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.
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.
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.
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:
SIDCUP 2ND 22 CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 34
It wasn’t until the second half that Pilgrims were able to break free from a good home side and nail down the victory. It was only the fourth game of the season for Canterbury and after a close fought first 40 minutes there were only five points between the teams. Pilgrims led 10-5 thanks to tries from Joe Rumsey and Dan Eaglestone. Sidcup drew level shortly after the interval but Kieran McKenzie’s break saw him touch down and convert his own try. But the home side could not be shaken off as they grabbed a converted try and looked set for another score before Pilgrims turned the tables on them with a Jon Foster try. Further scores from Freddy Sharp and Tom Halliday sealed the win before Sidcup powered over for the final act of a competitive game.
UKC 2nd 14pts Canterbury 5th 19pts
The 5ths were severely tested by a youthful and unbeaten Kent University side before they registered their third Kent Rural League win in a row. The City forwards needed all their experience to overcome the students and provide the ammunition for the back division to strike with two tries from Will Rayner. UKC hit back with two converted scores of their own before Jerome Weigh forced his way over. That try and two conversions from Kevin Stevens saw the City side back into the lead and great defending made sure they survived the final twenty minutes.
CANTERBURY 30pts LEICSTER LIONS 27pts
To say Canterbury left things late would be an understatement as they snatched this victory deep in stoppage time with their fifth try of the afternoon. A patient build up and outstanding ball retention were rewarded when Frank Reynolds scored under a pile of Lions defenders to give his side a maximum five league points. It seemed they had missed their chance when, three minutes earlier, Reynolds failed to convert Aiden Moss’s second try which would have earned his side a draw. But all was forgiven when the fly half put the finishing touches to the last play of the game. That late surge stunned a Leicester team who were sitting on a seven point lead and looking warm favourites in the closing stages.
After trailing at the break they scored three tries in a see-saw second half and must have thought they had done just enough to earn the win. That they failed was no criticism because Canterbury found a rhythm and determination that would have tested any side. The quality of that spell was in stark contrast to a poor first half when both sides were guilty of basic errors. Lions took an early lead through a Ben Young dropped goal, but surrendered it to close range tries from front-row men Will McColl and Tristan King, with Reynolds adding a conversion. A great chip and chase by Lions full back Alex Wilcockson and Young’s conversion narrowed the gap to two points by half time but the visitors upped their game after the break. Hooker Ollie Taylor’s converted try took them back into the lead before a yellow card for Young gave the city side an opportunity. Reynolds kicked a penalty goal and Moss cruised through acres of space to make a touchdown. Lions came back strongly as Taylor, their top try scorer this season, grabbed a second and when wing Jake Sterland latched on to Young’s shrewd cross kick with seven minutes remaining Canterbury were left chasing the game. They chased in such a positive fashion that they will travel to Barnes next Saturday confident in their own abilities.
Canterbury: K.Braithwaite, F.Morgan, W.Waddington (repl A.Moss), T.Best,T.Williams (repl G.Hilton), F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, W.McColl (repl A.Cooper), T. King, D.Herriott, S.Churchyard (repl J. De Vries), J.Stephens (repl S.Churchyard), W.Hunt (repl E.Lusher), S.Rogers, T.Oliver.
BARNSTAPLE 10pts CANTERBURY 22pts
A sharper and more focused Canterbury made the most of the Devon sunshine and a firm surface to end a run of two defeats and claim their second National 2 South league win of the season. In a game that was always tight on the scoreboard a try from the last play of the afternoon, scored by replacement wing Dave Heads, ensured the most deserving side took the points. The gap might have been greater had Canterbury made the most of a high tempo first quarter which kept Barnstaple fully occupied but somehow the finishing touches were missing. All looked good when a catch and drive then slick work by the backs saw Kyan Braithwaite score the first of his two tries and Frank Reynolds converted. That was after fifteen minutes, and the city side continued to pose a real threat with ball in hand. They went close but frustratingly that was all. When Barntstaple finally broke free they levelled matters with a driving maul try for hooker Nat Bayet and a Jake Murphy conversion. By half time it was still stalemate after Reynolds and Murphy exchanged penalty goals but a yellow card for Barnstaple centre Johnny Carter, for a deliberate knock on, gave Canterbury an advantage they did not waste. Four minutes after the break Reynolds carved an opening and Braithwaite was on his inside shoulder to take the scoring pass. That five point lead began to look fragile as Canterbury then delivered their least impressive period and began to look unsure of themselves. Basic errors, dithering and unwanted penalties handed momentum to the home side. it was left to some outstanding defensive work, with special mention for back row trio Sam Rogers, Will Hunt and Tyler Oliver, to hold them off. Scarcely a tackle was missed but, having survived, the city men regained control in the late stages. They might have settled for running down the clock but with the seconds ticking away a charge by young prop Will McColl set up a promising position. It was exploited to the full as Heads was given a clear run to the posts and Reynolds’ kick capped a much better day at the office.
Canterbury: K.Braithwaite, F.Morgan (repl G.Hilton), W.Waddington, T.Best, T.Williams (repl D.Heads), F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, W.McColl, (repl A.Cooper),
T .King, D.Herriot, (repl E.Lusher) R.Cadman, J.Stephens (repl S.Churchyard) W.Hunt, S.Rogers, T.Oliver
It is with great sadness that the club has learned of the death of former first team captain Roger Clarke. He died peacefully at home after a period of illness. Roger was a high-class centre who played five seasons for Leicester Tigers before qualifying as a chartered accountant and moving to Canterbury. He skippered the successful first team in the 1969/70 season winning 23 out of 39 games. In modern terms, Roger was not the biggest player but his talents and hard tackling made him a formidable opponent. He continued to play for the club until 1979 and then became a regular supporter. Roger was educated at Wyggeston School in Leicestershire and was an all-round sportsman who played cricket for St Lawrence & Highland Court club where he was as tough a competitor as he was on the rugby field. All this, however, was done with a cheerful smile. In his business life, he was highly respected and held a senior position in the accountancy world. Our thoughts and condolences go to Roger’s family – he will be missed in the local community.
Click to view larger image – 1969 1st XV 6th December 1969 Maidstone
OLD ALLEYNIANS 2nd 7pts CANTERBURY PILGRIMS 40pts
All the points came in the first half as Pilgrims eased to their first league victory of the season. There was a hat trick for Leroy Chiapa before the atrocious weather conditions made life difficult for both sides after the break. The game started well for the visitors with Guy Hilton running through to score and brother Will converting. On 12 minutes Dave Heads broke through after good work by the backs and Will Hilton stretched the lead to 14. Pilgrims continued to dominate and there were two Chiapa touchdowns and another Hilton conversion before the home side found a reply through a converted try. If Alleynians hoped for a mini-revival they were to be disappointed. An interception try by Liam Dunseath dashed their hopes and Chiapa peeled off from a forward drive to record Pilgrims sixth. Hilton converted twice before a scoreless second half reflected the poor conditions.