Author: Denys Andrianjafy

CRFC-vs-Westcliff

Match Report – Canterbury 1st XV vs Westcliff

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

CANTERBURY 52pts  WESTCLIFF 15pts

Canterbury’s mission to play free flowing rugby eventually paid handsome dividends against the league’s bottom side with centre Frankie Morgan, who scored three of his side’s eight tries, the main beneficiary. It was a welcome victory for the city club, only their fourth of the season, but for much of the first half they struggled to match their ambition with proper execution. They did ease to a 21-5 lead by half time but only after they had rid themselves of wasteful habits. Those included handing easy ball to Westcliff and failing to turn attacking flair into points. A promising opening saw an outside break from wing Guy Hilton set up Morgan’s first try and Kyan Braithwaite slot the first of his six conversions, but after that there was too much self-inflicted harm. Westcliff full back Greg Bannister, who scored all his side’s points, filched an interception try and it wasn’t until the final seven minutes of the half that Canterbury’s expansive game came together and was rewarded with further touchdowns by Braithwaite and Hilton. Westcliff’s limitations, however, were ripe for the picking and the longer the game went on the more they were exposed. The heavyweights in their pack were full of resistance and the occasional niggle but Canterbury’s all round pace and athleticism in the loose tested them to breaking point. Aiden Moss opened the second half scoring after four minutes, dented temporarily by Bannister’s second try as Westcliff took advantage of a friendly bounce and a loose ball. He then added a penalty goal to further close the gap but the city side’s all court game proved to be too much for the visitors tiring legs. Dwayne Corcoran had the easiest of overlaps as the match approached the last quarter and as Canterbury continued to move the ball at pace the gaps opened up. In the last twenty minutes Morgan, twice, and replacement Tom Williams put the finishing touches to some bold and inventive rugby.

Canterbury: A.Moss (repl F.Reynolds), G.Hilton, F.Morgan, K.Braithwaite, D.Corcoran, F.Reynolds (repl T.Best), B.Cooper (repl T.Williams), B.Young, T.King, (repl D.Herriott), D.Herriott (repl R.Conlon), S.Churchyard, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, A.Evans (repl T.Rayleigh-Strutt), T.Oliver

View match photos

v Westcliff - 4 Dec 2021

Photographs may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Omicon variant

A Covid update from our Chairman

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Whilst the world battles to control the Covid pandemic, and considering the new Omicron Variant, Canterbury Rugby Club’s priority remains the health and safety of our members, players, staff, and visitors. We are therefore looking at putting in place a range of recommended safety measures to keep the Marine Travel Ground Covid secure.

Please follow a protocol of Lateral Flow Testing (LFT) prior to training and matches and attending the club. One in three people don’t show symptoms.

If you are attending a pre-match lunch, please carry out an LFT the morning of the lunch, unless you have mitigating reasons such as having had the virus within the last 90 days.

Anyone who wishes to wear a face-covering is as ever free to do so.

Hand sanitiser will be available in clearly signposted locations across club facilities, and we would urge all at the ground to apply it regularly.

Along with social distancing and other safety guidelines, vaccinated members are crucial in helping prevent the spread of the virus. Vaccinated people are less likely to get COVID-19 with symptoms and are less likely to get serious COVID-19. We want to strongly recommend as many players and staff as possible to be vaccinated.

Help us protect our community and keep our rugby family safe.

 Further Covid-19 advice and resources can be found at the following links

Martin Johnson and Max

Martin Johnson welcomes new partnership

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy
Martin Johnson, Benn and Max Smith
Martin Johnson, Benn and Max Smith

The club is delighted to announce a new sponsorship and community partnership designed to support young players across South East England . It was launched at the club’s London City lunch where guest speaker Martin Johnson, captain of England’s World Cup winning team in 2003, was among the first to welcome the initiative. The sponsorship is provided by BRS Education, an education consultation and tuition company founded by one of the club’s former players. The founder, Benn Smith, was a product of the club’s youth side who played for the first team between 2001 – 2014. Benn is now a Headmaster and founded BRS Education to support and guide families through the education system from primary to university, and also provides tuition to children who have struggled to access education through the lock down period. BRS Education believe passionately in ‘Developing Confidence and Individual Talents’ of all children both academically and on the sports field. During this post-pandemic period, BRS Education recognises the importance that taking part in rugby can have in developing the mental wellbeing of all those who take part.

In addition to the sponsorship of Canterbury’s mini and junior sections, BRS Education will work collaboratively with the Canterbury club to form its own Junior Athlete Academy, which will provide an academic and enhanced coaching programme to develop future first team players. Alongside this, the club will be investing in community coaches to support local primary and secondary schools to further develop rugby in the community.

This new approach further demonstrates the commitment Canterbury RFC have for a ‘one club’ mentality with a vision to be at the heart of the local and wider Kent community. ‘Canterbury Rugby Club provided me with a starting point for my playing and academic career, being my local club as I studied at University, ” said Benn.  “They not only provided me with the camaraderie through playing but also supported my leadership credentials both on and off the pitch, shaping my career to what it is today. I am delighted through BRS Education to be able to do my part to give back to the local community and support those young players and families as they begin their education and playing journey. My thanks go to the club and the spectators who enabled me to develop my confidence and develop my individual talents.”

Welcoming the new partnership Canterbury chairman Giles Hilton said: “This is a major boost for both rugby and education opportunities in the area and underlines our commitment to being an integral part of the community”

Clifton RFC vs CRFC

Match report – Clifton RFC vs Canterbury 1st XV

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

CLIFTON 22pts  CANTERBURY 19pts

Canterbury might well have fancied their chances of pulling off a surprise victory on a ground where they have seldom tasted success after trailing by only seven points at the interval. That didn’t look likely in the early stages when, after only three minutes, Clifton’s influential Number Eight, Brad Talbot, drove over from close range and a Luke Cozens conversion gave then the ideal start. But Canterbury quickly regathered themselves, built phases, and responded with a smartly taken try from Frank Reynolds after good work from half back partner Ben Cooper. At this stage, it was Clifton who were clearly happier to play the wide channels despite the biting northerly wind, and with fly half Cozens expertly pulling the strings they always looked dangerous. They struck again after a promising run from Canterbury centre Frank Morgan and the ball was stolen. Full back Alex Forrester gathered to run from deep in his own half and put winger Finlay Sharp over. Worse was to follow as Canterbury threatened again.  Another good line break from Morgan looked to have created a try scoring opportunity but when the move broke down it was Forrester who again broke upfield. After some excellent interplay winger Bentley Halpin crossed and Cozens converted. With Clifton still playing the conditions better it was to Canterbury’s credit that they stuck to their task. With half time fast approaching they got their reward. A textbook line out catch and drive saw winger Dwayne Corcoran run a lovely line and Kyan Braithwaite added the extras. Despite the best efforts of both sides the second period was to become a catalogue of missed chances and handling errors, not aided by the deteriorating conditions. The city side were forced to defend for long periods as Clifton’s forward pressure grew but all they conceded was a penalty goal which left them ten points behind. With only ten minutes to go, they were still to have their moments – a powerful break from skipper Jamie Stephens put flanker Alex Evans into space but the overlap was missed and the opportunity lost. Evans was to make amends two minutes later when driving over to score from close range. Braithwaite again converted and Canterbury went in search of the score they needed.  It proved to be one task too many.

Canterbury: A.Moss, G.Hilton, F.Morgan, K.Braithwaite, D.Corcoran, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, T.King, D.Herriott, S.Churchyard, J.Stephens, A.Evans, S.Rogers, T.Oliver.
Replacements: A.Coope, R.Cadman, T.Best, T.Williams, W.McColl,

by Andy Rogers

View match photos

v Clifton - 27 Nov 2021

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
CRFC vs Redruth

Match Report – Canterbury 1st XV vs Redruth RFC

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

CANTERBURY 22pts REDRUTH 26pts

League leaders Redruth kept up their winning ways but not before they had been pushed all the way by a Canterbury side who earned a deserved bonus point with the last play of a rousing game.  The obstacles the city had to overcome before the match would have daunted most sides, but they threw themselves into the battle with spirit and enterprise.  Covid and injury troubles, with two of the squad failing fitness tests in the warm up, could have derailed them. Instead, an all-action contest might have gone either way until the Redruth pack found a measure of control in the final quarter.   Canterbury made the early running, attacking the wide channels, looking for the telling offload, and keeping Redruth’s defence busy.  They were unlucky to come away with only a ninth-minute try from Frank Morgan after prop Billy Young made a decisive line break.  An unkind bounce and a last-minute interception frustrated them and the visiting forwards sent out a warning as hooker Richard Brown was driven over for a try converted by Fraser Honey.  There was more trouble as the city side failed to claim the restart and Redruth used possession smartly to set up a second score. Conor Gilbert made the touchdowh and Honey converted.  Canterbury, however, refused to lie down, trusted in their attacking strategy and hit back when Aiden Moss twisted away from the defenders. The try was converted by Kyan Braithwaite but still left his side two points adrift at halftime.  It was his penalty goal that pushed Canterbury back in front eight minutes into the second half and the action, not all of it tidy, never slackened.  The telling scores came as the Redruth scrummagers forced penalties, found field position and showed why they have become difficult to beat.  Tries from scrum half Jack Oulton and replacement forward Richard Kevern, plus Honey’s conversion, gave them breathing space and they resisted a late Canterbury surge until the final minute.  The city side, for whom Braithwaite and wing Dwanye Corcoran were outstanding, hammered away at the line, Honey was shown a yellow card and
Braithwaite found a gap for the try and conversion that won the bonus point.

Canterbury: A.Moss, G.Hilton, F.Morgan, K.Braithwaite, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper (repl T.Williams), B.Young (repl A.Wake-Smith), T.King, A.Cooper, S.Churchyard (repl J.De Vries), J.Stephens, A.Evans, S.Rogers, T.Oliver

View match photos

v Redruth
Images subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Christmas Fair

Christmas Fair

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Only 5 weeks to go till Christmas and everywhere you look, festive preparations are underway. We are holding a Christmas Fair at the Marine Travel Ground, 21st November 10am – 4pm. We have stands full of local crafts and produce, and of course, Saucy Flo’s to get a bit to eat. The bar will be open and there will be goodwill aplenty. There will be activities for the children and a charity tombola. Entry and Parking is free. Come and join us.

Christmas Fair at CRFC

download PDF flyer

Zingari vs Thanet 3rds

Canterbury 5th V Thanet 3rd

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

Canterbury 5th 5pts.  Thanet 3rds. 35pts

Canterbury 5th lost their chance to go top of the table this week against a strong well drilled Thanet 3rd team. The city side battled well in the first half although always under pressure and thanks to a Jerome Weigh try held the visitors to within a ten-point lead at half time. The Zingari did well for most of the second half keeping Thanet within range, however, Canterbury paid the price for playing catch-up giving Thanet the opportunity to open the flood gates, and to add to their woes it was later learned Matt Capper had suffered a broken collar bone.

Hinkley vs CRFC

Hinkley game postponed

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

The first team’s National 2 South fixture against Hinckley has been postponed after a playing member of the Canterbury squad tested positive for Covid 19.   The player received the result of the PCR test shortly before the team was due to leave for Hinckley. Medical advice from the National Club’s Association triggered the postponement as the player had been in contact with other members of the squad at Thursday night’s training session. The game will now be rescheduled for the next available reserve week in February.

In remembrance

Today, we remember

Posted on | by Denys Andrianjafy

On this day, the club remembers those who served and those from our rugby family who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War II :

Desmond Biggleston was a cricketer as well as a rugby player. An engineer, he was a lieutenant with 385th Battery of 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Artillery that went to France in September 1939. He died on July 1st 1942 at the 1st battle of El Alamein and is buried in the El Alamein cemetery.

Nathan Cohen from Deal was an enthusiastic rower as well as scrum half and captain of the midweek side.  In June 1940, Nat was towed in rowing boat, Golden Spray II, across the Channel to assist with the evacuation of soldiers from the Dunkirk beaches. He was a flying officer with the 464 (RAAF) Squadron and was killed on the operation against the Philips radio valve factory at Eindhoven. He is buried in Eindhoven cemetery, aged 33.

Arnold Anthony Egerton-Jones was educated at King’s, he went on to Sandhurst and was commissioned in the Dorsetshire Regiment. He also played cricket for St Lawrence.  Evacuated at Dunkirk, he served with the Durham Light Infantry and the Green Howards through the Middle East and North Africa. He rejoined the Dorsetshires in Sicily where he was given command of A Company, 1st  Battalion. The company landed at Gold Beach during the Normandy Landings. By now promoted to major, he was wounded but soon returned to his company.  He was killed by the explosion of a mortar shell during the advance on Caen.  He is buried at Hottot Les Bagues cemetery.

Clifford Hingston Rundle was a Cornishman from St Ives. He did not play for the club but was groundsman, equipment manager and committee member. He was a private in the Buffs, probably the 5th Battalion that fought at Dunkirk, in North Africa, Sicily and Monte Cassino. Clifford was killed near Ravenna Italy on 25th February 1945. He was buried in Ravenna War cemetery.

Leslie Charles Rundle was one of the players in the first team of October 12th 1929 and appeared regularly as a winger. He was a lieutenant and pilot in the RNVR, in the 755/756 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, based at HMS Kestrel, Worthy Down, near Winchester.  He was killed on war service along with his gunner, flying a Proctor, on 11th May 1942, in Gloucestershire.

Brian Taylor from Wingham, was educated at King’s, and was a good cricketer. He worked the East Kent Road Car Company as depot manager at Dover. The depot formed a Home Guard unit and he was appointed a lieutenant in the Dover Platoon. On 23rd March, he was killed in an air raid on Dover that killed 16 people. A Junkers 88 dropped an armour-piercing bomb on the East Kent Garage, killing those inside.

George Palmer West from Bridge was a civil engineer. He was a 2nd lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. He was killed on 26th May 1941 when the Battalion was involved in bitter fighting near Heraklion during the Battle of Crete against the German paratroop invasion. He was buried in the Suda Bay War cemetery and his name is inscribed on Bridge War Memorial.

Gregory Dillon Wood (1912-1943) ‘Rory” Wood was a well-known Canterbury player who turned out regularly through the 1930s. On outbreak of war, he joined 5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment. The battalion was part of the British Expeditionary Force and was evacuated from Dunkirk.  After a period in Cyprus and Palestine, the battalion fought at the battles of Mersa Mutra and El Alamein. He was killed at Wadi Akarit on 6th April 1943.

Those who also served included:

  • Ernest Graham Amies RAF, squadron leader
  • Ivan Castle Sandwich Company, The Buffs; prisoner of war of the Germans
  • George E Drought 137th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery; prisoner of war of the Japanese
  • Frederick Sutherland Farquharson Army sergeant
  • Jack Fendick (Royal Engineers)
  • George Barnet (Doc) Forbes RAMC
  • Anthony Geering (Royal Artillery)
  • Francis Gilder (RAF)
  • George Graham (Tochi Scouts medical officer)
  • Maurice Spencer Iveson (RAF pilot)
  • Ian Michael Godfrey Kennedy (RAF pilot)
  • Montague Kingsford The Buffs; prisoner of war of the Germans
  • Arthur Klein (RAF pilot)
  • Eric John Macey
  • Howard Meadows captain, Kings Shropshire Light Infantry at Anzio and in Palestine
  • Frederick Nason (2nd Dragoon Guards) 8th Army North Africa
  • George Charles Phillips (Royal Artillery)
  • Reginald Pobjoy (RAF)
  • Philip Sandercock (RAF pilot)
  • Frank William Simpson (Royal Engineers)
  • Clifford Harcourt Summers (Royal Artillery)
  • Felix Wetherall (Royal Artillery/Borders Regiment)
  • John Basil Wetjen Royal Marines – wounded (1944) Grande Ferme du Buisson near Sallenelles
  • John William Patrick Yates Royal Navy)