Category: Match Preview

MATCH PREVIEW
Saturday’s game will be seen as a real opportunity to end to a four game losing streak. Rochford Hundred have three victories this season, including a shock win at Tonbridge Juddians, and are three places above Canterbury in the league table. However, the Essex side have a poor defensive record, averaging 32 points per game in the ‘against’ column’. They suffered a 28-3 reverse at Barnes last week. Matt Corker makes a couple of changes to the squad which did service at Sevenoaks with Dave Irvine returning to the second row and Frankie Morgan to the wing. Guy Hilton is still undergoing concussion protocols so Will Calder takes the Number 14 shirt, with Max Halliday moving to the replacements bench.
The Pilgrims travel to meet Sevenoaks 2 who are currently the undefeated leaders of Counties Kent 2.
Matt Corker says: “When you have lost a game, it is much harder to find the positives. We obviously still have things that need work, but even though results haven’t been going the way we want, the team has been making improvements week on week. So why aren’t we winning? We have some clear areas that we need to be more clinical in, and this week they have been our focus on the pitch but I have also spoken to the players about the quote below from Jacob Riis, the American 19th Century journalist.
“When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”
This has been used by other sporting teams, but I think it applies to our situation. All good teams go through difficult times, it’s what we love about sport. My message to the players has been don’t put down your hammer just keep pounding the rock, because when your back’s against the wall it’s the only way out.”

Wings Guy Hilton and Frank Morgan are unavailable so Head Coach Matt Corker shuffles his back division for Saturday’s trip across Kent to Sevenoaks, kick-off 3 pm. Scrum half Will Calder is given a new role in place of Morgan with Max Halliday starting on the other wing. Sherif Lanre makes his senior squad debut after impressing in the Pilgrims win last week. The forward pack is unchanged from the Dorking game. The match at Sevenoaks will be played on the club’s main pitch for the first time this season. Earlier problems with the state of the pitch forced a postponement of Sevenoaks’ game against Blackheath and other home matches were played at Sevenoaks School. Canterbury will be looking for a first win in four outings against a side which is below them in the National 2 East table.
Matt Corker writes: “To lose in the last play of the game is always a hard to take. Last week against Dorking we squandered too many chances in the first half. Had we capitalised on half of our visits in the Dorking twenty two we would have gone in at half time with a very different score line. Again, some good attacking endeavour in the second half always ended in errors and although there were some great defensive sets, often defending for long periods, we came unstuck in the final play. We have talked this week about managing failure. Our reaction to last week’s result is crucial and we have worked on some of the fundamentals to support our game. We know that Sevenoaks will be looking for a strong performance in their first game at their home ground and I’m expecting another close contest.”

Canterbury v Dorking

A return to form is Canterbury’s priority for the visit of league newcomers Dorking. Defeats in the club’s last two games have shaken confidence and Head Coach Matt Corker is looking to address the problems. He says: “Last week the new league structure gave us our first weekend off and it has given our season a much better rhythm. Players were able to refresh, and it has also given us a week to reflect. I feel that we have moved away from some of the things that make us dangerous as an attack. Our focus in preseason was “knowing our strengths is the key to us winning” and this still is something that we are still learning and I want us to be better at. Dorking may be new to our league, but they are sitting high in the table in third after a strong start to their season. Their attacking style and entertaining rugby has helped them get three good wins and I am expecting a great game at the Marine travel ground on Saturday. Some of you may recognise a familiar face in their team sheet and it will be good to see Will Scholes back at Merton lane

Changes to the Canterbury squad see Royce Cadman in the starting line-up, in place of Dave Irvine who was unable to train this week. Harry Andrews is recalled to the back row and Alex Evans returns to the replacements bench. The backs are unchanged from the Worthing game.

From Head Coach Matt Corker.

Last Saturday was a tough day. I said after the game on the live stream that we must be humble, and I stand by that. Blackheath were ruthless in their attack, and we paid for our mistakes. The thing that I was saddest about is that we didn’t fire a shot. We have an exciting and high energy attack. I can back that up with the tries we have scored this season, twice having periods of scoring three tries in quick succession, but we didn’t see any of that last weekend. The other obvious shortcoming on our stat sheet was the number of missed tackles. This isn’t a feature of our defence, something that we take great pride in. We know it is not possible to win a game against the best team in the league and miss that number of tackles. This will be an area we will be looking for a big turn around on Saturday.
The lads are driven to create an environment to be proud of and turned up on Tuesday ready to work and right the wrongs of the weekend. Worthing away has always been a tough fixture and this season will not be any different. We have focused on some clear targets that will get us back to using our strengths and the way we want to play. I have made some changes to the team as I believe that with the strength we have throughout the squad it is important to give other players their opportunity to show what they are capable of. Our unbeaten away record will be tested, and it is just what we need after the result against Blackheath.

The changes to last week’s squad see scrum half Will Calder make his first start and wing Max Halliday switch to full back. Cameron Murray will be at open side flanker and skipper Jamie Stephens wears the Number 6 shirt. Lock Royce Cadman makes his first appearance of the season as a bench replacement.after recovering from injury.

CANTERBURY TALES

Old Boys Club

Last week’s all Kent clash with Blackheath saw a continuation of the strong links with Canterbury over many seasons. The front rows needed no introduction as the Canterbury three, Billy Young, Nathan Morris and Danny Herriott, are all recent wearers of the Blackheath shirt. The exchange of players with Blackheath has always been a two way street with Matty Stewart leaving Canterbury and heading to South East London before winning over 30 international caps for Scotland. Highly rated back row players Ken Aseme and Leon White played great rugby for both clubs and Baden Meeu was a hooker who swapped Merton Lane for the Recreation Ground, Blackheath’s old headquarters. Before them it was Nick Kingsman, father of Charlie, who represented both clubs with distinction Let’s not forget, also, that Aiden Moss started his senior rugby journey at Blackheath but it was Canterbury who moved him to full back where he found his natural home. As well as the playing side we benefited from the coaching skills of Mark Hanslip when his playing career at Blackheath was cut shot by injury while Danny Vaughan and Matty Stewart coached at both clubs.. The connections run deep but the rivalry goes on.

Looking For A Career?

The club is extending its already wide community reach next month when we host a Careers Fair. The event, on October 28th, is aimed at all age groups who wish to meet and talk to locally based professionals from a wide range of career paths. Among the fifteen local employers providing advice and guidance will be the Construction Industry Training Board, Christchurch University & Canterbury College. Leading motor sales group Barretts, one of the company’s welcoming the initiative, said: “As a family run business that has been operating for 120 years in the heart of Canterbury and Ashford, Barretts are delighted to be supporting Canterbury Rugby Club Careers Fair. As a group that operates with 450 staff across 7 franchises, including Sales, Service and Parts we have widespread opportunity for people at any stage in their life to start their new and fulfilling career.”
The fair will run from 10.00 to 14.00 with welcome talks at 11.0 and113.00 For further information contact Kirsty Walder: admin@cantrugby.co.uk Or pre-register at:https://bit.ly/cfc-oct-careers-fair

“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.”