Author: Becca Williams

Canterbury Women 29–7 Aylesford Bulls

Canterbury Women returned to league action with a strong 29–7 away victory over Aylesford Bulls, in a match that showcased resilience, togetherness and real intent for the season ahead.

Icy conditions in the build-up meant there were initial concerns over whether the pitch would be fit to play. Following a full assessment with the referee, kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes to allow both sides a complete and safe warm-up, ensuring player welfare remained the priority.

Before the match got underway, both teams came together for a minute’s silence in memory of Caz Olwa, an Aylesford alumna. A fitting and respectful moment that set the tone for the afternoon.

Once play began, Canterbury delivered a persistent defensive effort against an Aylesford side boasting some strong ball carriers. The defensive work rate was outstanding, with players supporting one another through well-timed double tackles, quick arrivals at the ruck and constant readiness for the offload.

This true team performance was complemented by some impressive individual displays. Layla, Robyn, Alexia and El all stood out with their contributions across the park, while Mary consistently made huge metres with powerful carries that put Canterbury on the front foot.

The points were shared across the side. El Crowe (#8) led the way with a well-earned hat-trick. Robyn Gulley (#20) marked her Canterbury debut with a try, while Kate Rutherford (#10) added a try of her own and calmly slotted two conversions to round off the scoring.

Aylesford deserve credit for their dominance at the scrum, providing a solid platform throughout the game. However, Canterbury’s quick thinking and fast ball in open play repeatedly caught the Bulls on the back foot, allowing momentum to build and pressure to be sustained.

Recognition for individual excellence saw Forward of the Match awarded to Alexia Scarpulla (#6) for her tireless work rate and physical presence. Back of the Match went to Robyn Gulley (#20) following an outstanding debut performance.

More than anything, the performance truly looked like a group playing for the people to their left and right. There was clear enjoyment in being back on the pitch, a hunger to prove why each player deserves their shirt, and a collective belief in what this team can achieve.

Canterbury Women are next in action on Sunday 28 January, as they return home to face Medway. The squad would love to see as much support as possible for the women’s side, and everyone is encouraged to come along and be part of the occasion.

The Canons began 2026 with a bang, beating Dartford Valley 72-3 at the MTG in their Counties 3 Kent clash.

As the second half of the season starts, the fixture was the first of 6 that the Canons sought to avenge following a close loss against Dartford in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.

The intent was clear from the start, with Joel Poulter finding space in a first phase play in the opening minute to put the Canons on the board with the first of their 12 tries of the afternoon.  The game settled and following some resolute defence from the Canons after ill-discipline gave Dartford field position, a quick break was by a try from Ollie Jeffery, before Poulter grabbed the teams third.  The Canons began to dominate and within the opening 22 minutes, the Canons has scored the bonus point try through Will Rayner.  A flying Terrell Thomas scored the teams fifth try of the half to put the Canons 29-3 up at half time.

As the second half began, quick starting Poulter grabbed his hattrick after a marauding run from the kick off.  As injuries started to hit a depleted Dartford Valley, Canterbury scored a further 6 tries, through Poulter (x2), Jake Forrest, Rayner (x2) and Ed Reid.  5 tried from Poulter and 3 from Rayner ticked off a successful afternoon for the centre partnership, who’s strength and footwork found gaps all afternoon long.

The Canons have a break week before welcoming undefeated league leaders Sittingbourne to the MTG on 24^th January, in what is expected to be a physical and exciting fixture following the teams’ meeting earlier in the season.

Match Report. 04.10.25

Lordswood 2^nd v Canterbury 5th

Canterbury 5th 34pts.  Lordswood 2^nd  19pts.

By John Scurr

The Zingari away to Lordswood 2nds with a much-depleted side due to player unavailability did not stop them   giving one of their best performances of the season. Although it took some time for the city side to settle conceding an early try after Lordswood broke from a ruck virtually unopposed to go under the posts for an early converted try. This was followed fifteen minutes later with Lordswood’s powerful centres breaking through for another converted try that began to make things look ominous for the city side. The Zingari however were becoming more confident and had adapted to playing in some unorthodox positions went on the offensive with a series of swift handling attacks that first put Dillon Coyle through a gap for the city’s first converted try. This was followed a few minutes later with a break on the right for Rob Horan to touch down in the corner reducing the deficit to just two points. The momentum was beginning to turn and Canterbury were going to make the most of it with another move finished off out wide to sneak ahead with a slim three-point lead. As the game went into the last few minutes of the half Canterbury mounted their best attack of the afternoon working the ball within the Lordswood twenty-two before Tony Carollo angled run from deep to split the defence to score under the posts, and with the following conversion the Zingari had established a ten-point lead.

The second half saw the Lordswood powerful backs  and using what little slope there was on the pitch to career their way down field touching down in the corner reducing the city lead. This was their obvious intension only to be met with resolute tackling often stopping the attack on or behind the gain line forcing the speculative kick down field often returned with interest with some elusive running. This pattern pertained for most of the half with Lordswood  having little success  against this solid tackle wall before being caught behind with a thumping tackle that led to a turnover ball scooped up and fed to James Read who forced his way through a scattered defence to go over near the posts, and give Rob Horan the simple conversion. Lordswood  came back but again were caught behind their gain line just outside their twenty-two and infringed in an attempt to retain the ball, at this point the Canterbury skipper stepped in to calm things down indicating for the posts for Horan to seal the match with a well struck penalty much to the relief of his exhausted forwards who had given everything.

Deacons dominate in every way (except the scoreline)…..

It’s tricky to write an objective match report given the final score.
Regular readers will know how thrilled we were to assist our last opponents with a few players in order to have a balanced game of rugby. Our players are a real credit to our club and we want to represent true rugby values. Seemingly it’s not for every club in our league.

With a large proportion of our regular team playing with us while they are at Uni in Canterbury, fixtures close to the holidays are often hard to get players for. So 14 of us travelled to Folkestone buoyed by our last result and the excitement of getting out for a last game before Christmas.

Really surprisingly the opposition Capt decided he wouldn’t match our numbers from his 19+ strong squad & we began the game a man short against a reasonably competent Folkestone side. I can only assume he got a parking ticket in Canterbury some years ago, or he doesn’t enjoy the Christmas market or the traffic around the city. Either way, we Deacons went to work, slightly disgruntled but no less energised.

Folkestone drew 1st, 2nd and 3rd blood. Come to think of it. They didn’t stop scoring. All of them around the fringes. Our defence was strong and well organised and all Folkestone could do was use the extra man (the same extra man) to put tries in down the wing.
Fortunately the opposition kicker couldn’t hit a fat lad in an alleyway so the extra points weren’t going on.

As we tend too, we got across the line. Working a try through grit and determination the forwards carrying really well, our 9, Sam Roud hitting breakdowns quickly and moving the ball to Dan Head at 10 who is always reliably excellent. The backs worked phenomenally hard to cover the space when needed against some fast opponents.
Captain American & Rob Horan at 13 & 12 respectively made some huge runs to release Ed & Dylan on the wing while Matt Capper at full back had his work cut out covering all that space in defence.

The pack was no different.
Having lost a man earlier in the day (sending all our best to James) we had no choice but to change tac and operate as a 7 with Hayden Prett attacking from 8 or defending at 7 depending on who had the feed at scrum time.

Our forwards were unmatched. Contesting scrum after scrum, dominant winning balls against the head and securing our own. The home team cycled through a couple of hookers and sent some replacement props in across the course of the game, yet nothing prevented the display of power and aggression coming through the City pack.

Remarkably, when we lost young talent Callum Townshend to injury we were forced to scrimmage 6 vs 8. We thought it might be a tall order, but – channeling the Deacons spirit and pride we dominated the Stones scrum pushing them back over 10 metres.
That was the catalyst for 10 minutes of the best performance the Deacons have put in all season. With our mate on the sidelines cheering us on every player on the pitch threw everything at it to show we were down but not beaten.

Ethan Tighe, Craig, Riggsy, and Brad were instrumental in setting pods and carrying hard to move through phases so Dan & the backs could move the ball across the pitch side to side.

An unlucky bounce stopped a hard charging attack and our day was done.

13 v 15 is always going to be tough. The opposition rolling subs makes it harder. I’ve no doubt who won the game despite the points. Canterbury were better in every way, never complaining & never letting the bias affect our rugby. We look forward to welcoming the oppo to Canterbury next year!

Watch the second part of the season. With performances as we’ve seen the last few games it’s going to be exciting. There’s a great feeling around this team, the steps we are making and the cohesion we’ve gained lately.

Thank you gents for the game. For the pride you have in yourselves & our team.
Merry Christmas & I’ll see you in 2026!

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.