Author: Denys Andrianjafy

Jesse V Park House

Match Report Pilgrims v Park House

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Won 24-8 (H-T 19-3). Eoin O’Dongahue 15, Jesse De Vries 4, Adrian Geddes 5.

The Pilgrims needed to bounce back from the home loss to Dover from last week. Dropping from first to third was not what Canterbury had wanted. This game was so important. With eight
enforced changes is was not going to be easy, 5 in the backs!

The game started well for the home side, Pilgrims putting some good attacking moves together, and early pressure was rewarded with a try scored by Eoin O’Donaghue after good work from Max
Halliday and Adrian Geddes. 5-0, alas Jesse De Vries could not convert.

Park House came straight back at the home side, only good defending kept them out, with excellent tackling from Jake Dengate, throughout the game. Presley Farrance was having an excellent game at scrum half, and Ollie Finn, the ‘supporters player of the day’, played well in a number of positions, as later injuries meant that he had to move around to cover.

Jesse was kicking well for territory, but a few line-outs went begging! Max Halliday went off with a hamstring injury, this will mean his misses the rest of the league season! From a penalty just short of the park House try Line, Eoin drove over for his second try, this time converted by De Vries, 12-0. More park Pressure, who always looked dangerous, resulted in a penalty, which they duly
kicked. 12-3. Just on the stroke of half time Eoin drove through to score his third try for Jesse to convert. At half time the home side lead 19-3. One more try was needed to get the much needed
bonus point.

The second half was a half of errors and scrappy play, the pilgrims spent too much time in their own half defending a hard working Park House team who started this game one place behind in
fourth place. A yellow card to Park, gave Pilgrims the lift they needed. Adrian Geddes, a young player, who has made great progress over the last few weeks, scored an unconverted try, 24-3.
The game was closer that the score was suggesting. From another scrum, an area that Park House were dominating, they broke and scored an unconverted try, 24-8. What seemed like a short
second half ended with a much needed win. A very gutsy team performance, with everyone making an important contribution to the end result. Results elsewhere took Canterbury up to
second, level on Points with local rivals Dover. If both sides remain undefeated in their last two games, Two East Kent sides could be going up to Counties One.

This coming weekend the Pilgrims travel to play Maidstone 1stXV, for another must win game.

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Canterbury Pilgrims vs Park House

Images may be subject to copyright – Ken Matcham
V Barnes

Match report – Canterbury 1st XV V Barnes

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

CANTERBURY 15 BARNES 38

by David Haigh

This was a frustrating Canterbury performance as they gave Barnes a head start and then were too inaccurate to sustain a threatened second half revival. Conceding four tries before the break to one of the league’s in-form sides left them struggling for credibility and although they lifted the tempo of their game in the third quarter too many basic errors killed off the challenge. The visitors went ahead after only three minutes as their backs exposed the Canterbury defence all too easily for Jordan Souter’s try. A Frank Reynolds penalty goal pegged that back but it took a confident Barnes only a minute to fashion a second try scored by wing Paul O’Dell. A penalty gave the visitors the territory for a third score, this time a close quarter finish as lock James Bloxham crashed over and Simon Keller’s second conversion pushed the lead to a comfortable sixteen points. Canterbury did settle more at this stage and while they threatened little in attack the deficit looked manageable if they could hold on to half time. Those hopes were dashed when Dave Irvine went to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on and the penalty conceded put Barnes where they wanted be. Hooker Alex March drove over, Keller converted and the bonus point was in the visitors pocket. How important that score became was highlighted when Canterbury engaged a higher gear after the break. They played with pace and ambition, which paved the way for a good try by Guy Hilton, and going into the last twenty minutes forward pressure made another inroad with an Irvine try and a Reynolds conversion. But all that effort was undermined by dropped passes and possession turned over in contact. Barnes re-asserted control in the late stages with tries for Cameron Leigh and Chris Stegman and a Keller conversion, while Canterbury’s woes were compounded by Sam Sterling’s red card for an illegal tip tackle

Canterbury: C.Kingsman, G.Hilton, S.Sterling, L.Hollidge (repl T.Halliday), F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper (repl T.Williams), B.Young, N.Morris (repl C.Macmillan), E.Lusher (repl D.Herriott), D.Irvine, J.Stephens, H.Furneaux, C.Murray (repl S.Rogers) T.Oliver

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v Barnes - 4 Mar 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

Match-Preview-V-Barnes

Match preview – Canterbury 1st XV V Barnes

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

One of the league’s in-form sides come to the Marine Travel Ground and Barnes will provide a test of our resilience. A calf injury rules out Will Waddington so Charlie Kingsman takes the full back slot. Sam Rogers makes a welcome return to the squad after a long battle to regain fitness and is named among the replacements together with Tom Halliday. Head Coach Matt Corker writes: “We’ve had some tough Saturdays this season, where the score lines were not what we wanted but the Saturday result, regardless of the close margin was enormously disappointing. When I have reviewed the wins against Tonbridge, Worthing and Sevenoaks we look like a very different team when compared to the one who played Rochford, even though personnel are almost identical. Currently we thrive on the test that the teams above offer but we know that successful league campaigns are also about being able to win games that earn less attention. Credit must go to Rochford who won the physical battle. I will not share our missed tackle number as it is something we are all embarrassed by but it has given us a very simple focus for Barnes this weekend. Barnes have some powerful runners and play to those strengths, and we are very aware that this is something that we need to deal with. I have no doubt that all players that represent Canterbury are proud to wear the shirt, we as a group didn’t do it justice last week and Saturday is an opportunity for us to rectify that.”

Match report – Rochford Hundred V Canterbury 1st XV

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

ROCHFORD HUNDRED 28 CANTERBURY 26

by David Haigh

Going into this game Canterbury Head Coach Matt Corker warned that relegation threatened Rochford would fight like wounded animals after their mauling by Barnes the previous week. Fight they did and so effectively that they edged a tight contest which brought Canterbury two bonus points but disappointment that they could not maintain their recent improved form. Despite starting positively and leading at the break they were too casual and inaccurate to put away some decent first half chances and those failures came to bite them. Harvey Furneaux’s seventh minute try, converted by Frank Reynolds, made Rochford look vulnerable but they soon put that idea to rest. Fly half Tauren Henwood stepped neatly through midfield with a quick reply but it was the city side who held the attacking edge. The forwards did the work again for a Billy Young try, which left Reynolds an easy kick, but that was all they could find. On the stroke of halftime Chris Dudman’s penalty goal sliced the Canterbury lead to six points and they were soon under pressure from a fired up home side after the restart. It earned Rochford territory and penalties and two from the boot of Dudman brought the scores level. Going into the last quarter a disjointed Canterbury, who did not look after the ball, fell behind to a converted try by Rory Gray but then found some momentum of their own. It brought a close quarters try for Dave Irvine, topped up by Reynolds, but missed tackles handed centre Sam Cappaert the hosts a third touchdown with eight minutes left. Dudman’s successful kick left the city side needing a converted score to salvage a draw and they gave the ball width to send Ben Cooper over for a bonus point try. Reynolds was faced with a difficult conversion, which he narrowly missed, and Rochford’s second half battling performance was rewarded.

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

 

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v Rochford - 25 Feb 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

Match report Pilgrims V Dover Sharks

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

The big East Kent derby went to Dover Sharks 1st Team , who devoured the Pilgrims from Canterbury, in front of nearly 400 hundred supporters and a drummer! The real winner of this game was intangible, East Kent Rugby!

The long awaited local derby between the best home record, and best defence, versus the best attacking record in the league. The best side, Dover, won on the evening, in front of a fantastic Dover crowd!

A feisty start, saw Jack Weaver scoring a great try within the first minute, converted by Tom Halliday, to give Pilgrims a 7-0 lead. 6 minutes later, Ex Canterbury Captain, Martyn Beaumont dodged through to score a converted try to level, 7-7. Alarm bells! Jack Weaver got on the end of another pass and managed to get free and drive for the try line, he was tackled, but managed to regain his feet and rolled, got up, and scored, a try, this time Tom missed, 12-7. Almost immediately, the Sharks counter attacked, and a superb cross field kick by Beaumont saw their right wing, Tom Sayers, catch and dive in for a great try out wide, unconverted, 12-12.

With 20 minutes gone, the game was going backwards and forwards, the pilgrims making errors, and the Sharks pressurising. Dover then scored a converted try to take the lead 12-19. With 5 minutes to go before half-time after consistent pressure, Will McColl drove over from close range to score, Tom Halliday converted, and the teams went in at half-time 19-19. Three tries each, a bonus point in the offing! Game on.

The second half was a learning lesson for the Pilgrims, while the Visitors continued to dominate, almost! The home side tried to compete with the away side, and not listen to the referee, who was actually having a good game, but Canterbury were not listening. During a 20 minute nightmare, they went down to 12 players, with 3 yellow cards! This did not help their cause. They were also trying too hard! If only they would listen to their coaches!

It all went downhill when Captain Harry Andrews went off injured, then, soon after, from a silly penalty given away, which Dover kicked from 40 yards out, the Pilgrims found themselves behind, 19-22. Canterbury worked hard to get back, but the Yellow cards kept coming.. Then then Beaumont, did a lovely kick for Tom ‘wonderboy’ Sayers to pick up and dive over for a great try out wide, 19-27. Almost immediately, Player of the match, Sayers did it again, another superb try out wide, his hat-trick, unconverted, the pilgrims could not cope with his pace, 19-32.

The Pilgrims still playing with less than 15 players tried to fight back, but it was like osmosis, Dover struck again! 19-39, surely that was game over! Back game the pilgrims, Adam Malik, scoring his second try of the season, this time converted by Jack Weaver, 26-39. Then Will ‘Bacon’ McColl scored his second try of the day. Could Halliday convert to get a second bonus point? Alas no, the game ended 31-39. The top three positions are now up for grabs with Pilgrims, Dover, and Sevenoaks all within one point. Three games to go, and it looks like bonus points will make the difference.

Thank you to all those that came and supported both teams, you guys made it a great night for all, what an advert for East Kent, and Night games! and to the ball boys who helped to find ball in the darkness!

The Pilgrims have to try and regroup before this coming weekend, when they play 4th placed Park House, at the Marine Travel ground at 2:00, before the Foxes take on Barnes at 3:00. Good day to come to the home of Rugby.

View match photos taken by Ken Matcham – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=100081190308473&set=a.200257012690641

Hellfire

Hellfire hasn’t gone cold

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

It seems like a lifetime ago when the country was in lock down and the way we did things changed overnight. But thankfully most things returned to the new norm quite quickly. In the world of wheelchair rugby, however, it has taken a little longer. But finally on February the 19th 2023 after months of having to train in a small and new group Hellfire got wheels on, gloves on and relit the fire at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the home of the Paralympic movement.

A team of five new hopefuls and team captain Steve Brown took to the court for the very first time as a team, with some generous support of an experienced player from each of the three other teams taking part in the tournament to help make up the numbers. The first game against Brighton Buccaneers started off with quite a few nerves, a few glances at Steve for advice but very quickly the smiles formed, the tries scored, the turnovers won and a final score of 9-15, a win for Hellfire!

As the day progressed with the help and support from the other teams taking part as well as sage advice, experience and leadership from former Team GB captain Steve the team started to grow more and more as each minute of the game clock counted down. The next two games were really positive and a lot was learned by our fledgling team members. The heats ended with one win and two losses.

The final game of the day for us was a play off for third and fourth place featuring a highly experienced team with a full bench of substitutes and just six Canterbury Hellfire members cheered on by their family. The loan players from other teams had returned to their original teams but after the first five minutes the whole stadium, all the other teams and all of the supporters we transfixed on the underdog side who not only held their own but we’re starting to believe they could actually win. The cheers from the crowd grew with each try scored by each team until with four minutes of match time left the scores were level. The banging of wheels grew louder as both teams were hitting harder and harder. The calls for the ball from both teams had to be shouted over the noise coming from the crowd. The clock counts down to zero and the score are dead level!

Players from both sides, coaches and supporters were all asking the same question “what happens now?”. Finally, word reached the bench that there would be a playoff where the first team to score two tries in a row would win. There would be no time limit. Whilst the players took a quick water break and tried to control the adrenaline the coaches and family realised that the whole room had stopped what is was doing, staff from the host venue had come in to see what the noise was all about and now everyone was watching. The clocks are reset, the whistle blows and it’s a point for Brighton, then a point for Hellfire, back and forth it goes like an epic Wimbledon final. The noise is truly inspiring, the smiles, enjoyment and confidence from both teams is clear to see. The effort and energy being found as each phase is played now feels limitless; and then the moment comes. A try scored by Canterbury Rugby to take the lead, a fumble from Brighton, a quick smash and grab (literally) and a sprint for the line for Hellfire and a deafening cheer as two wheels cross the line to secure the win and third place in the tournament.

Players: Steve Brown (c), Owen West, Tolga Sasmaz, Bethany Fearn, Sawyer Wright, Archie Beaumont.

Coaches: Ian Lloyd & Jack Lloyd.

Special thanks to Dave Mannings and his team for their help with Logistics and to the travelling families, who are all an essential part of the Hellfire squad.

Pilgrims V Westcombe Park

Match Report v Westcombe park, Saturday 18th February, away

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

A very good Pilgrims team travelled to Westcombe Park to take on the best side that Combe had put out all season! A poor start by the visitors did not help their cause. A knock on from the kick off, followed by a penalty for “holding on” resulted in an easy kick for the home side, who lead 3-0 within a minute! Shortly after this, the Pilgrims gave another penalty away, this time from a high tackle, this time Combe missed, still 3-0.

An incredible kick for touch went into touch by the corner flag, but from the poor throw in by the home side, Canterbury were able to clear their lines up to the twenty-two. Combe came back again, as Canterbury could not get to grips with the game, the wet weather, the slippery ball and everything else! More pressure. After a quarter of an hour ‘Park’ got another penalty for Offside, and this time they made it 6-0.

The pilgrims were still trying to get themselves into the game, nothing was going their way, and some of the decisions were harsh to say the least! After a good move by the visitors and a good lineout, from which the drive nearly forced a try, Combe repelled the attack and cleared their lines. On 26 minutes, the Captain, Vaughn Meredith, went on one of his famous solo dart and dodging runs to score, Olly Ashley-Jones converted and the lead changed, 6-7 to the visitors.

The game was getting spicy, mainly because the referee could not keep up with the fast pace of the game, not totally his fault, and both sides were brought together and spoken to. Lots of indifferent play by both sides. Charlie Kingsman, who had a great game, kicked and chased a loose ball for 70 metres, but the bounce was not favourable. More pressure by the visitors followed. Then Tom Halliday received a yellow, with 4 minutes to go before half-time. The Pilgrims were having a good spell and more pressure near the try line resulted in another pick and drive, this time by Luke Webber, who got over the line, for Olly to convert and the visitors went in at half time 6-14 up.

A ragged second half followed, the pilgrims could not throw straight at line outs, which was proving costly. Their scrum was second best all day to the home side, and from one of many that they lost, Combe peeled off the back and scored an easy try, which they duly converted, 13-14. Another penalty followed for not rolling away, this was kicked and the home side took the lead back 16-14! Was this going to be a banana skin game?

Yet more penalties and more poor line outs. Midway through the half, Luke Webber scored his second try, after a succession of ‘pick up and goes’. Charlie Kingsman converted, Pilgrims back in front 16-21. Then the pilgrims got two penalties within minutes from a very kickable position, but Kingsman missed both. At this point Canterbury were in control of the game. A great move involving the backs sent Tom Ashley-Jones away, but he was crashed into touch a few yards short. The home side kicked out, Luke Webber caught the ball, and then went on an amazing, out of this world run to score out wide, for his Hat-Trick try, this time Charlie Kingsman did not miss, 16-28, bonus point for four tries, and the win to stay top of the table, by one point.

Pilgrims have to play Dover, 3rd and Park House, 4th next. They start this Friday 24th at 7:30 v Dover at the Marine travel ground. Come along and watch the best away side in the league and play the side with the best home record. Dover are the league highest points scorers, Canterbury are second. Promises to be a great night out, come and have a saucy Flo Curry.

Scorers, Luke Webber 15, Vaughn Meredith 5, Olly Ashley-Jones and Charlie Kingsman both 4 points.

VS Sevenoaks

Match report – 1st XV V Sevenoaks

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

CANTERBURY 33 SEVENOAKS 30by David Haigh From the comfort of a fifteen point second half lead Canterbury ended up clinging on for this important National 2 East victory. With both sides hovering on the fringes of the relegation battle there was plenty at stake and Sevenoaks’ domination of the final 20 minutes marked them out as likely winners.   Instead, they were restricted to a second bonus point, earned with a try in the last minute, thanks to Canterbury’s massive defensive effort and astute changes from the bench at a time when the city club were hit with two yellow cards and a sending off.  As the Duke of Wellington said after that long ago skirmish at Waterloo, “it was the nearest run thing you ever saw.”   Surviving the late siege was not the only challenge Canterbury had to overcome as the sharp and focused visitors made a flying start and were twelve points ahead after only eight minutes. Tries from Henry Galligan and Jonny Short, plus a Ben Adams conversion, were  helped by suspect tackling. When  Canterbury came alive, however, they were just as effective in finding holes and won a four try bonus point by half time. A midfield break by scrum half Ben Cooper made the first incision before Lewis Hollidge’s opening try. Continuing pressure saw Oaks leaking penalties and when Frank Reynolds spotted space on the right his cross kick bounced into Cameron Murray’s path.  Oaks pulled back three points with an Adams penalty goal but they could not stop a driving maul which ended in Eoin O’Donoghue touching down.  Jamie Stephens rounded off close quarter work from a clever pop pass to register the fourth and with three conversions from Reynolds, who passed the 100 point mark for the season, the earlier damage was repaired.  When Cooper ran in the opening try of the second half, after good attacking work in mid-field, and Reynolds topped it up the city side looked firmly in the driving seat.  But the lively visitors soon reminded them that if you don’t fasten the safety belt you are unwise and they took control of possession and territory. Adams kicked his second penalty goal then converted Short’s second try on 60 minutes and Canterbury now had a dog fight on their hands. Losing Danny Herriott and Stephens to the sin bin and Tom Best to a red card, put their discipline under scrutiny but their defiance and commitment left Sevenoaks no more time after Galligan’s last ditch score.Canterbury: W.Waddington, G.Hilton (repl T.Best),S.Sterling, L.Hollidge, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper (repl T.Williams), .B. Young, N.Morris (repl E.O’Donoghue), D.Herriott (repl C. Macmillan), D.Irvine, J.Stephens, H.Furneaux, C.Murray, T.Oliver (repl A.Evans).

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v Sevenoaks - 18 Feb 2023

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Match-Preview-1st-XV-V-Sevenoaks

Match preview – Canterbury V Sevenoaks

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

A ham string strain rules out Tristan King from Saturday’s contest.   Harvey Furbneaux takes the vacant place in the back row where Tyler Oliver returns from injury in the Number Eight shirt.  Skipper Jamie Stephens moves to the second row as Jessie De Vries is unfit.  Tom Best,  who missed the victory at Tonbridge Juddians, is named among the replacements together with Alex Evans.  Head Coach Matt Corker writes: “If I zoom out to look at the last block of three games, there have been two great performances and one which is an important lesson for us. I believe that the games against Worthing and Tonbridge have shown what this team is capable of when we are at our best. The intensity that we showed, and the level of work that we were prepared to go through for each other defined the performances, as well as being what underpinned our success. The thorn on the rose was the Saturday we spent away at Dorking, which is the lesson that we can not afford to forget. We are privileged to play in a very competitive league and we have learnt what happens when we are not at our best. Sevenoaks were worthy winners when we visited them earlier in the season, and I have no doubt that this weekend’s fixture will be another strongly contested affair.”

Having taken over as leaders of Counties Kent 2 the Pilgrims travel to Westcombe Park seeking to keep their title push on track.  They face a pivotal game next Friday evening at The Marine Travel Ground when they meet third placed Dover in a re-arranged fixture which was postponed during December’s cold weather snap.

Benny Bell

Benny Bell

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Benny BellWe have learned with great sadness that one of the club’s stalwarts over many seasons, Benny Bell, has died.  Benny served our club in a variety of roles, as  player, sectary, treasurer, and international ticket officer.  Former club president Steve Uglow pays this tribute.  “Benny Bell made the wise decision to leave Maidstone and join Canterbury, playing his first match for the Pilgrims in 1976. He was a talented winger with a good turn of pace, playing regularly for the 1st XV and the Pilgrims.   Age was beginning to catch up but Benny loved the game and was happy to play whether it was the Pilgrims or the Cardinals. In between scoring hatfulls of tries, he took pleasure in discussing the finer points of the laws of the game with the referee, often from the other side of the field. A change in direction came in the 3rd XV under my captaincy – it was an international Saturday and an early morning kick-off at Merton Lane when I confessed to failing to find a scrum half and was begging for volunteers. Benny raised his hand, had a super game AND was too tired to criticise the ref. It was a win-win. By the end of the season, he was playing 1st XV rugby. At the end of season club supper, Benny (in his late thirties) was given the ‘most improved’ player award.  When he stopped playing, Benny threw his heart and soul into the role of club secretary as well as appointing himself as resident thorn-in-the-side of the club chairman. He was a Cumbrian by birth, from Hartsop, in Patterdale. And it showed – nothing got by on-the-nod and Benny would always dig down and check and then check again. He was a man for detail. But it was always the good of Canterbury Rugby that was uppermost in his mind.  In recent seasons, he was always to be found on the touchline, staying involved in the changes in playing membership and coaching. In this, as in so many other areas, he was a man of many opinions, some of them (by the law of averages) right. He also had the disconcerting habit of remembering matches in the dim and distant past, blow by blow, scores, and scorers. Incidents that one had forgotten and wished to keep that way….”

Benny Bell was an important part of the club’s history. Whether arguing with him or just chewing the fat, he could put a smile on your face. We send our deepest condolences to Sally and all his family.

Benny’s funeral will be held at Barham Crematorium on Monday, March 20th at 2.40 pm. After the service, you are invited to celebrate Benny’s life at the rugby club from 3.30pm.

Family flowers only but donations if desired direct to British Lung Foundation or Canterbury Rugby Club. A collection will be made on the day as well.Please email sallyb46@hotmail.com to let Sally ( daughter) know if you will be attending so that Saucy Flo’s can provide enough food for all!