Category: 1st XV

HENLEY HAWKS 12 CANTERBURY 10

by David Haigh

For much of this game Canterbury were the better side but were left with just two Dwayne Corcoran tries and a losing bonus point. Their failure to turn opportunity into points has become a recurring problem and here it surfaced again. Justice may have been done had they converted a last minute penalty but it proved too difficult. In hindsight, the decision to turn down two earlier and easier shots at goal proved costly in a tight contest that was high in commitment but short on quality.

Canterbury’s hunt for tries rather than points from the boot were misplaced and it was the Hawks, who got both their scores from driving mauls, who were better in that area. However, it was a penalty, the quick tapped variety, that saw the city side into the lead after 14 minutes as it paved the way for Corcoran’s first touchdown. Both sides were plagued by handling errors but it was the Henley forwards who eventually nudged them ahead, Canterbury conceded penalties, Hawks drove hard from the lineout, and lock Ben Harrison claimed the try. Cail Cookland’s conversion from the touchline was good but Canterbury survived further damage after Dave Irvine’ yellow card to end the half two points behind. The second forty minutes was a tale of frustration as Canterbury were in control for long periods but when Hawks did find a foothold they made it count. Another organised driving maul was topped off by hooker Tom Emery’s try but the city side rebuilt and their pressure was at last rewarded through good work by the backs. Kyan Braithwaite made space for Corcoran to dive over by the corner flag which left ten minutes to find a winning score. Canterbury came close, but not close enough.

Canterbury
K.Braithwaite, G.Hilton, F.Morgan (repl S.Sterling), T.Best, D.Corcoran,F.Reynolds, B.Cooper (repl D.Heads), A.Cooper (repl E.Lusher), B.Young (repl J.Otto), D.Herriott, R.Cadman, D.Irvine, J.De Vries (repl J.Stephens), W.Waddington. T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 21 BARNES 12

By David Haigh

It was the staying power of a Canterbury side, who came alive in the second half, that sealed this hard won victory. Trailing by twelve points at the break after failing to solve the puzzles set by the Barnes defence their determination was rewarded with three tries. They fell behind early on after being pinned on their own line and centre Peter Weightman powered over to leave Rob Kirby a simple conversion. The city side had plenty of territory and opportunity to put that right but lacked the accuracy and patience to turn it into points and a second Barnes score brought more hurt. Despite a fine, try-saving cover tackle by Dwayne Corcoran, the visiting pack completed the job by driving James Bloxham over the line from close range. There was no more damage but it left Canterbury with plenty of attacking problems to solve and twelve minutes into the second half they began to find solutions. A turnover was won, the ball spread wide and wingman Corcoran left the Barnes defence flat-footed as he cut inside to touch down by the posts. Kyan Braithwaite converted but the game was into the last ten minutes before Canterbury nosed in front. The visitors were under increasing pressure and it told when new boy Dave Irvine, making his home debut, charged down scrum half Miles Lloyd’s kick, gathered and scored. Braithwaite nailed the conversion for a vital two points. That looked precarious as Barnes fought back in the closing minutes but a great turnover and raking kick earned Canterbury a five metre scrum. It was a department they dominated throughout the game and this time their powerful eight man drive won a decisive penalty try.

Canterbury: A. Moss M.Halliday (repl F.Morgan), S.Sterling, K.Braithwaite, D. Corcoran, T.Best (repl F.Reynolds), B.Cooper, A.Cooper (repl E.Lusher), B.Young, D.Herriott, R.Cadman, S.Churchyard (repl D. Irvine). J.De Vries, W.Waddington, T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

LEICESTER LIONS 35 CANTERBURY 0

by David Haigh

This was the third time this season that Canterbury have been whitewashed and it left Head Coach Matt Corker frustrated at his side’s failure to score. After conceding three tries in the first sixteen minutes they mounted enough pressure to put themselves back in the game but could not translate it into badly needed points. In a crucial ten minutes at the end of the first half the inability to pierce a quick and organised Lions defence was pivotal to their chances but they made nothing of it. Canterbury had plenty of lost ground to make up in the Leicester mud as the Lions shot into that early lead. Fly Half Ben Young’s shrewd kicking led to early tries for wing Devon Constant and full back Alex Wilcoxon. Number Eight Ed Sumpter claimed the third from a driving maul, all converted by Young. When the city side got their hands on the ball they were poor at keeping it and the home side thrived. To their credit Canterbury improved as the half wore on but that blank scoreline was to follow them into the last 40 minutes. They had an equal share of territory after the interval and thought a surging maul had earned a try only for it to be ruled in touch. They could make nothing, either, of a flurry of yellow cards for the home side but by that time the ever dangerous Constant had made an interception and sprinted 80 yards for his second try. Canterbury’s troubles were compounded by injuries to Jamie Stephens, Tristan King, and Jessie De Vries and when back rower Simon Johnson grabbed Lions fith try, and Joe Brock added his second conversion, it gave Matt Corker many questions to ask of his squad before next week’s encounter with Barnes..

Canterbury: D. Corcoran, S.Sterling, W.Waddington, K.Braithwaite (repl F.Morgan), M.Halliday, R.Best, B.Cooper, B.Young, T.King (repl A.Coopr), D.Herriott (repl W.McColl), R.Cadman, S. Churchyard (rel D.Irvine), J.De Vries (repl G Hilton), J.Stephens, T.Oliver

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Photos may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 52pts  BARNSTAPLE 22pts

by David Haigh

An eight-try blast from Canterbury put the warmth back into a chilly February day as they cruised to a comfortable victory. After edging into a nine point lead by half time they raised the temperature in the second half to dismantle an injury ravaged Barnstaple side that has struggled to make an impression all season.   The visitors were solid in defence in the early stages but after falling behind to an Aaron Cooper try from a driving maul they briefly took the lead through Jake Murphy’s penalty goal and a smartly worked touch down from Johnny Carter, to which Murphy added the goal points.  Canterbury’s ambition to keep the ball alive was freqently stalled by a lack of control but they were building pressure and on the half hour Danny Herriott sent fellow front-rower Billy Young in under the posts. Kyan Braithwaite landed his second conversion into the wind and late in the half added a try as the city side exploited space on the right.  The breeze may have eased after the break but Canterbury still had it in their sails and two tries in the space of four minutes took them into clear water. Frankie Morgan hit fly half Tom Best’s flat pass at pace to stroll over for the bonus point score before Best produced an individual piece of magic to register his side’s fifth try.  Barnstaple, however, were never short of spirit and when a good spell of pressure earned a yellow card for Aaron Cooper they took advantage with a try for hooker Gav Mitchell, converted by Murphy.   It was the last quarter of the game that fully exposed their frailties as a confident city side hit them with three more tries. Jesse De Vries, his first for the club; Tristan King from quick thinking at the front of a lineout and Will McColl’s bulldozing effort finished them off. Four more Braithwaite conversions took the scoreboard past the fifty mark while Barnstaple were left with only Carter’s last-minute try as consolation.

Canterbury: D.Corcoran, S.Sterling, F.Morgan, K.Braithwaite, M.Halliday (repl G.Hilton), T.Best, T.Williams (repl B.Cooper), A.Cooper  (repl W.McColl), B.Young (repl W.Waddington) D.Herriott, R.Cadman , S.Churchyard (rep J.De Vries), J.Stephens, T.King, T.Oliver

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Photographs may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

DINGS CRUSADERS 32 CANTERBURY 10

by David Haigh

Canterbury’s inconsistent season goes on as they shipped six tries and in the end, were well beaten. The good things about this performance were almost entirely limited to their work in defence but a high tackle count took its toll as they ran out of steam in the second half. In the face of a swirling wind they did a decent holding job before the interval and were a touch unlucky to be ten points adrift at half time. Dings had to work hard before taking a 22nd minute lead with a try from wing Tom Hargen but Canterbury hit back swiftly as Danny Herriott completed a driving maul. The city side continued to resist until a rare missed tackle set up Hugo Harbinson for Dings second try and in the final play of the half they got a third. There was more than a suspicion of a forward pass before wing Tommy Foot slipped through the defence but on the surface Canterbury had plenty of reasons to be pleased with the memory of the previous week’s second half exploits fresh in everyone’s thoughts. It was Dings, however, who produced the best rugby in their determination to end a five match losing streak. They were aggressive and incisive and scrum half Tom Knight underlined their threat with a try from a quick tap penalty converted by Rob Kirby. Canterbury did make some headway midway through the half and after Crusaders Number Eight Jake Holcombe was yellow-carded another driving maul ended in a Tristan King try. But the wind dropped, so did the city side’s energy and Dings made the final quarter their own. With the city scrum under pressure, they put themselves out of sight with an excellent try from centre Matt Smith and, in the last act of the match the sixth was scored by prop Ashley Challenger. Canterbury’s challenge will be to quickly rediscover its confidence.

Canterbury: D.Corcoran, S.Sterling, F.Morgan, K.Braithwaite, G.Hilton, T.Best, T.Williams, B.Young, T. King, D.Herriott, R.Cadman, J.Stephens, W.Waddington, A.Evans, T.Oliver.

Replacements W.McColl, S.Churchyard, T.Rayleigh-Strutt, B.Cooper, F.Reynolds.

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 46pts ROCHFORD HUNDRED 17pts

by David Haigh

After a bleak start to the New Year this was a resounding statement from a Canterbury side that produced seven tries and a dominant second-half performance. Covid restrictions robbed them of some familiar names but the city side brushed aside any doubts with their positive approach and attacking verve. Kyan Braithwaite and Chris Dudman traded early penalty goals before the city backs gave a taster of things to come. First, they worked a try for Aiden Moss before Rochford, relying on their forward strengths, replied through Harry Hudson’s close range, converted score. Dwayne Corcoran nudged Canterbury back into the lead with an outstanding individual effort from deep in his own half, but yellow cards for Tyler Oliver and Royce Cadman in quick succession gave Rochford a chance they did not miss as Number Eight Maciu Nagobi drove over and Dudman converted.

Down to thirteen players, Canterbury might have opted for survival but their mindset was different and Sam Sterling hit a line breaking angle for a try under the posts, leaving Braithwaite to kick the second of his four conversions. With only five points in it at the break, however, memories of a close game at Rochford earlier in the season were in order but this was a different city side. It took them almost twenty minutes of pressure in the second half to unlock the visitors but when they did there was no holding them. With Tom Best releasing his backs at every opportunity Rochdford wilted. The fly half’s cross kick gave Corcoran a second try and with Rochford’s Sam Fombo in the sin bin the gates opened. Moss, cruising into space; Tyler Oliver from a driving maul which rewarded a depleted pack’s great afternoon’s work and, finally, Best completing a break on the right flank rounded off a convincing and motivated display.

Canterbury: A.Moss, S.Sterling, F.Morgan, K.Braithwaite, D.Corcoran (repl G.Hilton), T.Best, T.Wiliams (repl B.Cooper), B. Young (repl A.Coopr) T.King, W.McColl (rep T.Rayleigh-Strutt), R.Cadman, D.Herriott, W.Waddington (repl V.Meredith), A.Evans, T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

WORTHING 33pts CANTERBURY 19pts

by David Haigh

Heading into the last quarter of this entertaining contest the scores were level at 19-19 and it was still anyone’s game. A Worthing side more adept at taking their chances then clinched it with two tries in the space of five minutes with wing Jerome Rudder completing a hat trick. It is fair to say that the final scoreline did not reflect the spirited contribution Canterbury made to the match. Cruelly, they were denied a losing bonus point when their claims for a fourth try in a late attack were turned down. The day did not start promisingly for the city club with several players ruled out of Matt Corker’s squad and the blow of an early Worthing try from wingman Rudder, converted from wide out by Matt McLean. That came after the city side’s stuttering lineout handed over possession and before half time that weakness led to a second Worthing try. However, the flaws did not dent Canterbury’s resilience and the backs came up with a response to the Rudder score when Dwayne Corcoran’s run and chip ahead was chased down by Frank Morgan. A catch and drive finished by prop Ken Dowding gave the hosts a seven point lead at half time but two minutes after the break Canterbury were back on level terms. Scrum half Tom Williams eye for a gap, footwork, and pace did the trick and Kyan Braithwaite converted.

Worthing took the lead again when danger man Rudder was released for his second try, with McLean topping it up, but once again the city club found a positive reply. A driving maul sucked in the home defence before the ball was spread for Corcoran to make the touchdown and Braithwaite’s kick was on target. That was after 61 minutes but Canterbury orchestrated their own downfall in a five minute spell. First McLean countered splendidly after gathering a chipped kick and the backs handled sharply to make Rudder’s day memorable. The decisive blow came when Number Eight Frank Taggart was allowed to brush off two tacklers, put Rhys Morgan clear and leave McLean to add his fourth conversion. If that was demoralising Canterbury didn’t show it as they went in search of a bonus point. Corcoran might have done it but was pulled back for a forward pass before a powerful driving maul took the pack over the line. Hooker Tristan King was convinced he had scored, but the referee wasn’t. lt left the city side hugely disappointed and still in search of a first win in 2022.

Canterbury: K.Braithwaite,, S.Sterling, F.Morgan, T.Best, D.Corcoran, F.Reynolds (repl J.De Vries), T.Williams (repl B.Cooper), A.Cooper (repl W.McColl), T.King, D.Herriott (repl A.Cooper) S.Churchyard J.Stephens, W.Waddington, A.Evans (repl V.Meredith), T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton