Sevenoaks Rugby Club Academy 2s enjoyed a cracking day in the sun at Medway RFC on Sunday 9 January, starting 2022 in some style with a 26-7 win over very solid opponents.
The match provided a robust way to blow away the cob webs for two sides that never yielded willingly all match. Medway put in some huge hits and battled hard however ultimately the structured phase play of Oaks, coupled with some outstanding individual performances, won out.
Harry Corsini was Oaks man of the match on the basis of three steals at the breakdown; several thumping tackles, and deft steps and passing on the carry by the front row forward. Henry Hartley and Ollie Langley also impressed in the front row and Tom Hunt at hooker threw perfect darts into an infallible line out, chiefly to James Kerton who soared above the opposition time and again to set the platform for the Oaks.
So it was that the Oaks breakthrough came from a line out catch and drive from 10 metres out, with the imposing Oaks 8 Henry Thompson marshalling the maul over the line for a try that outside half Billy Boyd duly converted.
Charlie Day and Rhys Owen were both dominant on the flanks and their carries and hard work set up the field position for Oaks’ second try. A couple of phases found Oli Heap romping down the left wing to set up field position and then Heap popped up again to burst through the Medway defensive line for Oaks’ second try and Boyd again added the extras.
Stung by this, Medway sprang into action. Oaks allowed the big Medway ball carriers a little too much space and given the inches they duly took the yards, moving the ball effectively and abrasively into the Oaks red zone. From here a sequence of pick and go rugby resulted in the Medway 8 dotting the ball down under the posts and the conversion meant it was 7-14 to Oaks going into the half time break with the game very much afoot.
Sevenoaks were up the hill in the second half yet started very strongly. Harvey Galloway at 9 made some trademark yards with a box kick and this set the platform up for Boyd to put Finn Good and Luka Crowcroft into space. A few phases later Crowcroft found the space on the left to dive over for a try following an intelligent pass by Galloway.
Medway then once again stepped up, putting in a lot of hard work in the midfield to keep Oaks at bay. The hosts put in some very solid tackles as did Oaks and the sides went properly at it in a few lively encounters in the middle of the park.
Pip Hodson and Toby Goodman in the centre ans wing respectively were proving a handful for the Medway defenders. This ultimately told with a midfield break by Sam Keenan recycled to give James Akerman some space on the left wing. Akerman stepped one Medway player then outpaced the cover to dive over the line for Oaks’ fourth and final try that Boyd, who truly impressed in the way he kicked from hand as well in bossing the Oaks back line and also both taking and putting in some big hits of his own.
Twice following that final try Oaks got over the Medway line and twice - with full credit to the Medway defence - the visitors were held up. Final score 7-26.
Huge credit to both squads for an outstanding match played in great spirits.
Squad list: Harry Corsini, Tom Hunt, Henry Hartley, Sam Keenan, James Kerton, Charlie Day, Rhys Owen, Henry Thompson, Harvey Galloway, Billy Boyd, Toby Goodman, Luca Crowcroft, James Akeman, Oli Heap, Finn Good
Subs: Oliver Langley