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Deacons dominate in every way (except the scoreline)…..

It’s tricky to write an objective match report given the final score.
Regular readers will know how thrilled we were to assist our last opponents with a few players in order to have a balanced game of rugby. Our players are a real credit to our club and we want to represent true rugby values. Seemingly it’s not for every club in our league.

With a large proportion of our regular team playing with us while they are at Uni in Canterbury, fixtures close to the holidays are often hard to get players for. So 14 of us travelled to Folkestone buoyed by our last result and the excitement of getting out for a last game before Christmas.

Really surprisingly the opposition Capt decided he wouldn’t match our numbers from his 19+ strong squad & we began the game a man short against a reasonably competent Folkestone side. I can only assume he got a parking ticket in Canterbury some years ago, or he doesn’t enjoy the Christmas market or the traffic around the city. Either way, we Deacons went to work, slightly disgruntled but no less energised.

Folkestone drew 1st, 2nd and 3rd blood. Come to think of it. They didn’t stop scoring. All of them around the fringes. Our defence was strong and well organised and all Folkestone could do was use the extra man (the same extra man) to put tries in down the wing.
Fortunately the opposition kicker couldn’t hit a fat lad in an alleyway so the extra points weren’t going on.

As we tend too, we got across the line. Working a try through grit and determination the forwards carrying really well, our 9, Sam Roud hitting breakdowns quickly and moving the ball to Dan Head at 10 who is always reliably excellent. The backs worked phenomenally hard to cover the space when needed against some fast opponents.
Captain American & Rob Horan at 13 & 12 respectively made some huge runs to release Ed & Dylan on the wing while Matt Capper at full back had his work cut out covering all that space in defence.

The pack was no different.
Having lost a man earlier in the day (sending all our best to James) we had no choice but to change tac and operate as a 7 with Hayden Prett attacking from 8 or defending at 7 depending on who had the feed at scrum time.

Our forwards were unmatched. Contesting scrum after scrum, dominant winning balls against the head and securing our own. The home team cycled through a couple of hookers and sent some replacement props in across the course of the game, yet nothing prevented the display of power and aggression coming through the City pack.

Remarkably, when we lost young talent Callum Townshend to injury we were forced to scrimmage 6 vs 8. We thought it might be a tall order, but – channeling the Deacons spirit and pride we dominated the Stones scrum pushing them back over 10 metres.
That was the catalyst for 10 minutes of the best performance the Deacons have put in all season. With our mate on the sidelines cheering us on every player on the pitch threw everything at it to show we were down but not beaten.

Ethan Tighe, Craig, Riggsy, and Brad were instrumental in setting pods and carrying hard to move through phases so Dan & the backs could move the ball across the pitch side to side.

An unlucky bounce stopped a hard charging attack and our day was done.

13 v 15 is always going to be tough. The opposition rolling subs makes it harder. I’ve no doubt who won the game despite the points. Canterbury were better in every way, never complaining & never letting the bias affect our rugby. We look forward to welcoming the oppo to Canterbury next year!

Watch the second part of the season. With performances as we’ve seen the last few games it’s going to be exciting. There’s a great feeling around this team, the steps we are making and the cohesion we’ve gained lately.

Thank you gents for the game. For the pride you have in yourselves & our team.
Merry Christmas & I’ll see you in 2026!

SEVENOAKS 17 CANTERBURY 39

by David Haigh

A confident Canterbury continued their march up the league table with a fifth straight victory which was as clear cut as the scoreline suggests. They go into the New Year sitting in fifth place in National 2 East after dominating this Kent derby in all areas. A potentially tricky fixture on paper proved to be a different story on grass, with the city side’s five tries earning them maximum points and denying ‘Oaks a single Christmas gift. They set the tone in the first half, building a 19-3 lead and, when under pressure, defending so well the home side could make no impression. Ben Adams kicked Sevenoaks into an early lead with a penalty goal but it was soon surrendered to a penalty try for illegally puling down Canterbury’s driving maul. That cost them seven points and a yellow card which was punished further by a second Canterbury try. Scrum half Presley Farrance, who knows a gap when he sees one, was the scorer. In the second quarter, the hosts worked hard to win territory but failed repeatedly to tear down the defensive curtain and four minutes before the break, were shown the way by Canterbury’s mobile lock Charlie McGovern. His chip, chase and try between the sticks was converted by Frank Reynolds. Early in the second half the city forwards mastery of the breakdown saw Reynolds add another three points from a penalty and when ‘Oaks finally did find a try it just spurred a clinical response. After Zak Jones’ score, converted by Adams, it took Canterbury only three minutes to strike again. Wing Garry Jones blasted through midfield to bring finishing power and Reynolds quickly followed the conversion with his second penalty goal. For an out played Oaks, 22 points behind, there was no way back, despite Cam Cummings creating a neat, converted try with his kick and chase. But the last word went to Garry Jones as Canterbury moved the ball sweetly through the hands to send him over at the corner. Reynolds then topped off the team’s impressive afternoon with a successful conversion.

Canterbury: K.Heatherley, G.Jones, H.Sloan, W.Waddington, L.Talbot, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, D.Huntley, E.O’Donoghue, O.Frostick, C.McGovern, J.Stephens, J.De Vries, R.Thomas, T.Oliver. Replacements: C.Macmillan, T.Williams, J.Dengate, O.Hewett, T.McKenzie

MATCH PREVIEW

In my time at the club, we have never won away at Esher, and don’t be fooled by their current league position. They are still a strong side that has suffered a bad run of injuries — something we can certainly empathise with. The difference in this group in recent weeks is that, no matter what happens, they remain composed, stick to our plan, and win the physicality battle. Going 14–0 down in just over five minutes would rattle some teams, but the players showed how much they have grown, closing the gap almost immediately before delivering a ruthless second-half performance. Getting better every week is our sole focus, and the players continue to deliver improvements across all areas of our game.
The Pilgrims recorded another excellent home victory, scoring the winning try with a minute to go despite receiving an early red card and being reduced to 12 men at one point. They have now won five of their last seven matches, lifting them to eighth in the table. It is gritty performances like last Saturday’s that have been at the heart of the recent change in results. In a tightly contested Regional 2 South East, only ten points separate 11th and 4th, so we know we must continue to pick up results to remain in this part of the table. The Pilgrims travel to Gravesend for their final game of 2025, looking to maintain their current trajectory.
The 1st XV travel to Sevenoaks for our Christmas derby, which is always a fiercely competitive fixture. The players are well aware of what it will take and are fully focused on finishing the year on a high.
As this is the final fixture of 2025, it is also a good time to reflect on the past 12 months. Looking across the men’s teams, it feels like everything is moving in the right direction. The Canons and the Pilgrims are both adjusting well to their new leagues, and the first team has built momentum with the opportunity to finish the year on a winning run. None of this would be possible without the unrelenting support we receive from the club’s sponsors, volunteers, and supporters. From myself and all the teams, we are incredibly grateful to you all. I hope you are able to enjoy a very Merry Christmas, and I look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

MATT CORKER, HEAD COACH

Forget Christmas Spirit, Saturday was all about Deacons Rugby Spirit as we waved off our amigo.

Before getting into the meat & two veg of last Saturday’s performance I need to recognise a number of regular Deacons players.
When we have a game there are those who consistently put their hand up to play come rain or shine. These same players on Saturday when the opposition were short-handed stepped up to even the sides, playing for the opposition for the full 80, taking a half or sacrificing their own game time demonstrating the real spirit of social rugby & true heart of the Deacons. Dylan Coyle played a number of key roles in the backline for Gillingham, Matt Capper joined them in the second half and made an instant impact & Jorge Edwards dropped out of playing the first half for us to play 14 a side. Well done Gentlemen, you’re an absolute credit to this team.

We were lucky enough to pick up a fantastic talent and have him join us for a few games. It was sad to learn David Hierro was heading back to Mexico after the game. His fan club turned up to wish him well & the Deacons revelled at the thought of playing in front of a crowd of nearly 10 people.

We started a little late having sorted out teams and numbers, huge kudos to Gillingham for getting their players from all over Kent to put a team out.

Deacons started strong. Receiving the kick off and making moves into the opposition territory. It didn’t take long to realise we would have to work hard as Gillingham were there to give us a game.
Competition over the ball was tough. The breakdowns were equally well contested and Gillingham had some strong ball carriers working around the field.
With Brad Nicholson back, the scrum was solid and when Ronnie West settled in as hooker we would end up winning 2 great scrums against the head across the game.

The opening 15 was a real tussle. Back & forth between the 22’s both teams hitting and missing tackles, encountering handling errors and occasionally running out of space ball in hand. Deacons defense remained strong and Anchorians rarely troubled inside our 5.
It was only a matter of time before we broke the deadlock. With most of the team we put out against Deal playing again the added cohesion clear. It was as some smart handling & real pace from Rob Horan at 12 who passed to our flying Mexican David to put him in under the posts. What a way to sign off! The crowd went wild!
With our tails up we went again. Receiving the restart and working from side to side. A loose ball, some exceptional footballing skill & a 50m foot race saw Callum Townshend get across the line – a strong contender for man of the match, he continues to impress on the flank, following plays across the field and nailing some brilliant tackles in defense.

The team were buzzing. Gillingham weren’t giving up, and there was no time to relax.
Up stepped Dan Franco. The 9 & 10 working out forward pods to give us field position before unleashing the centre combo alongside Reilly Fleming.
Dan added 2 more tries before half time demonstrating his strength and speed.

The second half saw much of the same, when we had the ball we were in control. There were a number of stoppages for injuries and handling errors but if Gillingham looked as if they were going to break, our defence rallied.
We released our on form winger Ed ‘the excorcet’ Exley for the 5th try of the afternoon which was converted once more by Dan Head & Dan Franco closed the scoring with the 6th try and his hat trick.

We finished 42 – 0. Said farewell to our friend and MOTM David Hierro & headed to the sheds buoyed with a sense of achievement and accomplishment that comes from playing the way we did.
Thanks again to those Zingari Werriers that turned out to play and support us.

Tries:
David Hierro
Dan Franco x 3
Callum Townshend
Ed Exley
Cons:
Dan Head x 6

We go again Sat 20th December. Away vs Folkestone 2’s. Come and join us

The Canons saw a third consecutive defeat in a tough afternoon in Tunbridge Wells, losing 62-5 to the promotion hopefuls.

Despite a positive start, early injuries to James Everatt and Gus Lister stalled momentum and forced substitutions and players to play out of regular positions. TW took advantage and scored a try scoring bonus within the first 25 minutes. 2 more followed before half time.

The Canons rallied at half time, and started the second half well. A break through could not be found and TW exploited space in behind to score 3 more tries with 70 minutes on the clock.

After finding themselves in the TW 22, the Canons finally worked the ball out wide for Jake Forrest to score in the corner, for a try that was well overdue. TW scored in the final play to end the afternoon in the ascendancy.

They say things come in 3s, and after 3 losses, 3 wins and 3 losses, the Canons will hope to revert back to winning ways against Whitstable on 20 December. In what is the Christmas showpiece at the club, all support will be welcome

Chair John Halliday said it best. What. A. Game. Last time out the Pilgrims lost out by the narrowest of margins after dominating the game for large periods against Beckenham, this however was a different story.
Horsham had beaten an under strength pilgrims side at home in their first away trip of the season back in September, and it was they who registered the first score after some lacklustre tackling from a loose lineout ball saw the Horsham scrum half break numerous tackles on his way to the line- he was eventually dragged down 2metres out but the Horsham support play ensured the score was inevitable and they had a 0-7 lead.
The pilgrims defence put them back on the front foot and they drove Horsham back deep into their own half until they infringed at the breakdown and pilgrims opened their account with a penalty goal. 3-7.

They took the game right back to Horsham from the kick off and strong runs from the forwards saw another penalty conceded by Horsham. Seeing space in the back field Kurt Heatherly took a quick tap and put fullback Owen Hewitt through a gap and his pace saw him evade the defence to score under the posts and give the pilgrims a 10-7 lead.
It was just starting to look like the Pilgrims were getting the upper hand when they were reduced to 14 after Mo Pangarker was harshly awarded a straight red card for a high tackle.
That didn’t deter the city side however, and Hewitt quickly added a second converted score after a great break by back row Tom Mackenzie. 17-7.
Despite being a man down, the pilgrims forwards were bossing proceedings and were more aggressive in contact and were dominating at scrum time. They made this dominance count with 5 mins remaining of the half. The front five applied the pressure and put Horsham on the back foot allowing No. 8 Alex Evans to pick up from the base and power over taking the score to 24-7.

Horsham came out of the blocks quickest at the start of the 2nd half and they made the slope and numbers tell when they added a well worked 3rd try within minutes of the restart, 24-21.
Pilgrims busy utility back Fin Mason-Myers added Pilgrims bonus point try in response after his deft kick up the line bounced out of play off a Horsham defender. Mason-Myers and Hewitt reacted quickest and combined to take a quick lineout- Hewitt making inroads and Mason-Myers on hand to touch down out wide in support. 29-21.

Horsham then came back strongly and only robust pilgrims defence kept them at bay for multiple phases until the referee adjudged the city side to have offended once to often and since binned Tom Mackenzie for an accumulation of team infringements, reducing the pilgrims to 13.
Horsham’s response was clinical as they powered over from the resultant penalty to make the score 29-26.

Pilgrims then made their task even harder when flanker Jake Dengate was sin binned for knocking the ball out of the scrum half’s hands reducing them to 12 players.

Horsham, buoyed by their 3 man advantage then moved the pilgrims limited defenders well before scoring out wide, with their adept kicker adding the extras, 29-33.
Pilgrims could have crumbled, but instead they dug deep and found another level, the pack were heroic in their work rate, led by man of the match loose head prop Carter Oliver, they took the game back to Horsham with a series of pick and goes and lineout drives that resulted in Nathan Morris powering over from close range which was well converted by Hewitt. 36-33.

Horsham’s response was almost immediate when a mix up in the pilgrims usually robust defence, allowed their adept kicker scrum half’s to run in under the posts, 36-40.

With the city side back to 14 and on the front foot, they looked to take back the lead in the final 5 minutes. The forwards work rate was top notch and their running allowed quick ball for the backs who were a constant threat. With the clock running down the numbers were finally equalled when the referee gave Horsham a yellow card for 4 high tackles in quick succession. The front foot ball provided by the pack gave the backs quick ball and Collins and Heatherly combined to send Fin Mason-Myers over out wide to swing the lead back the pilgrims way with 1 minute remaining. 41-40.

From the kick off, Kurt Heatherly demonstrated great individual skill when he took the kick off, jumping high and catching the ball above his head to secure possession. The forwards then ran down the clock with a series of slow rucks to close out a dramatic and hard earned bonus point win that saw the whole team show outstanding character and determination.

Team: Oliver, Dengate, Timmerman, Hunt, Pangarker, Mackenzie, Devine, Evans, Mason-Myers, Ingram, Heatherly, Geddes, Masaka, Hewitt, Bull, Morris, Valladares.

Canterbury Women 32–14 Portsmouth Valkyries

Canterbury Women headed into the Christmas break on a high with an excellent 32-14 home victory over Portsmouth Valkyries, producing a performance full of energy, togetherness, and determination in the final league fixture of the year.

From the opening whistle, Canterbury set the tone with a relentless defensive effort. Portsmouth were consistently met with strong line speed and physicality, preventing them from building any sustained attacking pressure. This display was made even more impressive by the number of players stepping up out of position and new combinations coming together seamlessly on the day.

With ball in hand, Canterbury played with confidence and intent. Hard, direct running lines were matched by outstanding support play, allowing ball carriers to offload through contact and keep the attack moving forward. Canterbury repeatedly made ground towards the try line, converting pressure into points while keeping turnovers to a minimum.

The scoring reflected a true team effort, with an even spread across the forwards and backs. Three tries came from the wings, showcasing pace and finishing out wide, while the pack also made their mark with a try from the openside flanker and two powerful scores from the second row. This balance underlined Canterbury’s ability to threaten from all areas of the field.

The back three were well connected throughout, working effectively in both attack and defence. Their support lines and off the shoulder play caused ongoing problems for the Valkyries and ensured Canterbury remained on the front foot.

This was a complete squad performance, featuring several debut appearances that brought added enthusiasm and intensity. The passion shown on the pitch was matched by fantastic support from the sidelines, creating a brilliant atmosphere and highlighting the strong community behind the team.

Canterbury’s effort and cohesion were rewarded with six tries and a conversion to secure a well earned 32-14 victory. It was the perfect way to close out the first half of the season and build momentum heading into the festive break.

The squad now looks forward to celebrating Women’s Rugby Day on 4 January before turning attention to their next league challenge, an away trip to Aylesford Bulls, the first meeting between the two sides this season. With confidence high and momentum building, Canterbury Women will be eager to carry this positive energy into the second half of the campaign.

A fantastic result, a true team performance, and plenty to be excited about moving forward.

ESHER 29 CANTERBURY 33

by David Haigh

A text book lesson on how to dig yourself out of deep holes, then take command, saw Canterbury extend their winning run to four games and lift themselves into the top six of the National 2 East table. In an outstanding second half performance, they came from fifteen points behind, scored three tries and showed both discipline and composure to close out the game. The first test came early in the day as Esher scored twice in the opening five minutes. Number Eight Leo Thornton broke tackles to set up the first of three touchdowns for wing James Botterill and Esher swooped again, exploiting a handing error before Connor Ganley powered over. With two conversions from Alex Wainwright a shaken city side had urgent repair work to do and started with a ninth minute try from scrum half Tom Williiams, who sniped across from their first serious attack. A Wainwright penalty goal made life harder, but at the end of the first quarter Alfie Orris speared through the Esher defence and Frank Reynolds’ second conversion brought balance to the scoreline. It was either side of half time that trouble brewed again for Canterbury through the dangerous Botterill. His tries in the 35th and 45th minutes, plus a Wainwright conversion, took Esher into a 29-14 lead; the first score from a good move, the second down to Canterbury’s failure to deal with a kick from Pierre Thompson. It was from this point, however, that an impressive City pack took charge of the key areas and it brought well deserved rewards. A Garry Jones run built pressure leading to a Tyler Oliver try. Next, came a magnificent driving maul where wingman Jones joined in to claim the score. With both tries converted Canterbury were still a point behind but their focus never wavered. Nine minutes from the end, skipper Jamie Stephens rounded off his pack’s close quarter power with the fifth try to complete one of the best wins of the season.
Canterbury: L.Talbot, G.Jones, A.Moss, W.Waddington, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, T.Williams, D.Huntley, E.O’Donoghue, O.Frostick, C.McGovern, J.Stephens, J.Walker, R.Thomas, T.Oliver. Replacements: H.Sloan, J.De Vries, P.Farrance, L.Young, C.Macmillan

CORKER’S VIEW

Last Saturday, I told the team that we only want to take forward steps from here—and the win over Guernsey was certainly another one. In what was arguably our best performance of the season, we restricted them to a single intercept try and kept them scoreless for the entire second half. We scored five tries of our own, four of which began from possession inside our own half, with the other score a well-taken maul try. It was clear how proud the players were, especially as they brought to life several areas we’ve been working hard on in training. It was also great to see players returning from injury making a strong impact.

The Pilgrims came within a last-minute conversion of earning an away draw at Beckenham, and had we been more clinical in the first half, could have taken even more from the match. The team is really beginning to understand what it takes to win at this level and the growth in performance has been evident. The next step is improving our execution in key moments, particularly in the opposition’s twenty-two. This week we welcome Horsham to the Marine Travel Ground. Horsham have only one more win than the Pilgrims and the reverse fixture earlier in the season — our first away game — was one where we felt we didn’t show our best. We’ll be aiming for a very different performance this time.

The 1st XV travel to Esher looking to make it four wins on the bounce. It hasn’t been a successful venue for us in recent years; we know the level of performance required to earn a result that keeps us moving forward.

MATT CORKER, HEAD COACH

The Canons saw defeat against Gravesend in what was a tough afternoon at the office.

Despite losing 36-7 on the day, the score line was not reflective of the game and how evenly matched both sides were for the majority of the game.

Gravesend struck first after 20 minutes, with a dominant scrum try from short range. A second tried followed, with their lively full back finding gaps in the Canons defence to break through and score.
In the final play of the half, the Canons crossed the try line with great offloading play from backs in a break from their own 22, with Harvey Ingram finishing the move. A Gravesend penalty followed to allow Gravesend to lead 17-7 at half time.

The Canons started the second half brightly, with dominant carrying from Joel Poulter and Freddie Philpott, but against the run of play, Gravesend intercepted to run the length and score beneath the posts. The bonus quickly followed, with a try in the wide channels despite resolute Canons defence. Despite the shoreline, the Canons grew into the game, spending the majority of the half in the Gravesend half. A held up try, and a strong defensive effort denying the Canons further points. In the final 5 minutes, Gravesend hacked through a loose ball to score their final try.

The Canons will look to bounce back against Tunbridge Wells this weekend.