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'Combe players past and present to feature in County Championship final at Twickenham

'Combe players past and present to feature in County Championship final at Twickenham

Mark Ley27 May 2016 - 08:29
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East Midlands v Kent, 10am kick off, Twickenham Stadium, Saturday 28th May.

Match preview courtesy of RFU website
TWO LEGENDS PREPARE FOR EAST MIDS V KENT FINAL

East Midlands play Kent in the Division 2 Plate Final at Twickenham, 10.00am
Former New Zealand and Wales internationals lead the teams
Two former internationals will head to Twickenham this Sunday to coach two county sides going for glory in the Division 2 Plate Final of the County Championships.

All Black legend John Gallagher will lead Kent while former Wales fly-half and Newport Gwent Dragons coach Paul Turner has inspired East Midlands to their first final since 1953.

“What we’re very proud of from a management point of view is that we’ve shown that grassroots rugby is alive and kicking in the East Midlands and I hope we get a good crowd,” said East Midlands Head Coach Turner.

“We’re really pleased that we’ve done something for the region and it’ll be a good day on Sunday.”

“Considering there are seven or eight clubs involved our cohesion has improved week on week and we hope we can do ourselves justice on Sunday now.”

Turner coached Ampthill RUFC in National Division 1 this season and he has Tongan pair Maama Molitika (pictured) at No. 8, who also has more than 100 appearances for Cardiff Blues, and hooker Aleki Lutui who played in a Rugby World Cup.

LEARNING FROM THE PAST
Gallagher led Kent to County Championship glory against Durham two years ago and he says that victory will give the team confidence going into Sunday's final.

“I think obviously it’s going to be difficult not to think about Twickenham, although we were here two years ago it is still a first time experience for half of the boys.

“My All Black career was completely amateur so I really resonate with the players because all of them have got full time jobs. I think on a day like Sunday I just want them to prepare like they normally would and concentrate on their performance.”

However, Turner has also experienced the pinnacle of county rugby when he took Hertfordshire to the finals in 2011-12.

EARLY BIRD
The Division 2 Plate Final will kick off at 10.00am which is an early start for senior players but Gallagher believes this could suit Kent.

“I think most of the time you play at 10.00am is at U11s for your school teams so it’ll be a bit of a shock to the system,” added Gallagher.

“We’re fortunate enough to have been in a similar situation two years ago so we’re going to be staying at a hotel within 40 minutes drive of Twickenham because we’ve got boys coming from Folkestone and Dover and deepest darkest Kent.”

Turner however believes his players could be in for a shock: “I don’t think they’ve played at 10.00am before.

“The players' eating habits will have to change for the early match and they’ll be up at 7.00am and at the ground by 8.15am so it will be a little bit different.”

OLD TIMES
Gallagher earned 41 caps for the All Blacks and one of those was at Twickenham in 1989.

“I remember playing together (with Turner) for a Penguins team years ago towards the end of our careers,” said Gallagher.

“But I remember playing against Paul for the All Blacks on our Japan tour in 1987 and he was playing fly-half for a world 15 with the Hastings brothers and Dean Richards and other heavy weights in Tokyo in pouring rain.”

THEIR PATHS
East Midlands have won all three of their games with two bonus point wins and they won their third game last Saturday 28-19 against Durham.

However, Kent only won two of their three games, losing their second game 26-22 away to Somerset but recovered last weekend by beating Devon to reach the final.

THE TEAMS

EAST MIDLANDS POSITION KENT
Jack Culverhouse 1 James Green
Aleki Lutui 2 Joseph Bonner*
Matt Collins 3 Terry Read
Ben Gulliver 4 Luke Bellinger*
Josh Tyler 5 Royce Cadman
Sam Crooks 6 Max Cantwell*
Brett Daynes 7 Hugh McCormick-Houston
Ma'ama Molitika © 8 Thomas Stradwick ©
Gavin Williams 9 Charles Edwards*
Jack Green 10 James Cameron*
De La Rey Veenendaal 11 Daniel Hamilton*
Jonathan Raven 12 John McMahon
Adam Barnard 13 JJ Murray
Joe Daniel 14 Harry Sayers
Karim Lynch 15 Aiden Moss
BENCH
Vili Ma'asi 16 Neil Wakefield
Dan Seal 17 Nick Porter*
Andy Ince 18 Thomas Scorgie
Tom Lewis 19 Lee Covington*
Tom Orton 20 Sam Eydmann
Will Carrington 21 Rob White
Jonny Morgan 22 Ben Hough*

*Current or former Combe player

Kent v Devon Match Report:

Kent 29 - 8 Devon

Total dominance of the set-scrum was the key to this victory which sees Kent top their pool and progress to the County Championship Plate Final at Twickenham next Sunday.

Going into the match needing the four try bonus, while at the same time denying their opposition any reward, looked a tall order against a Devon side who'd scored 89 points in their two previous matches, but such was the demolition process carried out on the Devonian pack by a front-row led by the outstanding Jimmy Green at tight-head, and Terry Read and Nick Porter on the tight side, that Kent had accumulated three of their required scores by the interval.

Having been initially turned over on their own put-in five meters from their goal line, Devon were penalised twice before, on the next set-piece, referee Mr Clarkson awarded a penalty try, and although Exmouth fly-half George Meadows responded with three points for the visitors, a further scrum infringement close to half-way saw skipper Tom Stradwick take a quick tap, launching the move which ended with Charlie Edwards crossing for a second score.

Two breaks from JJ Murray kept Kent on the attack, before quick ball off the base of a scrum created the overlap for Aidan Moss to cross, giving the hosts a 19-3 lead at the break.

Despite turning around with the wind, which blew light rain down the Priestfields Recreation Ground slope for much of the contest, at their backs, Kent began the second period untidily, a couple of kicks going long and enabling Devon to build some phases. However, as visitors lost possession in midfield, Moss picked up the loose ball to break away for his second try and within seven minutes of the re-start Kent had he crucial fourth try, and a 26-3 lead, to give them one foot in the final.

But they still had to win, and by more than seven points, and Devon had travelled a long way to make that a mere formality. As pressure was mounted under the Kent uprights, the ball was moved wide for right-wing Tom Goodman to cross in space and, despite the loss of a second man to the sin-bin, by successfully moving the ball quickly from the base the scrum, the south-west side pressed hard for the two further scores they required to get within range,

Nevertheless, helped by with a couple of turnovers from Rob White, the Kent defence held the out, and a late Freddie Gabbitass penalty, adding to the fly-halves three successful conversions, eased the hosts to their victory.

‘The disappointment of last Saturday at Taunton gave us an extra intensity in training this week,’ said head coach John Gallagher. ‘In the first period we came out firing and executed our plans perfectly, and although we lost a little focus after the break, we did enough to get us through.’

‘But the job’s only half done. We now need to prepare ourselves for Twickenham because if we don’t succeed there this is all for nothing.’

Kent will meet East Midlands on the Plate final. The match is a 10 am kick-off at Twickenham on Sunday 29th May and precedes the England v Wales international later in the day.

Kent

Tries: Penalty try 10, Edwards 22, Moss 38, 47
Conv: Gabbitass 10, 22, 47
Pens: Gabbitass 80

Devon

Tries: Goodwin 52
Pens: Meadows 14

Kent Squad

15 Aiden Moss - Canterbury
14 Kwaku Asiedu - Canterbury
13 Harry Sayers - Canterbury
12 John McMahon - Tonbridge Juddian
11 Dan Hamilton - Blackheath
10 Freddie Gabbitass - Blackheath
9 Charlie Edwards - Old Elthamians

1 Jim Green - Canterbury
2 Joe Bonner - Westcombe Park
3 Terry Read - Blackheath
4 Tom Scorgie - Old Elthamian
5 Royce Cadman - Canterbury
6 Max Cantwell - Canterbury
7 Hugh McCormick - Old Colfeians
8 Tom Stradwick (Capt) - Blackheath

16 Neil Wakefield - Canterbury
17 Nick Porter - Westcombe Park
18 Josh Hawkins - Blackheath
19 Sean English - Blackheath
20 Jack Walsh - Blackheath
21 JJ Murray - Tonbridge Juddian
22 Rob White - Old Elthamian

Further reading