Match Report 1st XV vs Blackheath

Blackheath Class Tells

Canterbury 12 Blackheath 57

by David Haigh

The score line does not lie and the gulf between these two sides in this Kent derby was plain to see. Blackheath took the city club apart with display of of pace, skill and organisation which brought them eight tries and confirmed them as unbeaten leaders of National 2 East. With players of the calibre of centre Jake Hennessey and wing Alex Harris they rarely let an opportunity go to waste. Between them the pair claimed five of Blackheath’s tries, Hennessey getting a hat trick and the elusive Harris grabbing a couple and making another for Freddie Owen. The real shocks to Canterbury’s system dd not surface for half an hour despite the visitors dominating possession. A kick and chase try for Harris plus a penalty goal and conversion from Tom Ffitch had Canterbury eyeing a manageable first half. That optimism was then shattered in a devastating six minute window which saw Harris, Owen and Hennessey, with tremendous footwork, exploit the city club’s defensive frailties. Ffitch converted all three tries, it was 31-0 at the break and the match had ebbed away from the home side. At the start of the second half and with the wind now in their favour, Canterbury raised faint hopes by making the first score. A yellow card for Blackheath’s Marcus Burcham brought a penalty and a catch and drive opportunity and Alex Evans got the touchdown. That, however, was a minor blip for a side that revealed its class with another four tries. Canterbury’s best efforts were at the set pieces where the pack did a solid job but when ball was moved wide it was a different story. Clever off loading and support work, with players always available either side of the ball carriers, was in sharp contrast to a pedestrian and wilting Canterbury. Hennessey, twice, Steve Leonard and Jake Lloyd crowned all the good work and Ffitch slotted three conversions. An outplayed city club did make a defiant final statement through an 80th minute catch and drive score by Jamie Stephens which Frank Reynolds converted.

Canterbury: R.Howard, G.Hilton. W.Waddington. T.Best, (rep F.Morgan), M.Halliday, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper (repl W.Calder), B.Young (repl A.Cooper), N.Morris, D.Herriott (repl E.Lusher), D.Irvine (repl J.De Vries), J.Stephens, C. Murray, A.Evans, T.Oliver

View match photos

v Blackheath 24 Sept 2022

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
1st XV vs Blackheath

CANTERBURY v BLACKHEATH

“Another five points on the road means that we have equalled our away wins from last season, ” writes Head Coach Matt Corker. ” We have put an extra focus on when we are away, as we know to be a team at the top of the league our strong home form needs to travel with us. Westcliff was a case of job done, but the performance lacked the intensity that we displayed against Tonbridge, something we will be looking forward to putting right on Saturday afternoon.

“The new league gives us another exciting local derby with Blackheath visiting us for the first time since we played in National 1. The team remains very similar to last week. Jesse De Vries returns to give us second row cover off the bench and Max Halliday is brought into start on the wing with Frank Morgan dropping to the bench after struggling with illness this week. Harry Andrews and Tom Halliday will both be playing for the Pilgrims at Dover this weekend and they were both very difficult selection decisions. It reflects the strength of our squad and how competitive it has become this season.

“I look forward to seeing you at the Marine Travel Ground for another great afternoon of National league rugby.”

Match report - Westcliff vs 1st XV

Another Maximum Return

WESTCLIFF 14 CANTERBURY 34

by David Haigh

Away days are proving profitable for Canterbury when, for the second time this season, they scooped up a maximum five league points which lifted them to second place in the National 2 East table. They were always in control of a scrappy affair against a limited Westcliff outfit and six tries was a decent return from a mixed performance.
Three of those scores came in a first half in which Westcliff’s indiscipline cost them three yellow cards and their failure to convert three penalty kicks stopped them getting any sort of foothold.
Guy Hilton celebrated his birthday with the opening score, a smart finish to some good handling as the wing slipped his markers. Tom Best converted. The forwards, controlled and efficient, took the credit for the next two with Nathan Morris peeling off a driving maul and Dave Irvine crashing over from a lineout. Unnecessary penalties stifled some of Canterbury’s momentum but a seventeen point lead at the break was comfortable enough and they nailed down a bonus point three minutes into the second half. Centre Will Waddington made the break and did the support work for the fourth try and the city side were soon looking for more. Instead, Westcliff grabbed an opportunity as Jimmy Rea intercepted near his own line and made the running for Jimmy Hogarth to touch down and Brad Robbins to convert. The last fifteen minutes of the match, full of errors and little structure, were forgettable but at least there were three late tries to keep supporters interested. Westcliff gifted one to Harry Andrews as they messed up a goal line drop out before Robbins gave the home side consolation with a score converted by Harry Mount. Two minutes from the end Waddington, in excellent form, ran on to Frank Reynolds’ delayed pass to complete Canterbury’s set and Reynolds converted with the last kick of an undistinguished game.
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Canterbury: R.Howard, G.Hilton, W.Waddington, T.Best, F.Morgan (repl T.Halliday), F.Reynolds, B.Cooper (rep W.Calder), B.Young (repl A.Cooper), N.Morris, D.Herriott (rel E.Lusher), D.Irvine, J.Stephens, C.Murray, A.Evans (repl H.Andrews), T.Oliver

Match photos
v Westcliff - 17 Sept 2022

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Westcliff vs 1st XV

MATCH PREVIEW

Last week’s physical battle against Tonbridge Juddians took its toll with injuries dictating the make up of the squad travelling to Westcliff. Debuts are given to backs Ross Howard and Tom Halliday while Frank Reynolds and Tyler Oliver are fit again and named in the starting line-up. Head Coach Matt Corker says: “Local derbies are always highly charged affairs and last Saturday was no exception. After playing some great rugby in the opening thirty minutes, and giving ourselves over a twenty-point lead, to finish losing was hard to take. Tonbridge’s two scores before half time reduced the deficit and in the second half scoring first put us back in control. From that point, though, we struggled for territory and errors in the Tonbridge half prevented us from adding to our tally. I was really proud of the commitment the team showed. Players left the field with injuries but were willing to return to try and give all they had for the team. This is a great reflection of how much our performance means to the group. The lesson for us is, if we want to beat teams that are expecting to be at the top end of the table, we have to be able to play at a high intensity for 80 minutes and be able to win the territorial battle.

“After that physical encounter, both Aiden Moss and Charlie Kingsman will be unavailable to play at Westcliff due to injury. Frank Reynolds returns to fly half after a short injury lay off. He doesn’t like missing games and will be keen to get his hands on the ball again. It is also good to see the return of Tyler Oliver into the back row. Westcliff lost narrowly in their own local Derby against Rochford and will go into the weekend hunting for their first win. We know from our visit last season that we will have to start with intensity to come away with the result that we want.”

PILGRIMS AT HOME
There is league rugby at The Marine Travel Ground on Saturday where the Pilgrims play their first home match in Counties East 2 against Southwark Lancers with a 3pm kick-off.

vs Tonbridge Juddians

Canterbury Lose Physical Battle

CANTERBURY 35 TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS 44

by David Haigh

An epic derby battle ended in huge disappointment for Canterbury who saw a 23 point lead wrestled from their grasp as Juddians turned up the power in the second half. After seeing his battered troops just fail to hold the line Head Coach Matt Corker said: ” I could not fault the effort the boys put in but towards the end we were struggling physically and that was the difference.” An absorbing National 2 East game produced twelve tries and Canterbury, after conceding an early score to Josh Groocock, rattled in four in the first half hour. With fly half Charlie Kingsman converting the lot they seemed irresistible. Aiden Moss made all the running for Ben Cooper’s opener and when an under pressure Juddians lost Rob Louw to a yellow card they were punished with two scores in three minutes. Tom Best joined a driving maul to touch down and in the 25th minute his switch of play and good handling paved the way for Will Waddington. There was more come as the fragile visitors were carved open again and Guy Hilton had the simplest of run ins. As a platform for victory this was as good as it gets, but before half time the cracks appeared and the momentum swung, almost imperceptibly, to the visitors. With former Canterbury man Harvey Young always a danger they had passed up earlier chances but now hit back with tries from forwards Luke Boon and Charlie Munnelly. With a couple of conversions from Tom White Canterbury’s lead was down to eleven. A lucky break early in the second half, when KIngsman’s sliced drop goal attempt fell into the path of Moss, ended with Frank Morgan trotting under the posts but from then on Juddians were a controlling force. Now it was their turn to dominate possession, build the phases, win penalties and and suck the life out of Canterbury. Tries from Matteo Petrozzi, Duncan Tout and Young brought them within a point of a fading and injury prone team. The telling blow came four minutes from the end as wing Bryan Hotston was sent across the line and White converted. To add to Canterbury’s many frustrations, White’s late penalty goal denied them a second bonus point.

Canterbury: A.Moss, G.Hilton, W.Waddington, T.Best, F.Morgan, C.Kingsman, B.Cooper, B.Young, N.Morris, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens, H.Andrews, A.Evans, C.Murray.

Replacements: A.Cooper, E.Lusher, F.W Edwards, H.Sansbury, W.Calder

Match photos
v Tonbridge Judds - 10 Sept 2022

Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton
Match Preview vs Tonbridge Juddians

Match Preview

CANTERBURY V TONBRIDGE JUDDIANS

We go into the second round of National 2 East with a full blown Kent derby against a Tonbridge Juddians side smarting from a home defeat last week. We could not have wished for anything better than this fixture for the first home game of the new league season. The Canterbury side shows changes from the squad that made such a good start at North Waltham with injuries ruling out fly half Frank Reynolds (hamstring strain) and lock Jesse De Vries who took a knock to the head and stands down for a minimum two weeks under concussion protocols

Tyler Oliver and Tom Williams are still recovering from injuries sustained in pre-season games, In the starting line-up for the first time are back row players Cameron Murray and Harry Andrews while another newcomer, Harry Sansbury who has joined us from Westcombe Park, is in the squad together with Freddie Edwards.

Head Coach Matt Corker says:. “It feels great to be returning home after a long trip on the road last week at North Walsham. After a slow start, we came out after half time and showed how we want to play, and what we are capable of. In a 20-minute period we scored 26 points, and although we did concede a few tries late on, we were proud of the way we turned the game in our favour and earned 5 points in the process.

“I am looking forward to welcoming our rugby neighbours, Tonbridge Juddians to The Marine Travel Ground on Saturday. They return to our league after a season in National 1 and will be full of ambition to return at the soonest opportunity. They will have learnt a lot from their experiences in the league above and I am expecting the match to be a physical encounter, just like all the previous games between these two proud clubs.”

Canterbury; A.Moss, G.Hilton, W.Waddington, T.Best, F.Morgan, C. Kingsman, B.Cooper, B.Young, N.Morris, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.Stephens (captain), H.Andrews, A.Evans, C.Murray;

Replacements: A.Cooper ,E.Lusher, H.Sansbury, F.Edwards, W.Calder

CANTERBURY TALES

SURPRISE, SURPRISE

The National 2 East season got off to an intriguing start last week with defeats for Tonbridge Juddians and Worthing. With both clubs tipped to be strong title challengers those results, Judds losing at home to Rochford Hundred and Worthing away at Barnes, were a surprise. One game does, not, of course, define a whole season but it does suggest that this league is not going to be a walkover for any side. Worthing’s website put their defeat down to the absence of all their dual registered Harlequins players, none whom were available. Not a great advert for team building you might think Our own policy is now very much focused on producing young players through the club’s systems and surely that is the right way to go. One benefit of the revamped league set up was reduced travel. North Walsham away knocks that theory slightly on the head. The long trek to Norfolk last week was just like the bad old/good old days of National 2 South with the Summer festival of road works in full swing. Still, to play and win in front of a crowd of over 1000 made it worthwhile.

CHAMPION HILTONS

Last Saturday proved to be a good day for the Hilton brothers, Will and Guy. While Guy was strutting his stuff on the wing at North Walsham Will was playing a major role in St Lawrence and Highland Court cricket club’s successful title-winning promotion bid to reach the Kent League’s Premier division. Will, the team’s leading run scorer this season, added another half century to his total. For Guy, scoring our sixth try at North Walsham, it was a double celebration. As joint captain of St Lawrence & Highland Court second team he was able to dash back and join in the fun as his side also won promotion to the Second Team Premier division. For Will, it’s time now to ditch the whites and pull on the black and amber.

Match report vs North Walsham

OFF TO A FLYER

NORTH WALSHAM 22 CANTERBURY 38

by David Haigh

A flying start to the new season for Canterbury with a six try performance that earned them a maximum five league points. A burst of 26 points in the first 20 minutes of the second half swung the game decisively their way and despite a late surge from newly promoted North Walsham they never looked in danger of being caught. It was an eye-catching transformation for a city side who were behind at the break and failed to shake the long journey to Norfolk out of leaden legs and minds. They were also faced with a home side keen to make an impression in front of a record crowd and who exploited weak tackling to take a seventh minute lead with a try for prop Frank Scott, converted by sharp fly half Matt Hodgson. Tom Best pulled one back after Canterbury forced a five metre scrum but they were dull and lacking any go forward. Hodgson’s penalty pushed Walsham into a deserved five point lead by half time. After forty minutes of flat and dispiriting rugby Canterbury’s change of mood caught everyone by surprise, not least the home side’s defence. It took only one minute of the second half for Aiden Moss to open a gap and Best to grab his second try. Frank Reynolds converted and Canterbury were on the march. The ball carriers were suddenly eating up vital yards, everyone was on the front foot and when a catch and drive opportunity came Nathan Morris finished off. The back division, now enjoying quicker service, joined in the rampage and came up with tries for Charlie Kingsman and Ben Cooper, and with conversions by Reynolds and Best Canterbury coasted into a 31-10 lead. For Walsham the last quarter was a catch-up situation as they searched for a losing bonus point. They fought hard but found it beyond them despite a touch down by Will Hodgson, converted by brother Matt, and a last gasp score from Ethan Sikorski. Those tries were sandwiched by Canterbury’s sixth when a fumbled kick set up the chance for Guy Hilton to stroll over and Best to put the seal on a day that, in the end, turned out very well.

Canterbury: C.Kingsman, G. Hilton, W.Waddington, T.Best, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, E.Lusher, N.Morris, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, A.Evans, H.Furneaux, J.Stephens. Replacements: A.Cooper, B.Young, C.Murray, A.Moss, W.Calder

Match preview

MATCH PREVIEW: NORTH WALSHAM

It is sixteen years since Canterbury were last at North Walsham, Saturday’s opponents in the opening round of the National 2 East season. On that day, in 2006, it was our introduction to rugby at National level while Walsham were established members of the old National 3 structure. Now the situation is reversed with the Norfolk side being promoted last season after several years playing at lower levels. In that first match we lost by ten points and Head Coach Matt Corker is expecting another tough encounter with the home side keen to make an early impression after their successful promotion campaign. He says: “Ten weeks of preseason flies by and even though it has not all gone our way, we have had lots of opportunities to learn, and the group has grown so much over the summer. The players decided that the way that we “gel” is important to us, and they have backed this up by welcoming all our new players into the pack. This has been great to witness, and I love watching characters emerge especially last season’s graduating colts who are experiencing adult rugby for the first time.

“Injuries are unfortunately part of the game and there are a few faces missing for Saturday, but I am a strong believer that this offers an opportunity for someone else to show what they are capable of. We are traveling to North Walsham with a strong squad, and I fully expect them to come all guns blazing. We know from first-hand what it is like being promoted and they will be very keen to have a strong start and we are expecting a physical contest.”

Those injuries have given chances to scrum half Will Calder and flanker Harvey Furneaux, two young and home grown players who have bright futures. There are league debuts also for newcomers Nathan Morris and Cameron Murray. Kick-off is 3pm.

CANTERBURY TALES

Fresh Challenges

So, a new season gets under way and this time the threat of Covid does not hang over it so heavily. With the revamped National 2 league structure in place it feels like a fresh start for everyone. The benefits of splitting the league into three regional divisions could not have come at a better time with fuel and energy costs soaring. There will be less travel and, hopefully, fewer large bills to absorb. Healthy competition remains as,unlike the Premiership, promotion and relegation will keep all the clubs honest. The top club in the three divisions, West, North and East, will be promoted and at the other end of the tables, the bottom two will go down. Our own league looks strong with clubs like relegated Blackheath and Tonbridge Juddians looking for return to National One. All clubs will start with an advantage over Westcliff who have been deducted five points, the price of failure to play their fixture at Worthing last season. Newcomers Sevenoaks have also been under investigation, for different reasons, but there has as yet been no news of any decision by the rugby authorities

Friday Night Bonus

One of the many positives of a busy pre-season programme in August has been the popularity of Friday night rugby. The attendance for the Bishop’s Stortford game was good but was dwarfed by the turnout for the visit of Westcombe Park There were over 400 at The Marine Travel Ground and on the same evening another a healthy crowd at the Simon Langton where the Pilgrims met Thanet Wanderers. It was a real Canterbury ‘old boys’ night where there were familiar faces both on and off the pitch. ‘Combe had our former wing Kieran Thompson in their starting line up while Thanet featured front row men Jimmy Green and Neil Wakefield. Kieran’s time in the Canterbury shirt was blighted by a series of injuries so it was good to see hm fit and well. In the ‘Combe dugout were two former members of our coaching team, Darren Molloy and Dave Marshall, This will be a season where we renew acquaintance with several local clubs because of the new league structures and that, too, was reflected in the size of the crowds..

CRFC vs Westcombe Park

SCRUM POWER SETS UP WIN

CANTERBURY 40 WESTCOMBE PARK 17

Head Coach Matt Corker expressed his satisfaction with this win, Canterbury’s final preseason friendly before league business starts next week. “Before the game I would have taken that score,” he said, after watching his side come away with six tries. Despite the margin of victory, however, it was not all plain sailing and it took over half an hour for Canterbury to impose themselves. ‘Combe had dominated possession and with a little more steadiness in attack could have put points on the board. When Canterbury had the ball they were cumbersome and untidy but eventually scrum power got them on the front foot in the closing minutes of the first half. Tries from centre Will Waddington and scrum half Tom Williams, who shot through a gap at the side of ruck, brought a new fluency and in the first 20 minutes of the second half they cruised away. Wing Frankie Morgan, collecting a chip and chase; a penalty try after ‘Combe crumbled under forward pressure, a catch and drive score and some accurate goal kicking by Frank Reynolds pushed them 33 points ahead. With yellow cards flourished against both sides the game became fractured and careless in the final quarter and the visitors helped themselves to three tries. An interception, some slack tackling and confident finishing handed them a late lifeline but it was Canterbury, in the the last play of the match, who underlined their superiority. Prop Will McColl’s powerful close range charge and Reynolds’ fourth conversion put a smile on Coach Corker’s face.

Brighton vs CRFC

BRIGHTON 27 CANTERBURY 26

by Chris Fullbrook

Canterbury visited Brighton for the second of three pre-season warm up games and it was the home side that rocked. Brighton dominated the first 30 minute period, their first try gifted after an error in midfield allowed them to move the ball wide for an unconverted score.

In reply Tom Williams capitalised on a loose ball to kick through and touch down under the posts for Frank Reynolds to convert. However, Brighton finished the stronger of the first session with a converted score of their own and a 12-7 lead despite Canterbury dominating the set piece.

The second thirty-minute period saw Brighton control line out and scrummage with Canterbury looking out of sorts and a third home side score increased their lead to 17-7. With Head coach Matt Corker ringing the changes it was this blend of experience and youth that saw Canterbury play their most profitable rugby in the third period. Despite going further behind to another home score they fought back to take the lead with tries from Aaron Cooper, a close pick and drive; Guy Hilton taking a quick tap and catching the home side napping and Frank Morgan completing a well worked move down the left flank. With Reynolds converting two of the scores Canterbury were two points ahead and seemed to have rescued a disappointing day.

However Brighton took the win with a penalty kick minutes from time and defended desperately at the last as Canterbury were held up over the line.
The club completes their preseason programme on Friday (August 26th)) when they are at home to Westcombe Park. Kick-off 7.30pm.