Medway travelled to Canterbury RFC on Sunday for their final game of the season to face Charlton Park in the Kent Shield Final.
Charlton play in the Intermediate Cup Final next Saturday, 6th May, at rugby’s HQ Twickenham, and thus rested their entire first XV ready for the far more important business in only six days’ time.
With a near full strength Medway team available, not unsurprisingly, the game was a one sided affair and Medway won at a canter. Charlton’s players however, held their heads high, never gave up, and tackled to the very end.
Medway played up the slope, into the wind in the first half and it took a few minutes for them to settle into the game. Once they got going, they scored seven tries in the first half, led by 43 -7 at half time and then went on to score a further six tries in the second half. Medway scorers were; three for Tom Beaumont; three for Alfie Orris; two each for Henry Hall and Luke Burns; One for Charlie Wardzynski and Dan Harvey; One penalty try and Dan Harvey kicked 9 conversions.
Medway did get some value from the game as Dan Goodall (second row) and Dan O’Brian (back row) made impressive first XV debuts and will be fighting to feature prominently for next season.
Thanks go to Canterbury Rugby Club who did a brilliant job of hosting the Kent Finals day.
Best of luck to Charlton Park next week in their big game at Twickenham against West Leeds. If they manage to win, a Kent club will have won this National competition for the past three years which must reflect well on the strength of junior rugby in the region.
Medway’s team;
Cooley, Sandison, O’Leary, Goodall, Easton, Beaumont, Humphrey, Huntley, J Dance, D Harvey, Burns, B Dance, Clement, Orris, Wardzynski, Subs; D O’Brien, Petch, Hall, Walsh (all used).