Sevenoaks travelled to The Slade looking to make it 4 from 4 in the Kent League, which would grant them top spot in the table and qualify them for the playoff final in April.
The challenge they faced was a stern one, as they took on a TJs side who are looking forward to a National Cup semi-final vs Bury St Edmunds on April 2nd.
The game promised to be hugely physical and it didn't disappoint.
Both teams opened with some huge carries met by equally powerful defence. Unable to break through in phase play, TJs struck first with a cleverly weighted kick from their 12 getting them in behind the Oaks defence. As Oaks raced back to diffuse the kick, it bounced horribly for the visitors and the hard chasing TJs 8 scooped up the loose ball before riding a desperate tackle to score. The try was converted an the home side led 7-0.
Sevenoaks struck back almost immediately as TJs indescretions at the breakdown granted Oaks possession at the lineout inside the oppo 22. A powerful driven lineout crashed over the TJs line, with hooker Dom Stangroome the beneficiary. Fly half Bouverie was unable to add the extras, but at 7-5, Oaks were up and running.
The remainder of the half was largely played between the 22s as both teams' defence created slow, messy ball for the attack. In fact, it was defensive pressure that led to the next try of the game as TJs fumbled on an attempted counterattack from inside their own 22. Centre Fin Stables was first to react as he fended off two tackle attempts to go in under the posts. Bouverie added the extras and Oaks went in at half-time 7-12 up.
Bouverie kicked an early 2nd half penalty to give Oaks a 7-15 cushion (if it could be called that), before TJs enjoyed a sustained period of ascendancy.
First a charge down from an attempted Oaks clearance kick brought the home side back to 12-15 before a sniping run from a 5m scrum put their right winger in for a 17-15 lead with just under 20 minutes to play.
Oaks raised their tempo and managed to string together enough quality phases to force penalties out of the TJs defence. Oaks used this territory to launch several powerful driving mauls in a short period, with starting 7 and Man of the Match Elliot Wright now throwing in after an injury to Stangroome. The culmination of these was a pulverising effort that began a few metres inside the TJs 22 and kept going until replacement prop Drew Mercer dotted down over the line to give the visitors a 17-20 lead.
There was still time for TJs to launch a final assault on the Oaks try line. Having broken the halfway line, TJs created quick ruck ball a few metres out from the Oaks line over on the left. Their replacement hooker looked guaranteed to score as he came from what seemed like a mile away to charge at the holes in the Oaks defence around the ruck. He was denied by an absolutely bone-crunching hit from try scorer Mercer. TJs frustration got the better of them and chat to the referee led to a penalty that would ultimately make the game safe for Oaks.
The visitors launched one final attack of their own in an attempt to score the decisive try that would have seen Canterbury join them in the final instead of TJs, but brave defence from the home side prevented any such score and in the end, after a bit of 'to-me, to-you' with the ball, Stables decided to get the ball off the park and secure a momentous win.
There were some mixed emotions at the final whistle for the young Oaks side and it's coaching team. On the one hand, they had just beaten one of the best teams in the country and in doing so, secured top spot in the league. On the other hand, due to unique way that the competition is structured, Oaks knew that they would now have to beat this incredibly imposing TJs a second time if they are to call themselves Kent Champions.
Confirmation of the final date awaits the result of TJs' semi-final as for some bizarre reason, the planned Kent Finals day is on the same day as the National Cup final.
Squad list : Gregor Pauling, Dom Stangroome, Oli Langley, James Kerton (C), Ben McClinton, George Burgess, Elliot Wright, Frank Kitchen, Zach Ferguson, Louis Bouverie, Jake Tucker, Fin Stables, Ruben Le Roux, Oli Ebsworth, Luka Crowcroft
Subs : Drew Mercer, Zach Johnson, Ryan Dixon, Isaac Canham, Ben Pearl