canterbury

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

A few forced changes this week unfortunately. Tyler Oliver has a thumb injury, no fracture but will be out for between 1-3 weeks depending how it responds. Jamie Stephens moves to Number 8 and Harvey Furneaux comes on to the bench. Part of Lewis Hollidge’s loan agreement was for him not to play against Blackheath, therefor he is unavailable. Ross Gladdish starts at 13 with Vaughn Meredith joining the replacements. Cam McMillan starts at hooker after a good performance last week. Nathan Morris moves to the bench as he is managing an ankle injury.

Last week was exactly how we wanted to start the new year. I think it’s important to acknowledge that Westcliff are on a difficult part of their journey and their players battled hard for 80 minutes. All clubs go through difficult periods, and I want to wish them all the best for the rest of the season. From my perspective, I was really pleased to see the way the players performed and how their hard work keeping fit over Christmas had paid off. Three weeks without a game is a challenge and the players managed to pick up where we left off. Another positive from the weekend was seeing Will Waddington be acknowledged for his consistently strong performances by being awarded NCA National 2 East player of the week.

This weekend poses quite a different challenge for us as we face Blackheath who are sitting at the top of the table. When they visited us at home we were humbled, conceding 57 points and our focus this week has been on giving a much better account of ourselves. We have a good understanding of what our strengths are and we know if we commit to these we are a very good team, we just have to be brave enough to show it.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

Gillingham Anchorians V CRFC Pilgrims

Match report – Gillingham Anchorians V CRFC Pilgrims

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Gillingham Anchorians 10 Canterbury Pilgrims 27

Pilgrims stepped up their challenge for the Counties Kent 2 title with a solid victory which lifted them to second place in the league table. They took an early lead  with a try from Tom Ashley-Jones and were in front for the rest of the game.  Will Calder and Jake Upward made the try, converted by Olli Finn . Within four minutes poor defending by Pilgrims allowed the home side to get the ball out wide and score. In the strong winds a kick was never going over.    What came to mar the game was reckless tackling which too often went unpunished and with it came injuries.  Rob Knott was the first to suffer but more serious was the damage to Alex Evans as he crashed over for a try in the 20th minute but had his afternoon cut short by a hospital visit. Will Calder, a young man with lots of potential, added a third Canterbury score to take the half time lead to 17-5  The first twenty minutes of the second half were awful, mistakes, stoppages, even the referee got injured. Then Eoin O’Donaghue received a lovely inside ball from Ross Howard and side-stepped the full back to score, Ollie missed the conversion but the bonus point had been secured. Anchorians kicked out to relieve pressure, took a quick throw in but it was intercepted by alert full back jack Weave who set his backs in motion. He then has looped around to take the ball and run through to score try number five. The last five minutes saw a yellow card handed to a home player, the first card of a game where arguably there could have been more. Ironically, it was Pilgrims who were then punished as Calder and Dan Gill were sent to the sin  bin. Canterbury must learn to keep quiet, play what is in front of them and not question the official. Anchorians took advantage with a consolation try.

Canterbury: A.Malik, E.O’Donoghue, J.Everatt, R.Knott, D.Gill, O.Finn, H.Furneaux, A.Evans, W.Calder, R.Howard, A.Geddes, J.Upward, V.Meredith, T.Ashley-Jones, J.Weaver. Replacements: B.Dunkerley, O.Ashley-Jones, F Holland-Oliver.

Danny H vs Westcliff

Match report – Canterbury 1st XV V Westcliff

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

CANTERBURY 52 WESTCLIFF 14

by David Haigh

The resolution of the Canterbury pack got the New Year away to the best of starts as they laid the foundations of this decisive victory. Full back Will Waddington was the individual star of the show, grabbing three of his side’s eight tries, but it was forward power that made life hard for struggling Westcliff who were rarely allowed to get on the front foot. The city club’s mastery of the testing conditions was another crucial factor and with wind and rain behind them they reached half time 26 points clear and a bonus point in their pocket. The question was whether they could sustain that performance with the elements against them and it was answered emphatically. After conceding an early second half try they erased all doubts and ran away with the game in the final fifteen minutes. The Canterbury forwards made an early statement with tries from Number Right Tyler Oliver and lock Dave Irvine in the opening seven minutes. Frank Reynolds, who went on to land six conversions, added the goal points to both scores. Forceful carrying and close range drives set up prop Billy Young for the third try but it seemed Canterbury might have to settle for that as Westcliff, with the centre partnership of Reece Whiting and Jack Hogarth often prominent, found some momentum. A heavy penalty count and a yellow card for Young put the city side under pressure which they not only survived but produced a bonus point score. A slick off-load, clever footwork from Waddington, and a Reynolds conversion, built a substantial cushion. Westcliff fly half Greg Bannister unpicked some of the threads with a neat interception, a good finish, and an excellent conversion three minutes into the second half but the city side’s response was swift and determined; Reynolds made a scything break to set up Tom Best for the fifth try. There was only one minor hitch to Canterbury’s smooth progress when Westcliff seized on a loose ball and hooker Teddy Edwards won a touchdown which Bannister again converted. The visitors, however, battered at the scrums and leaking penalties, wilted under the late onslaught and could do nothing as the city club backs cut loose. Space was made for Waddington to twice sprint clear and seconds before the final whistle scrum half Tom Williams completed a victory which sees Canterbury move up a place in the National 2 East table.

Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Hilton, L. Hollidge, T.Best, F. Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, N.Morris, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Dengate, C.Murray, T.Oliver. Replacements: R.Gladdish, J.Stephens, E.Lusher, T.Williams, C.Macmillan.

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v Westcliff - 7 Jan 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton