Category: 1st XV

CANTERBURY 3pts OLD ALBANIAN 12pts

by David Haigh

Having worked themselves into a decent position, with a solid first half shift, Canterbury let this first game of the new year drift away. A failure to back up all their good work against the rain and wind was dispiriting and reinforced the feeling that they are not an effective wet weather side. The visitors, whose 7-3 interval lead had looked fragile, took control of the second half and on a day when points were always difficult to come by found the score that mattered. It was in similar conditions earlier this season that the city club failed to register a point against Dings Crusaders. This time they managed a solitary penalty goal from Tom Best, despite dominating territory for much of the first half, winning the breakdown battle and forcing Albanians into conceding a string of penalties. Canterbury lost their slim lead after 28 minutes when a wind-driven Albanians kick led to a goal-line dropout. Centre Alex Brown collected it and his powerful run into the heart of the defence created the pressure for a try from Number Eight Chris West, converted by Greg Lound. Late in the half the city side resisted more heavy pressure and must have headed for the break the happier of the two teams. Any optimism, however, was misplaced as Albanians, prompted by scrum half Elliot McPhun, read the situation perfectly, controlled possession, kicked shrewdly and took their opportunity when it arose. McPhun’s quick tapped penalty had Canterbury backpedalling and wing Alex Noot was released for a sprint finish. It left Canterbury with 25 minutes to take a grip but they were rarely allowed to build momentum. In the whole of the half they created no more than two scoring positions and missed out on both of them. Left to chase the game they became increasingly ragged and out of tune with the no-frills rugby the conditions demanded.

Canterbury: A.Moss (repl F.Reynolds), S.Sterling, W.Waddington, T.Best, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds (repl K.Braithwaite), T.Williams (repl B.Cooper), B.Young (repl W.McColl), W.McColl (repl A.Cooper) A.Cooper (repl A.Evans) , R.Cadman, S.Churchyard (repl J.De Vries), J.Stephens, T.King, T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 29pts  GUERNSEY 17pts

Canterbury gave the Christmas crowd just the present they wanted with this five try, bonus point victory. In a performance that shone through the heavy mist shrouding Merton Lane they tamed a lively Guernsey side with a dominant second half display.

There was quality as well a quantity from the city club as they ran in three tries after the interval, two of them scored while playing short handed with Kyan Braithwaite in the sin bin.

A confident back division made light work of that handicap, rewarding the turn over expertise of a combative pack handsomely. The foundations were laid in a shrewd first half display as Canterbury shrugged off a Guernsey try from wing Anthony Armstrong, converted by Dan Rice, and edged in front before the break. Frank Reynolds charge down try came after sustained pressure, Braithwaite converted, and in the last minute of the half they went ahead. The versatile Tristan King, this week starting as a flanker, made a decisive break. When the ball was recycled he was on the end of good handling to make the touchdown. A Canterbury weakness this season has been the failure to capitalise on half time leads; they did not make that mistake this time. Playing with real purpose they forged further ahead after 55 minutes. Replacements Will Waddington, making the break, and Ben Cooper combined for Cooper’s try which left Braithwaite a simple conversion. The moment that might have derailed them came with the yellow card as Guernsey hammered at the Canterbury line. That sparked a fierce response as a great turnover set the backs free, Dwayne Corcoran chipped over the last defender and Aiden Moss won the race for the touchdown.

Guernsey hit back quickly through fly half Owen Thomas, to narrow the gap to twelve points, but classy handling saw Corcoran kill their slim hopes as he skewered them for a fifth try. Consolation of sorts went to Guernsey with a last minute score from Number Eight Doug Horrocks, but the result was beyond doubt by that time.

Canterbury: A.Moss, G.Hilton, F.Morgan, K.Braithwaite, D.Corcoran, F.Reynolds (repl T.Best), T.Williams (repl B.Cooper), B.Young, (rep R.Conlon), W.McColl, (repl W.Waddington), D.Herriott, R.Cadman, J.De Vries, J.Stephenson (repl V.Meredith), T.King, T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

ESHER 26pts CANTERBURY 0pts

As the league leaders extended their winning run to seven games that decisive scoreline suggests that Esher had things pretty much their own way. But that was not the whole story of a match in which Canterbury had enough possession and territory to satisfy any side and must be kicking themselves for failing to turn it into points. Esher, on the other hand, gave them a lesson in taking their chances efficiently and with no little flair. Their Director of Rugby, former England flanker Peter Winterbottom, reckoned his side were fortunate to be fourteen points ahead at the end of a first half which Canterbury dominated for eighty percent of the time and he had a point, even if Canterbury didn’t. Injury problems meant they took the field with a reshaped pack but for all their honest work they lacked the accuracy and invention to dent a strong defence. Wherever their persistent attacks led them, at close quarters or in the wider areas, they either lost control or were penalised. When Esher finally broke out they showed how wasteful the city side had been by scoring twice in four minutes. Andy Hamilton finished off a driving maul and a Canterbury mistake in their own 22 area was punished by full back Tom Mitchell’s try. Sam Morley converted both touchdowns. There was much the same feel about the second half where Esher gave very little away and repeated the trick of claiming two tries only minutes apart. Harvey Scott’s was the best as he burst through from a set-piece move and curved outside the defence. That was in the 49^th the minute and three minutes later lock Hugh Sloan crashed over, and Morley converted, to wrap up a bonus point for his side. A now over anxious Canterbury continued to probe and chase but could never discover a decisive finish or the efficiency their game badly needed.

Canterbury: A.Moss, G.Hilton (repl W.Waddington), F.Morgan (repl T.Best), K.Braithwaite, D.Cocoran, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper (repl T.Williams), B.Young (repl A.Cooper), W.McColl (repl V.Meredith), D.Herriott, R.Cadman J.De Vries, J.Stephens, T.King, T.Oliver

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Photos may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 52pts  WESTCLIFF 15pts

Canterbury’s mission to play free flowing rugby eventually paid handsome dividends against the league’s bottom side with centre Frankie Morgan, who scored three of his side’s eight tries, the main beneficiary. It was a welcome victory for the city club, only their fourth of the season, but for much of the first half they struggled to match their ambition with proper execution. They did ease to a 21-5 lead by half time but only after they had rid themselves of wasteful habits. Those included handing easy ball to Westcliff and failing to turn attacking flair into points. A promising opening saw an outside break from wing Guy Hilton set up Morgan’s first try and Kyan Braithwaite slot the first of his six conversions, but after that there was too much self-inflicted harm. Westcliff full back Greg Bannister, who scored all his side’s points, filched an interception try and it wasn’t until the final seven minutes of the half that Canterbury’s expansive game came together and was rewarded with further touchdowns by Braithwaite and Hilton. Westcliff’s limitations, however, were ripe for the picking and the longer the game went on the more they were exposed. The heavyweights in their pack were full of resistance and the occasional niggle but Canterbury’s all round pace and athleticism in the loose tested them to breaking point. Aiden Moss opened the second half scoring after four minutes, dented temporarily by Bannister’s second try as Westcliff took advantage of a friendly bounce and a loose ball. He then added a penalty goal to further close the gap but the city side’s all court game proved to be too much for the visitors tiring legs. Dwayne Corcoran had the easiest of overlaps as the match approached the last quarter and as Canterbury continued to move the ball at pace the gaps opened up. In the last twenty minutes Morgan, twice, and replacement Tom Williams put the finishing touches to some bold and inventive rugby.

Canterbury: A.Moss (repl F.Reynolds), G.Hilton, F.Morgan, K.Braithwaite, D.Corcoran, F.Reynolds (repl T.Best), B.Cooper (repl T.Williams), B.Young, T.King, (repl D.Herriott), D.Herriott (repl R.Conlon), S.Churchyard, J.De Vries, J.Stephens, A.Evans (repl T.Rayleigh-Strutt), T.Oliver

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Photographs may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CLIFTON 22pts  CANTERBURY 19pts

Canterbury might well have fancied their chances of pulling off a surprise victory on a ground where they have seldom tasted success after trailing by only seven points at the interval. That didn’t look likely in the early stages when, after only three minutes, Clifton’s influential Number Eight, Brad Talbot, drove over from close range and a Luke Cozens conversion gave then the ideal start. But Canterbury quickly regathered themselves, built phases, and responded with a smartly taken try from Frank Reynolds after good work from half back partner Ben Cooper. At this stage, it was Clifton who were clearly happier to play the wide channels despite the biting northerly wind, and with fly half Cozens expertly pulling the strings they always looked dangerous. They struck again after a promising run from Canterbury centre Frank Morgan and the ball was stolen. Full back Alex Forrester gathered to run from deep in his own half and put winger Finlay Sharp over. Worse was to follow as Canterbury threatened again.  Another good line break from Morgan looked to have created a try scoring opportunity but when the move broke down it was Forrester who again broke upfield. After some excellent interplay winger Bentley Halpin crossed and Cozens converted. With Clifton still playing the conditions better it was to Canterbury’s credit that they stuck to their task. With half time fast approaching they got their reward. A textbook line out catch and drive saw winger Dwayne Corcoran run a lovely line and Kyan Braithwaite added the extras. Despite the best efforts of both sides the second period was to become a catalogue of missed chances and handling errors, not aided by the deteriorating conditions. The city side were forced to defend for long periods as Clifton’s forward pressure grew but all they conceded was a penalty goal which left them ten points behind. With only ten minutes to go, they were still to have their moments – a powerful break from skipper Jamie Stephens put flanker Alex Evans into space but the overlap was missed and the opportunity lost. Evans was to make amends two minutes later when driving over to score from close range. Braithwaite again converted and Canterbury went in search of the score they needed.  It proved to be one task too many.

Canterbury: A.Moss, G.Hilton, F.Morgan, K.Braithwaite, D.Corcoran, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, T.King, D.Herriott, S.Churchyard, J.Stephens, A.Evans, S.Rogers, T.Oliver.
Replacements: A.Coope, R.Cadman, T.Best, T.Williams, W.McColl,

by Andy Rogers

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 22pts REDRUTH 26pts

League leaders Redruth kept up their winning ways but not before they had been pushed all the way by a Canterbury side who earned a deserved bonus point with the last play of a rousing game.  The obstacles the city had to overcome before the match would have daunted most sides, but they threw themselves into the battle with spirit and enterprise.  Covid and injury troubles, with two of the squad failing fitness tests in the warm up, could have derailed them. Instead, an all-action contest might have gone either way until the Redruth pack found a measure of control in the final quarter.   Canterbury made the early running, attacking the wide channels, looking for the telling offload, and keeping Redruth’s defence busy.  They were unlucky to come away with only a ninth-minute try from Frank Morgan after prop Billy Young made a decisive line break.  An unkind bounce and a last-minute interception frustrated them and the visiting forwards sent out a warning as hooker Richard Brown was driven over for a try converted by Fraser Honey.  There was more trouble as the city side failed to claim the restart and Redruth used possession smartly to set up a second score. Conor Gilbert made the touchdowh and Honey converted.  Canterbury, however, refused to lie down, trusted in their attacking strategy and hit back when Aiden Moss twisted away from the defenders. The try was converted by Kyan Braithwaite but still left his side two points adrift at halftime.  It was his penalty goal that pushed Canterbury back in front eight minutes into the second half and the action, not all of it tidy, never slackened.  The telling scores came as the Redruth scrummagers forced penalties, found field position and showed why they have become difficult to beat.  Tries from scrum half Jack Oulton and replacement forward Richard Kevern, plus Honey’s conversion, gave them breathing space and they resisted a late Canterbury surge until the final minute.  The city side, for whom Braithwaite and wing Dwanye Corcoran were outstanding, hammered away at the line, Honey was shown a yellow card and
Braithwaite found a gap for the try and conversion that won the bonus point.

Canterbury: A.Moss, G.Hilton, F.Morgan, K.Braithwaite, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper (repl T.Williams), B.Young (repl A.Wake-Smith), T.King, A.Cooper, S.Churchyard (repl J.De Vries), J.Stephens, A.Evans, S.Rogers, T.Oliver

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Images subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 10pts HENLEY HAWKS 19pts

A pointless day for Canterbury after Hawks ran in a late try to seal victory in a game which often failed to rise above the ordinary. Henley deserved their success and might have won more convincingly had they taken all their opportunities but slack work at crucial moments and an obdurate defence denied them. Despite spending the first 20 minutes pinned on the back foot Canterbury eventually found a way out and went ahead through the only try of the first half. Hawks spilled the ball, giving Kyan Braithwaite and Tom Best the chance to combine and send Guy Hilton over. It left Frank Reynolds with a difficult conversion and he shanked his kick badly. It was a score that lifted the city side’s mood but a poor second half saw it wasted as life was made too easy for the visitors. Two minutes after the restart they fell behind as Braithwaite was caught in possession, Henley forced the penalty and Sam Lunnon was driven over from the lineout. Cail Coookland converted and was on target again when the visitors were gifted another bonus. A yellow card for Danny Herriott left the home side a man short and that handicap lead to points. Hawks went for the wide channels, Canterbury ran out of defenders and centre Will Panday strolled over. The score came in the 66th minute but memories of a late revival in Canterbury’s last home game quickly surfaced as they claimed a second try. An attacking lineout went wrong but Henley tapped the ball over their own line and Tyler Oliver swooped to touchdown. Reynolds’ kick went astray but there were to be no second miracles. Another Canterbury error, this time losing the ball in contact, was all Hawks needed and three minutes from the end Panday’s second try denied them the consolation of a losing bonus point.

Canterbury: K. Braithwaite, G.Hilton (repl J.Weaver), F.Morgan, T.Best, T.Williams (repl M.Halliday), F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, A.Cooper (repl W.McColl), T.King, D.Herriott (repl E.Lusher), R.Cadman, J.De Vries (repl A.Evans), J.Stephens, S.Rogers, T.Oliver

David Haigh

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Images subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton