Sittingbourne 36 vs TWRUFC 3rd XV 10

Live Text, Match Report & Information

Match Report

Sittingbourne 2nd XV 36 – 10 Thanet Men’s 3rd XV

Thanet went for a walk in the woods at Sittingbourne on Saturday, but the only thing they found was a big, well organised team who proved to be just too strong for a spirited 3rd XV. It also proved to be a bad day for Harrys with both Kerslake and Price forced off with injuries. On a positive note, Thanet did welcome the latest member of an exalted rugby family with Joe Keohane coming into the side and marking his debut with some ferocious tackling. 

Giving up a stone a man in the pack rarely leads to dominance in possession; with Sittingbourne holding this advantage it ultimately set the groundwork for their victory. On the occasions that Thanet did secure ball, Ed Harvey and Zac Castle looked the more dangerous centre pairing. While they consistently found – or made – holes, play broke down too often and winger Nathan Bowman barely touched the ball for the first hour.

Thanet had a tough time in the scrum all day, and praise must go to the tight five who stood up well to this test. Finn Twyman was called in to the starting lineup at the last minute and battled hard against a more experienced opponent, slowly getting the upper hand. Bill Wallace, in the front row for the first time this season, kept going until his neck couldn’t take any more (but later came back on in the back row) and Harry Price was typically aggressive until his worrying injury. It was also good to welcome Chris Williamson and Chris Gregory back from injury, both of whom added experience and power.
                 
Despite turning round 4 tries down, Thanet’s heads did not drop and there were periods in the second half when scrum half Owen Jordan really took control and imposed some structure. Powerful carries from Ellis Plumridge and Flynn Shingles were backed up with fly-half Callum Duffy’s boot which pinned Sittingbourne back each time they were penalised at the breakdown. It was his long-range touch finder that led to Thanet’s opening try which came from a quick throw to the guesting prop who had graciously agreed to step in after HP’s injury. With 5 yards to the line, he burst through his incredulous team mates to score, and quite probably earn himself d*ck of the day!

Another lineout led to Thanet’s second try when a textbook driving maul took the pack to the try line. Showcasing the management skills he has learned from his recent promotion, Tom Harvey let everyone else do the hard work before taking credit for the outcome with the easiest of touchdowns.

In recent weeks, Thanet’s defence has been the foundation upon which victories have been built. This week, despite the unwanted outcome, the spirit and commitment was no different. Coming off the bench, Simon Harris quickly amassed a double-figure tackle count, and full back Ben Pryce saved multiple tries with his last ditch tackling, even more impressive as he was clearly feeling unwell. Thanet’s character was exemplified in the last minute as Greg Shingles put in a massive hit on Sittingbourne’s marauding number 8 leading his team mates to wonder what it would be like if he could catch as well as he can tackle...

Bill Wallace has instilled a team spirit within this squad that ensures that whether young or old, experienced or new to the game, all players are welcomed. Although the season is winding down, Thanet’s ‘thirds’ still have some stern tests ahead and anyone in two minds about playing should come along and join in the fun!

Thanet Wanderers Men’s 3rd XV: Finn Twyman, Bill Wallace, Harry Price, Chris Gregory, Harry Price, Joe Keohane, Flynn Shingles, Ellis Plumridge, Owen Jordan, Callum Duffy, Harry Kerslake, Ed Harvey, Zac Castle, Nathan Bowman, Chris Williamson, Simon Harris, Greg Shingles.

Tries:

Conversions:

Penalties: None

Drop Goals: None