Category: 1st XV

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.”

HENLEY HAWKS 33 CANTERBURY 24

by David Haigh

This last away game defeat was fairly typical of Canterbury’s inconsistent National 2 East season. After looking confident and organised for 60 minutes, and scoring three tries which gave them a narrow first half lead, they handed the initiative to the Hawks. They came away with a losing bonus point with a try from the final play but that was small consolation after the earlier good work. It was disappointing after a bright start which took the city side ahead in the second minute when wing Tom Halliday scored from Lewis Hollidge’s probing kick. Hawks replied through Will Crowe, who finished smart work by his backs, and a Max Titchener conversion and penalty goal kept the hosts happy. However, it was the Canterbury forwards who looked the hungrier of the two packs and they satisfied that appetite in the best way. Dave Irvine crashed over from short range and when Hawks hauled down a driving maul illegally the penalty try opened a seven point gap. With Henley’s lineout wobbling and their back division well policed it all looked promising until penalties undermined the Canterbury effort. Hawks used one to put Rory Mason across the line shortly before the break. It was a warning Canterbury failed to heed as the penalties continued to flow from a referee who was unhappy with the set scrums and it was their undoing. Titchener bounced a successful penalty goal off the crossbar and as the city side regularly conceded field position they were punished with two catch and drive scores by hooker Morgan McCrae, Titchener adding a conversion. Those scores came in the space of five minutes and while Canterbury lacked the accuracy to make something of two good chances it was Hawks who had a grip. Titchener’s third penalty goal widened the gap to sixteen points but in the 80th minute Canterbury found a final flourish and Frank Reynolds’ try and conversion rescued the bonus point.

Canterbury: C.Kingsman, T.Halliday W.Waddington, T.Best, F.Morgan 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 (repl A.Evans), J.Stephens, H.Furneaux, T.Oliver.

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 41 GUERNSEY RAIDERS 24

By David Haigh

This was an emphatic victory for the city side and an important one, soothing their fears of being drawn into the National 2 East relegation scrap. After a stunning start which brought a 19 points lead they wobbled slightly under a Raiders revival before taking charge with an impressive second half performance. Six tries were shared between backs and forwards but the foundations of this success were laid by a pack which dominated the set pieces and put Canterbury firmly on the front foot. Hooker Eoin O’Donoghue led the opening burst with a try in the third minute and Guy Hilton was only five minutes behind him. The third score was an individual gem as flanker Cameron Murray marked his last appearance before a spell in Australia with a powerful break. Two conversions from Lewis Hollidge, looking totally at home in his switch to fly half, widened a gap which could have left Raiders in the rear view mirror but they shook off the early lethargy and hit back hard with three tries before the break, one converted by Owen Thomas. Prop Jacob Pinckney from close quarters, wing Antony Armstrong completing a move full of good handling and support work, and in the last minute of the half a Dan Morgan catch and drive score threatened Canterbury’s prospects. Would they lose confidence? The answers came quickly and ruthlessly as they cracked the Raiders defence twice in the first five minutes of the new half. Prop Billy Young surged over for his eleventh try of the season and Hollidge’s half dummy opened his own way to the line. He converted the Young try and as the forwards tightened their stranglehold Raiders were denied the ammunition to find a response. Mounting pressure brought a penalty goal for Hollidge and Tom Williams’ break had the crowd on its feet as his pace did the rest and Hollidge topped up the final try. Guernsey went home with a losing bonus point courtesy of a late catch and drive score by Tom Ceillam but this was Canterbury’s day.

Canterbury: C.Kingsman, G.Hilton (repl T.Williams), W.Waddington, T.Best, F.Morgan (repl G.HIton), L.Hollidge (repl F.Reynolds), B.Cooper, B.Young (repl E.Lusher), E.O’Donoghue (repl C.Macmillan), D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries (rel H.Furneaux), T.Oliver, C.Murray, J.Stephens

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

OLD ALBANIAN 35 CANTERBURY 21

by David Haigh
Two Albanian tries in the final two minutes before half time left Canterbury chasing a game which, until those lapses, was wide open. They chased hard, too, dominating the second half but then, incredibly, threw away the bonus point their hard work deserved. The early action had a familiar feel about it with Canterbury dominating possession and territory without making best use of it and then falling behind the first time their defence was tested. After finding a good touch Albanians set up a series of close drives before Nathan Mitchelow plunged over between the posts and Greg Lound converted. Six minutes later Canterbury, again of the front foot, responded and when their forward battering failed to make an impression they whipped the ball wide to make an overlap try for Guy Hilton which Frank Reynolds topped up with a fine conversion. They fell behind again to a smart Albanian try as wing Jordan Evans made the most of a clever chip kick and kind bounce, but with only seven points in it and the half drawing to a close the city side looked comfortable until those fatal lapses. A missed tackle gave Albanians the opportunity to send Jarryd Sage over for his side’s third try and Canterbury quickly folded again. A scramble in defence, a yellow card for Sam Rogers and a catch and drive try which saw Lound nail his fourth conversion did the damage. From that low point the city side set about a repair job in commanding style. They controlled the second half, playing with pace and verve, chipped away at the deficit with two catch and drive scores from prop Billy Young, both converted, and looked on course for even better things. They denied Albanians a score, survived a yellow card for Reynolds and seemed to have secured a losing bonus point. That was threatened when Lound was given a last minute penalty chance which fell short but with the clock showing red Canterbury just needed to make the ball dead. Instead, they attempted to run from their own line. Was it fine ambition or madness; take your pick? The ball was dropped, it gifted Albanians the softest of touchdowns and left the scoreline telling a wildly unrepresentative story.

Canterbury: C.Kingsman, G.Hilton, W.Waddington, L.Hollidge, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper, B.Young, E.O’Donoghue, D.Herriott, D.Irvine, J.De Vries, S.Rogers, C.Murray, J.Stephens. Replacements: E.Lusher, C.Macmillan, T.Oliver, P.Farrance

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton

CANTERBURY 11 BURY ST EDMUNDS 28

By David Haigh

This was Canterbury’s third consecutive loss and after an uninspiring performance they could easily be drawn into the National 2 East relegation battle. The four sides beneath them all have a game in hand and on this poor showing the city side will find it hard to come up with the victory that could make them safe. A lack of finishing firepower once again contributed to their downfall as they failed to turn first half dominance into a meaningful lead. They were ahead by four points at the break but discipline and accuracy deserted them in the second half and Bury strolled home, adding three further tries to their first half opener. That came after Canterbury had exerted all the early pressure but had nothing to show for it. In the fIfteenth minute Bury’s half break made space for wing Mike Stanway and full back Charlie Reed, who never missed from the tee all afternoon, converted the try. Canterbury, despite repeated errors, found a reply with a catch and drive score by Nathan Morris but the only other points came from the boot of Frank Reynolds with two penalty goals, one on the stroke of half time. All that waste was put into perspective when the visitors took the lead just three minutes into the second half. A needless penalty for offside gave them territory, fly half Ben Penfold hoisted a cross kick, Stanway snatched the try and Canterbury were rarely in the game after that. They made life even harder for themselves when Will Waddington and Morris got yellow cards and the nearest they came to another score was a failed penalty shot. Even as the rugby on offer lapsed into the ‘forgettable’ category Bury were never seriously inconvenienced by a side lacking ideas and energy. Reed and their captain Matt Bursey scored the tries which earned them a bonus point win.

Canterbury; C.Kingsman, G.Hilton (rel T.Halliday), W.Waddington, L.Hollidge, F.Morgan, F.Reynolds, B.Cooper (repl T.Williams) C.Macmillan (repl B.Young), N.Morrris, E.Lusher (repl D.Herriott), D.Irvine, J.Stephens, H.Furneaux (repl S.Rogers), C.Murray, T.Oliver

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Images may be subject to copyright – Phillipa Hilton