Sevenoaks Rugby 29 – 29 Tonbridge Juddians RFC
Sevenoaks Rugby versus Tonbridge Juddians RFC is always a special encounter. Saturday’s 29-29 draw at The Slade in Tonbridge lived up to the hype.
The visitors arrived as underdogs, so when within five minutes of the opening whistle TJs bundled over in the shape of Joe Parkes for a try that Sam Evans converted, the omens for Sevenoaks were not looking great. But the riposte was swift and the navy and gold took the ball up the field and the game to TJs. Their efforts to breach the TJs try line were rewarded with a penalty try. 7-7. Sevenoaks then found some space out wide to take the lead as winger Drew Forrester dived over and Ben Adams slotted the extras.
TJs had the slope and you felt they had another score in them as the game entered the final stages of the first half. They gained ascendancy and from a lineout catch and drive inside the Oaks 22, Will Holling was the one with the ball in his hands at the bottom of the pack move and with Evans’ extras the two teams headed into the sheds 14 apiece. Game on
Indiscipline resulted in a procession of yellow cards for Oaks and they began the second half with 14 players. TJs capitalised and an expansive movement up the pitch put Holling over for the second of his well-worked brace. However once again Oaks rallied and established field position well into TJs territory, when a wonderful cross-field kick from Oaks 10 Josh Livett slotted into the welcoming arms of Angelo Valentine in the outside channel resulted in a try for the visitors. Adams secured the conversion to give Oaks a 21-19 lead, which was soon 24-22 after each side slotted a pen.
In a game of ebb and flow, it was then TJs who took the match by the scruff of its neck. Only scrambling Oaks corner flagging managed to keep a rampant TJs at bay in an impressive all-round defensive display by Oaks however the pressure told and TJs ultimately secured a penalty try of their own and with it a 29-24 lead to take into the last five minutes of play. The match seemed all but done. Sevenoaks, however, had other ideas. In the dying throes of the game, Barney Stone was found in space in the left wing and did the rest to get the ball down for a try that was awarded following a short conflab between the linesman and the ref. The five points levelled the match. The conversion faded to the left of the uprights so a cracking derby ended honours even, in what many saw as the right result.
Sevenoaks 2s and 3s enjoyed convincing victories over Gillingham Anchorians and Westcombe Park IIs on Saturday. The 1s now have a couple of weeks off and all eyes this Saturday evening will be on former Sevenoaks Junior player and England rugby dynamo Ben Earl as he goes toe to toe with World Champions South Africa at the RWC2023 semi-final.
