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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.

Mark Mowbray’s journey with the Black and Amber began in 1995, when he left Slough RFC to be closer to his children. From that moment, he became a cornerstone of the club, embodying the spirit, camaraderie, and resilience that defined the team. Over the years, Mark played across much of the Men’s outfit, joining countless tours both in the U.K. and Europe. It was during the Leuven tour that he earned the nickname “Damage”, a testament to his fearless style of play and larger-than-life presence on and off the pitch.

In 2005, following spinal surgery, Mark made a remarkable comeback. He played a full season (2005/06) and capped it off with an end-of-season tour to Newquay alongside his son, Michael. That year was particularly memorable, with the Gazette noting it as his best points season—though they humorously admitted they weren’t sure which “M. Mowbray” had scored them.

Mark finally retired in 2014 after the Clifton Match, closing a chapter of nearly two decades of dedication. Even after retirement, he occasionally laced up his boots for charity matches, continuing to give back to the sport and community he loved.

In 2018, Mark was diagnosed with terminal cancer. True to his character, he faced the challenge with courage and dignity, fighting for seven and a half years. On 5th October, he passed peacefully in his sleep, leaving behind a legacy of strength, friendship, and devotion to the game.
Mark Mowbray will be remembered not only for his contributions on the field but also for the warmth and loyalty he showed to his teammates, friends, and family. Our prayers and heartfelt wishes go out to his loved ones during this difficult time. His memory will forever remain part of the Black and Amber family.

CANTERBURY 34 GUERNSEY 8

by David Haigh

The third win in a row, a hat trick of tries for hooker Eoin O’Donoghue and a maximum return of five points made this a good day at the office for Canterbury. It is clear, also, they enjoy working at home, having lost only once at The Marine Travel Ground this season and after a flurry of three tries in the first twenty minutes never looked in much danger of defeat. Guernsey took an early lead through full back Callum Roberts’ interception try but were a side lacking bite and were quickly found out. Wing Alfie Orris, making his first appearance after a preseason injury, set Canterbury on their way as he fielded a kick on half way, powered through a hesitant defence and support runner Aiden Moss cantered over from Presley Farrance’s pass. The visitors were quickly under pressure again as Canterbury put the ball through their hands at every opportunity and a sweeping attack on the left flank was completed by the ever alert O’Donoghue. His second try was delayed, briefly, by an exchange of penalty goals from Guernsey’s Ciaran McGann and Frank Reynolds but, from the restart, the city side struck again. This time it was Moss who made the decisive break and O’Donoghue stepped past the last defender, leaving Reynolds to land his second conversion. They thought Harry Sloan had bagged a fourth try, but were called back for an earlier infringement and had to be content with a 22-8 half time lead. It took 19 minutes of the second half before the bonus point touchdown was added. That was down to some dogged resistance from Guernsey and failings in the city side’s accuracy. When the score came it was a trademark catch and drive which gave O’Donoghue his opportunity. Guernsey, denied possession by superior lineout skills and the home side’s ability to turn over ball, continued to battle but could do nothing to counter more impressive handling in the 67th minute. Skipper Jamie Stephens surprised everyone with a turn of foot which ended under the posts and Reynolds converted. Two further scoring chances were mangled in the scrappy closing minutes but it would be harsh to criticise an ambitious display from this Canterbury side.
Canterbury: L.Talbot, G.Jones, A.Moss, W.Waddington, A.Orris, F.Reynolds, P.Farrance, D.Huntley, E.O’Donoghue, O.Frostick, J.Stephens, C.McGovern, J.Walker, R.Thomas, T.Oliver. Replacements: L.Young, H.Sloan, T.Williams, J.Dengate, J.De Vries.