Category: 1st XV

CANTERBURY 45 TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS 19

by David Haigh

On a stifling September day it was Canterbury who ran hottest as they crushed Juddians in this feisty Kent derby. The player who applied the heat to the visitors was hooker Nathan Morris who scored four of his side’s seven tries as a dominant pack turned catch and drive opportunities into match winning points. The first Morris score came after only three minutes and by the end of the first quarter Canterbury had secured a four try bonus point and were 26 points ahead. Frank Reynolds’ towering kick into the sun, spilled by the visitors, set up the second try, scored by centre Lewis Hollidge, before Morris twice went to work again in those expertly marshaled mauls. Playing catch up rugby so early in the game set Juddians a serious challenge but they responded with two tries in a four minute spell. Sam Evans opened space for Alex Brown for the first and then lock Perry Parker had his own driving maul moment and Evans converted. It was only a temporary loss of grip for a determined Canterbury and when captain Jamie Stephens took the same route to the line as Morris and Reynolds landed his fourth conversion the city side went into the break 33-12 ahead. A Juddians team looking for salvation made a good start to the second half with a try for hooker Will Holling, and an Evans conversion, but It proved to be their last shot. Canterbury stretched away again as Aiden Moss put a fine finishing touch to some incisive handling, Reynolds adding the extras, and that man Morris was driven over for his fourth on 53 minutes. There was still a twist to the Canterbury tale in the later stages when they were hit by a flurry of cards, one of them a red for lock Shay Kerry. Reduced to defending with twelve men they dug in magnificently to deny Juddians the consolation of a losing bonus point,

Canterbury: A.Moss, F.Morgan, G.Jones, L.Hollidge, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, W.McColl, N.Morris, D.Herriott. S.Kerry, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, C.Murray. Replacements: P.Holland, E.O.Donoghue, H. Furneaux, P.Farrance, T.Best

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

SEVENOAKS 23 CANTERBURY 22

by David Haigh

The story of this Kent derby on the opening day of the National 2 league season was an all too familiar one for Canterbury. They had the lions share of possession and territory, outscored Oaks by three tries to two but still finished on the wrong end of the scoreline. In the end it was the accuracy of Ben Adams’ goal kicking, three penalties and two conversions, that made the difference but the city side’s ability to squander their assets was the real key. There were echoes of last season’s problems as they failed to make use of their early dominance and Adams booted Oaks into the lead with two penalty goals in the space of three minutes. Frank Reynolds pulled one back but it was not until after a lengthy delay for an unfortunate injury to Sevenoaks fly half Tom Simmonds that Canterbury found a try. The pack’s driving forced a penalty try but it came with a price tag. The referee issued yellow cards to both sides, one to Harvey Furneaux, and restarted the game with a penalty to Oaks. Adams duly obliged from the half way mark and Canterbury reached the break only one point ahead. That should have been an irrelevance given the city side’s domination of the second half but they self destructed. Handling errors, missed overlaps and a back division’s lateral and predictable running played into the grateful arms of a solid home defence. A calm head was missing and all this poor work was punished when mistakes handed Oaks chances to score two tries. Unlike Canterbury they made the most of them. A dropped pass and ball booted upfield saw the home side produce line out ball and a smart move for centre Barney Stone to score. Back went Canterbury and they at last created space for wing Alfie Orris’s unconverted touchdown. That took them within a point but a second error dented their hopes. Full back Lewis Hollidge’s clearance was charged down and Oaks swooped again through Stone. A shocked Canterbury continued to press and after grabbing a third try, scored by replacement Jack Weaver and converted by Reynolds, they seemed poised to snatch the win as Orris broke clear in the last minute. He was stopped a yard short, a penalty was conceded and the side were left to reflect on their own shortcomings.

Canterbury: L.Hollidge, M.Dayes, G.Jones, T.Best, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, P.Holland, N.Morris, D.Herriott, C.Murray, J.Stephens, S.Rogers, H.Furneaux T.Oliver, Replacements, E.O’Donoghue, W.MColl, S.Kerry, T.Williams, J.Weaver

CANTERBURY 52 NORTH WALSHAM VIKINGS 38

by David Haigh

Canterbury’s season ended as it began with victory over North Walsham but it took a spectacular second half performance to rescue a game in which the visitors at one stage led by 28 points. The Vikings went into this match needing a bonus point to guarantee their survival in National 2 East and they achieved it with four tries in the first 23 minutes as their skill and determination left Canterbury looking for an escape hatch. An attack masterminded by fly half Matt Hodgson and a pack effective at close quarters saw tries from Oliver Coates, Ethan Holmwood, Hodgson and Ryan Oakes. The city side’s only reply was an early score from Jesse De Vries after a powerful run through the defence. When wing Shaun Blyth piled on more pressure with a fifth touchdown and Hodgson nailed his fourth conversion the scoreboard read 33-5 and Canterbury faced a long and daunting road back. They took steps along it in the last ten minutes of the half, winning penalties, building pressure and finding two converted tries. Tyler Oliver crossed after hard work by the pack and Tom Best forced his way over by the posts. Conversions from Frank Reynolds raised hopes further. Best’s 50/22 kick minutes into the second half helped to turn those hopes into reality. From it hooker Sam Rogers, on his 250th appearance for the club, completed a catch and drive score which Reynolds converted and a revitalised Canterbury took control. By the hour mark they had wiped out the Vikings advantage and gone ahead through converted tries from prop Billy Young and a second by Oliver. The only blip on the march to victory came via a good Walsham score from wing James Riley which brought them back to within two points. It made no difference to confident Canterbury as full back Charlie Kingsman joined a driving maul to register his side’s seventh touchdown and in the last minute the city men signed off their season with a stunning solo effort from young flanker Harvey Furneaux. Acting as an emergency wing for the injured Frank Morgan he fielded a Vikings kick, spun, stepped and shouldered his way past three tacklers and raced 50 metres to the posts. It was a fitting finale to a huge team effort.

Canterbury: C.Kingsman, T.Halliday, W.Waddington (repl L.Hollidge), T.Best, F.Morgan (repl B.Cooper), L.Hollidge (repl F .Reynolds), B.Cooper (repl T.Williams), B.Young, S.Rogers (repl B.Dunkerley), D.Herriott (repl E.Lusher), D.Irvine, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, H.Furneaux (repl A.Evans, T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

It’s an unchanged squad that takes on North Walsham for the last game of the National 2 East season and it’s a significant day for the visitors who need to earn one league point to ensure they avoid relegation. It is also a special match for two Canterbury players. Sam Rogers will be making his 250th appearance for the first team and prop Billy Young plays his final game before heading for Championship club Jersey next season.

Head Coach Matt Corker writes:

“The final day of the season is upon us again. The first season of the new structure has provided more local derbies and all the excitement that these occasions bring with them. We have had some great Saturdays at the Marine Travel Ground (and one at the Langton!) with the all-action win against Worthing at home and the intense victory away at Tonbridge Judds as the highlight. When we have played to our potential, I believe we have put in some great performances worthy of the Canterbury badge. My honest reflection is that great performances have been too few this season and that is why we are at the opposite end of the league table to where we want to be.

The Pilgrims, on the other hand, have been such a fantastic success story. The turn around in 12 months has been phenomenal and to go from begging to get a team out to earning promotion and joint champions is something I think the club should be enormously proud of. Jon Foster and Jack Bairstow have created a great place for players to develop and create memories and John Mitchell puts in many hours to ensure that the boat stays afloat

The players have all been on their own journeys this season and there are seven players who have played in the National Leagues for the first time, four from our own Colts. This is a massive credit to the hard work the individuals themselves have put in, the development path within the club and the support they have received from coaches and family. I see the development of our own and East Kent’s finest as the future of the club and this will be something that we continue to focus our energy on next season.

When we travel around our league you can’t fail to notice how well Canterbury RFC is run and supported. The club is built on the hard work of the army of volunteers who give their time so generously to make our club a great place to play and watch rugby. I am extremely grateful to the many individuals and business that enable all players at Canterbury RFC to create memories for life. The amazing ten year commitment from Dave Thompson and his company Marine Travel to the club as principal sponsor to be highlighted, you don’t see commitment like that anywhere in world rugby!

It wouldn’t be possible for me to do my job without the support of so many people. My assistant coaches Alex Veale, Mark Livesey and Danny Herriott. Their input continues to raise the standards and move us forward. Mark will not be coaching with us next season due to his time becoming more squeezed. He has given so much energy in his time with us and I know he won’t be a stranger to Merton Lane after all he has given over the years. Chris Musgrove has continued to support the players and coached with his mental skills wizardry, and Carrick’s analysis support continues to expand and give us deeper insights into the way we and oppositions play. Charlie Bannigan has chalked up another season and he continues to get players back onto the pitch. He has been assisted again by Ben Cassidy, who has also looked after the Pilgrims on a match day, and Roz South and Skye Vurnum providing a high calibre massage service to the players. Andy Rogers has, as always looked after the team, and kept us pointing in the right direction and Chris Fullbrook always gives his sage advice on any tricky situations way beyond his role as a 4th official.

My final thanks go to the committee, for allowing me to lead the team for another season. It will always be a privilege for me to be part of such a great club. The other must go to the players. I am so fortunate to be able to coach such a motivated and entertaining group of people. My focus for us next season is to hit the ground running.”