Author: Becca Williams

Forget Christmas Spirit, Saturday was all about Deacons Rugby Spirit as we waved off our amigo.

Before getting into the meat & two veg of last Saturday’s performance I need to recognise a number of regular Deacons players.
When we have a game there are those who consistently put their hand up to play come rain or shine. These same players on Saturday when the opposition were short-handed stepped up to even the sides, playing for the opposition for the full 80, taking a half or sacrificing their own game time demonstrating the real spirit of social rugby & true heart of the Deacons. Dylan Coyle played a number of key roles in the backline for Gillingham, Matt Capper joined them in the second half and made an instant impact & Jorge Edwards dropped out of playing the first half for us to play 14 a side. Well done Gentlemen, you’re an absolute credit to this team.

We were lucky enough to pick up a fantastic talent and have him join us for a few games. It was sad to learn David Hierro was heading back to Mexico after the game. His fan club turned up to wish him well & the Deacons revelled at the thought of playing in front of a crowd of nearly 10 people.

We started a little late having sorted out teams and numbers, huge kudos to Gillingham for getting their players from all over Kent to put a team out.

Deacons started strong. Receiving the kick off and making moves into the opposition territory. It didn’t take long to realise we would have to work hard as Gillingham were there to give us a game.
Competition over the ball was tough. The breakdowns were equally well contested and Gillingham had some strong ball carriers working around the field.
With Brad Nicholson back, the scrum was solid and when Ronnie West settled in as hooker we would end up winning 2 great scrums against the head across the game.

The opening 15 was a real tussle. Back & forth between the 22’s both teams hitting and missing tackles, encountering handling errors and occasionally running out of space ball in hand. Deacons defense remained strong and Anchorians rarely troubled inside our 5.
It was only a matter of time before we broke the deadlock. With most of the team we put out against Deal playing again the added cohesion clear. It was as some smart handling & real pace from Rob Horan at 12 who passed to our flying Mexican David to put him in under the posts. What a way to sign off! The crowd went wild!
With our tails up we went again. Receiving the restart and working from side to side. A loose ball, some exceptional footballing skill & a 50m foot race saw Callum Townshend get across the line – a strong contender for man of the match, he continues to impress on the flank, following plays across the field and nailing some brilliant tackles in defense.

The team were buzzing. Gillingham weren’t giving up, and there was no time to relax.
Up stepped Dan Franco. The 9 & 10 working out forward pods to give us field position before unleashing the centre combo alongside Reilly Fleming.
Dan added 2 more tries before half time demonstrating his strength and speed.

The second half saw much of the same, when we had the ball we were in control. There were a number of stoppages for injuries and handling errors but if Gillingham looked as if they were going to break, our defence rallied.
We released our on form winger Ed ‘the excorcet’ Exley for the 5th try of the afternoon which was converted once more by Dan Head & Dan Franco closed the scoring with the 6th try and his hat trick.

We finished 42 – 0. Said farewell to our friend and MOTM David Hierro & headed to the sheds buoyed with a sense of achievement and accomplishment that comes from playing the way we did.
Thanks again to those Zingari Werriers that turned out to play and support us.

Tries:
David Hierro
Dan Franco x 3
Callum Townshend
Ed Exley
Cons:
Dan Head x 6

We go again Sat 20th December. Away vs Folkestone 2’s. Come and join us

The Canons saw a third consecutive defeat in a tough afternoon in Tunbridge Wells, losing 62-5 to the promotion hopefuls.

Despite a positive start, early injuries to James Everatt and Gus Lister stalled momentum and forced substitutions and players to play out of regular positions. TW took advantage and scored a try scoring bonus within the first 25 minutes. 2 more followed before half time.

The Canons rallied at half time, and started the second half well. A break through could not be found and TW exploited space in behind to score 3 more tries with 70 minutes on the clock.

After finding themselves in the TW 22, the Canons finally worked the ball out wide for Jake Forrest to score in the corner, for a try that was well overdue. TW scored in the final play to end the afternoon in the ascendancy.

They say things come in 3s, and after 3 losses, 3 wins and 3 losses, the Canons will hope to revert back to winning ways against Whitstable on 20 December. In what is the Christmas showpiece at the club, all support will be welcome

Chair John Halliday said it best. What. A. Game. Last time out the Pilgrims lost out by the narrowest of margins after dominating the game for large periods against Beckenham, this however was a different story.
Horsham had beaten an under strength pilgrims side at home in their first away trip of the season back in September, and it was they who registered the first score after some lacklustre tackling from a loose lineout ball saw the Horsham scrum half break numerous tackles on his way to the line- he was eventually dragged down 2metres out but the Horsham support play ensured the score was inevitable and they had a 0-7 lead.
The pilgrims defence put them back on the front foot and they drove Horsham back deep into their own half until they infringed at the breakdown and pilgrims opened their account with a penalty goal. 3-7.

They took the game right back to Horsham from the kick off and strong runs from the forwards saw another penalty conceded by Horsham. Seeing space in the back field Kurt Heatherly took a quick tap and put fullback Owen Hewitt through a gap and his pace saw him evade the defence to score under the posts and give the pilgrims a 10-7 lead.
It was just starting to look like the Pilgrims were getting the upper hand when they were reduced to 14 after Mo Pangarker was harshly awarded a straight red card for a high tackle.
That didn’t deter the city side however, and Hewitt quickly added a second converted score after a great break by back row Tom Mackenzie. 17-7.
Despite being a man down, the pilgrims forwards were bossing proceedings and were more aggressive in contact and were dominating at scrum time. They made this dominance count with 5 mins remaining of the half. The front five applied the pressure and put Horsham on the back foot allowing No. 8 Alex Evans to pick up from the base and power over taking the score to 24-7.

Horsham came out of the blocks quickest at the start of the 2nd half and they made the slope and numbers tell when they added a well worked 3rd try within minutes of the restart, 24-21.
Pilgrims busy utility back Fin Mason-Myers added Pilgrims bonus point try in response after his deft kick up the line bounced out of play off a Horsham defender. Mason-Myers and Hewitt reacted quickest and combined to take a quick lineout- Hewitt making inroads and Mason-Myers on hand to touch down out wide in support. 29-21.

Horsham then came back strongly and only robust pilgrims defence kept them at bay for multiple phases until the referee adjudged the city side to have offended once to often and since binned Tom Mackenzie for an accumulation of team infringements, reducing the pilgrims to 13.
Horsham’s response was clinical as they powered over from the resultant penalty to make the score 29-26.

Pilgrims then made their task even harder when flanker Jake Dengate was sin binned for knocking the ball out of the scrum half’s hands reducing them to 12 players.

Horsham, buoyed by their 3 man advantage then moved the pilgrims limited defenders well before scoring out wide, with their adept kicker adding the extras, 29-33.
Pilgrims could have crumbled, but instead they dug deep and found another level, the pack were heroic in their work rate, led by man of the match loose head prop Carter Oliver, they took the game back to Horsham with a series of pick and goes and lineout drives that resulted in Nathan Morris powering over from close range which was well converted by Hewitt. 36-33.

Horsham’s response was almost immediate when a mix up in the pilgrims usually robust defence, allowed their adept kicker scrum half’s to run in under the posts, 36-40.

With the city side back to 14 and on the front foot, they looked to take back the lead in the final 5 minutes. The forwards work rate was top notch and their running allowed quick ball for the backs who were a constant threat. With the clock running down the numbers were finally equalled when the referee gave Horsham a yellow card for 4 high tackles in quick succession. The front foot ball provided by the pack gave the backs quick ball and Collins and Heatherly combined to send Fin Mason-Myers over out wide to swing the lead back the pilgrims way with 1 minute remaining. 41-40.

From the kick off, Kurt Heatherly demonstrated great individual skill when he took the kick off, jumping high and catching the ball above his head to secure possession. The forwards then ran down the clock with a series of slow rucks to close out a dramatic and hard earned bonus point win that saw the whole team show outstanding character and determination.

Team: Oliver, Dengate, Timmerman, Hunt, Pangarker, Mackenzie, Devine, Evans, Mason-Myers, Ingram, Heatherly, Geddes, Masaka, Hewitt, Bull, Morris, Valladares.

Canterbury Women 32–14 Portsmouth Valkyries

Canterbury Women headed into the Christmas break on a high with an excellent 32-14 home victory over Portsmouth Valkyries, producing a performance full of energy, togetherness, and determination in the final league fixture of the year.

From the opening whistle, Canterbury set the tone with a relentless defensive effort. Portsmouth were consistently met with strong line speed and physicality, preventing them from building any sustained attacking pressure. This display was made even more impressive by the number of players stepping up out of position and new combinations coming together seamlessly on the day.

With ball in hand, Canterbury played with confidence and intent. Hard, direct running lines were matched by outstanding support play, allowing ball carriers to offload through contact and keep the attack moving forward. Canterbury repeatedly made ground towards the try line, converting pressure into points while keeping turnovers to a minimum.

The scoring reflected a true team effort, with an even spread across the forwards and backs. Three tries came from the wings, showcasing pace and finishing out wide, while the pack also made their mark with a try from the openside flanker and two powerful scores from the second row. This balance underlined Canterbury’s ability to threaten from all areas of the field.

The back three were well connected throughout, working effectively in both attack and defence. Their support lines and off the shoulder play caused ongoing problems for the Valkyries and ensured Canterbury remained on the front foot.

This was a complete squad performance, featuring several debut appearances that brought added enthusiasm and intensity. The passion shown on the pitch was matched by fantastic support from the sidelines, creating a brilliant atmosphere and highlighting the strong community behind the team.

Canterbury’s effort and cohesion were rewarded with six tries and a conversion to secure a well earned 32-14 victory. It was the perfect way to close out the first half of the season and build momentum heading into the festive break.

The squad now looks forward to celebrating Women’s Rugby Day on 4 January before turning attention to their next league challenge, an away trip to Aylesford Bulls, the first meeting between the two sides this season. With confidence high and momentum building, Canterbury Women will be eager to carry this positive energy into the second half of the campaign.

A fantastic result, a true team performance, and plenty to be excited about moving forward.

The Canons saw defeat against Gravesend in what was a tough afternoon at the office.

Despite losing 36-7 on the day, the score line was not reflective of the game and how evenly matched both sides were for the majority of the game.

Gravesend struck first after 20 minutes, with a dominant scrum try from short range. A second tried followed, with their lively full back finding gaps in the Canons defence to break through and score.
In the final play of the half, the Canons crossed the try line with great offloading play from backs in a break from their own 22, with Harvey Ingram finishing the move. A Gravesend penalty followed to allow Gravesend to lead 17-7 at half time.

The Canons started the second half brightly, with dominant carrying from Joel Poulter and Freddie Philpott, but against the run of play, Gravesend intercepted to run the length and score beneath the posts. The bonus quickly followed, with a try in the wide channels despite resolute Canons defence. Despite the shoreline, the Canons grew into the game, spending the majority of the half in the Gravesend half. A held up try, and a strong defensive effort denying the Canons further points. In the final 5 minutes, Gravesend hacked through a loose ball to score their final try.

The Canons will look to bounce back against Tunbridge Wells this weekend.

Mark Mowbray’s journey with the Black and Amber began in 1995, when he left Slough RFC to be closer to his children. From that moment, he became a cornerstone of the club, embodying the spirit, camaraderie, and resilience that defined the team. Over the years, Mark played across much of the Men’s outfit, joining countless tours both in the U.K. and Europe. It was during the Leuven tour that he earned the nickname “Damage”, a testament to his fearless style of play and larger-than-life presence on and off the pitch.

In 2005, following spinal surgery, Mark made a remarkable comeback. He played a full season (2005/06) and capped it off with an end-of-season tour to Newquay alongside his son, Michael. That year was particularly memorable, with the Gazette noting it as his best points season—though they humorously admitted they weren’t sure which “M. Mowbray” had scored them.

Mark finally retired in 2014 after the Clifton Match, closing a chapter of nearly two decades of dedication. Even after retirement, he occasionally laced up his boots for charity matches, continuing to give back to the sport and community he loved.

In 2018, Mark was diagnosed with terminal cancer. True to his character, he faced the challenge with courage and dignity, fighting for seven and a half years. On 5th October, he passed peacefully in his sleep, leaving behind a legacy of strength, friendship, and devotion to the game.
Mark Mowbray will be remembered not only for his contributions on the field but also for the warmth and loyalty he showed to his teammates, friends, and family. Our prayers and heartfelt wishes go out to his loved ones during this difficult time. His memory will forever remain part of the Black and Amber family.

Deacons vs Deal & Betts 2’s Match Report

Fantastic Fours Fall Short but not without stunning Deal by the infamous Pete Demery

Deacons 21 – Deal & Betts 32

On an afternoon where any normal person would stay inside enjoying appropriate snacks and refreshments, the Deacons assembled to run out against an old foe Deal & Betts. After an attritional run of 4 consecutive games, getting a full squad out was a challenge and once more some of our Zingari fellows stepped in to assist.
With barely 15 on the field and no front row to contest at scrum time we knew it would be a tough afternoon.
The weather levelled the playing field a little and we knew we might have to get creative with some key forwards missing from our usually strong set piece plays.

At kick off Deacons received & looked to move the ball around the field to overcome a very organised Deal defence. Handling errors were inevitable given the conditions & frenetic pace of play, there were more dropped balls than the u12’s squad! The uncontested scrums were welcome respite for the larger of us on the field.

Deal drew first blood but not until deep into the first half; a well worked try squeezed in at the corner. Deals kicker had a tricky day missing all the conversion attempts (despite the opposition linesman giving a conversion that missed the middle of the uprights by about 4 nautical miles).
Deacons battled well until the 25 minute mark when Deal struck again, once more around the fringes before a quick 3rd try after a devastating rolling maul. We were rocked, and periodically suffering with going a man down with injuries and an empty bench.
The first half ended with Deal on 22 points to our 0, we had to regroup over our halftime Haribo and we weren’t going down without a fight.

After a small reshuffle and some tactical changes with positional play we went into the second half with our tails up taking the fight to Deal. It didn’t disappoint despite a quick Deal try after the restart.

We played the Deacons way. Upped the fun, worked as a team and communicated well causing chaos at lineout time.

At 10, Dan Head moved the forwards around the breakdowns & delivered a kicking masterclass from the fringes at try time.
Oli Toms, David Hierro and Adam Malik combined to carry the ball brilliantly up the middle of the field.
Callum Townsend on his second shift as flanker cleared in attack and tackled phenomenally in defence, jumping in the lineout as if he’d been doing it years.
Rob Horan worked brilliantly from 12 to organise the backline with great territory kicking and Harry Stanley (Harry Standout more like!) at fullback was key to our attack and the last line of defence – battling through breaking a finger at some point – I was wondering what he was pointing at!

Returning to the Deacons from uni Reilly Fleming demonstrated he’d missed us, stepping into a flanking role away from the backs his presence reassuring us around the field before dotting down between the posts.

Man of the match went to Ed Exley for barreling over the line with 2 tries in the corner, running hard and beating tackles.
After another period of sustained attack and a number of Deal penalties in their own 22, Deacons scored again. With Dan’s superb kicking the score all of a sudden stood at 21-27 game on with 10 left to go! Deal were rocked and scrambled, hitting back with a try through their pack.

With no time left on the clock we pushed and pushed to get back over the Deal line but ultimately came up short losing the battle with time but winning the second half.

If we’d had another 20 I’ve no doubt we would’ve won, we retired to the changing rooms broken, bloodied, muddied and in great spirits. A fantastic effort by all.

POTM – Ed Exley (2 x tries), con x 3 – Dan Head, Reilly Fleming (try).
Huge shout out to Piers Weigh (who’s clearly watched his Dad play rugby too much) and thought he could pick and score a try from 2 metres out against Deals entire front row!

As a team it takes us time to gel on match days.
We’d love to be able to put out the same match squad each week.
If you want to return to playing or play competitive rugby that’s fun & social without necessarily always having to train. Come and play Deacons rugby!

We’ve a week off before December fixtures at home on the 13th. 2 to go before 2026 begins.

Pilgrims 30
Sutton & Epsom 26

The Pilgrims welcomed Sutton & Epsom to the MTG for the first time in many years in what promised to be a keenly contested encounter.
The city side started brightly, boosted by the return from long term injury’s of Jesse De Vries, Alfie Orris and Harry Sloan and looked to take the game to Sutton going up the slope.
Despite the positive start, the Pilgrims found themselves behind when a slip in the defensive line left a gaping hole in the defensive line which Sutton exploited to take a 0-7 lead.

The pilgrims looked to build on positive front foot ball provided by the forwards, but after a series of positive carries, a pilgrims lineout was thrown long and Sutton expertly countered and showed why they are competing at the top of the league by exploiting the error to score a second which was well converted from out wide. 0-14.

The pilgrims were punished again when hooker Jake Dengate was yellow carded for a late tackle. Sutton kicked for the corner and peeled off the resulting lineout to score from close range and extend their lead to 0-21.

Pilgrims regrouped and again showed they themselves looked dangerous in possession with the pack linking well in the loose to make inroads. Sutton stemmed the tide illegally allowing Owain Collins to register the pilgrims first points of the afternoon with a simple penalty in front of the posts. 3-21.

with the first half drawing to a close, some good play by the backs forced Sutton back into their 22 and and they were forced into touch in their own 22. The pilgrims executed a well worked maul from the lineout and allowed front row replacement Nate Morris to dot down and make the HT score 8-21.

The halftime break allowed pilgrims to regroup and they came out firing as they looked to attack down the slope. Dengate rejoined the fray after his enforced rest and momentum started to swing their way as good work by the forwards created space for Collins to power over and he converted his own try, 15-21.

Sutton looked dangerous whenever they got ball in hand but they were struggling to deal with Pilgrims’ attacking tempo and they were making ground with every run. This set a great platform for the backs and allowed fleet footed fullback Owen Hewitt to skip through for pilgrims 3rd which Collins converted to give them the lead for the first time, 22-21.

Collins then added a second penalty goal to take the score to 25-21 before Sutton showed good determination to score their bonus point try when they powered over from close range despite a number of courageous goal line tackles from the home side to take back the lead, 25-26.

With 10 minutes remaining the pilgrims went up a gear, spurred on my the home support. The forwards were making dents and the backs were looking dangerous. After some good work at the lineout by the pack the backs looked to move the ball wide and after Collins found Orris with a nice pass, his outrageous effort to put Hewitt in space out wide was even better and he raced away to add the pilgrims 4th and bonus point try to take the score to 30-26. Sutton attempted one final attack but pilgrims defence stood firm and they held on to take 5points from a well contested encounter. The Pilgrims travel to Beckenham next Saturday for what promises to be another close encounter.

We are thrilled to share some fantastic news from our ACE programme at The Archbishop’s School. Summer, a dedicated Year 12 student, has achieved an incredible milestone by being selected for the Rachael Burford Player Development Group (PDG).

Balancing her academic studies with her personal growth and sporting ambitions, Summer has shown outstanding commitment and determination. Her hard work paid off as she earned a starting position at hooker over the weekend—a testament to her skill and perseverance on the rugby field.

This achievement highlights the values we champion at ACE: resilience, dedication, and striving for excellence both in and out of the classroom. We couldn’t be prouder of Summer and look forward to seeing her continue to shine in her rugby journey.

Congratulations, Summer! Your success is an inspiration to us all.

Oops, we did it again, and we couldn’t be prouder. Canterbury Rugby Club has officially retained its title as Club of the Year for the fourth consecutive season, a remarkable achievement that speaks volumes about the passion, dedication, and unity of our Black & Amber family.

Out of twelve shortlisted clubs from across the UK, it was our name that echoed through the hall once more. The 2025 Club Awards ceremony was a celebration of excellence, and Canterbury stood tall among the best.

🌟 More Than Just One Win

Not only did we clinch the top honour, we were also shortlisted finalists in four prestigious categories:

• Diversity & Inclusion Club of the Year
• Catering Club of the Year
• Community Club of the Year
• Charity Club of the Year

These nominations reflect the breadth of our impact, from inclusive sport and culinary innovation to deep-rooted community engagement and charitable outreach.

💛 This Award Belongs to All of You

This victory is not just about trophies. It’s a tribute to every supporter, partner, player, staff member, and volunteer in all sections who pours their heart into our One Club ethos. Your energy, commitment, and belief make Canterbury Rugby Club what it is,  a beacon of excellence, inclusion, and community spirit.

As we celebrate this milestone, we also look ahead with renewed purpose. Let’s keep building, keep growing, and keep showing the world what One Club truly means.

Here’s to another season of heart, hustle, and honour.