Sevenoaks Academy 1st XV took on National Finalists Tonbridge Juddians in the Kent Cup final on Sunday just weeks after unknowingly securing the Kent League title in a hard fought victory at The Slade in March. A misunderstanding of the league format had meant that both teams were previously expecting this game to decide the league, when in fact the league and cup were, in the county's eyes at least, two separate things.
So, TJs looking to secure some silverware vs Oaks looking to earn the right to call themselves 'double Kent Champions'. A tasty encounter was on the cards.......and it didn't disappoint.
The previous game at the Slade was a brutally physical encounter, with forward play and defence of the highest quality from both teams. However, it would be fair to say that the higher numbers didn't see much of the ball in that contest. At Knole Paddock on Sunday, the brutal physicality was still present, but both teams looked to move the ball a lot more frequently, resulting in a fantastic game for the supporters.
The visitors started brightly, applying massive defensive pressure from their kickoff and forcing Oaks into an early error just outside of their 22 on the left. From the ensuing scrum, Oaks got a little impatient and went for a jackal turnover that wasn't really on, resulting in a penalty and 3 points early on for TJs.
The next few minutes were tit-for-tat as play was conducted in the middle third, with both teams looking use their kicking game to find space behind very well organised defences. Oaks gained the upper hand in the exchange when left wing Luka Crowcroft made solid yards up the left hand side from a TJs kick before quick ruck ball was fed to powerful prop Gregor Pauling who put another significant dent in the TJs defence. The quick ruck ball that Oaks so desperately craved was secured and in a sweeping move, the ball went from the left 15m line to the right hand touchline before winger Oli Ebsworth fed the ball back inside to centre Ruben Le Roux to score Oaks' first try of the game. Fly half Louis Bouverie converted the score to take Sevenoaks in to 7-3 lead.
Unfortunately for the home side, they were unable to replicate this success in attack for the remainder of the half. Basic errors at the usually impregnable lineout coupled with unforced handling errors meant that Oaks spent almost the entirety of the rest of the 1st half defending. To their credit, they did so exceptionally well, limiting TJs to just two kickable penalty opportunites. The TJs kicker was only able to convert one of them, giving a half time score of 7-6.
The 2nd half began in much the same way that the 1st had ended. TJs having the lions share of possession, with Sevenoaks struggling to look after the ball in attack and continuining to make uncharacteristic errors at the set piece. Their fluency wasn't aided by an injury to fullback Ollie May, who had been having an excellent game up to that point. This coupled to an early 1st half injury to powerhouse centre Fin Stables, meant that previously substituted scrum half Mac Leason had to return to play on the left wing. Leason then took a nasty bump after an aerial contest and had to come off, meaning that Oaks played the last 15 minutes of the game with flanker George Burgess competing manfully on the left wing.
It is a huge testament to Sevenoaks' defensive capabilities that TJs' only return for a 20 minute period of territorial dominance was another 3 pointer and an opportunistic try from the one occasion when Oaks' failed to deal with a probing kick into their 22. However, with the score now at 7-16 and roughly 10 minutes to play, a historic double victory was beginning to look in doubt.
The severity of the situation seemed to galvanise the home side. Bouverie had been testing the TJs back field all game long with a relentless kicking game, but now the Oaks chasers redoubled their efforts and exerted enough pressure on the TJs backfield to win a midfield penalty. Oaks finally got their lineout drive going and were stopped just 5m out from the TJs try line. They trusted their attack systems as repeated pick and gos tightened up the TJs defence, allowing Bouverie to find Crowcroft with a cut out pass to outflank the TJs scramble. Crowcroft fed Le Roux who dotted down out wide for his and Sevenoaks' 2nd try. The conversion was a difficult one, but Bouverie was up to the task, overcoming the pressure of the moment to slot the kick and bring Oaks' back to within 2 points at 14-16.
Oaks found their way downfield after Crowcroft broke the line from a left hand scrum and after another tit-for-tat exchange, TJs ended up with a lineout between their own 22 and 10m line. Messy lineout ball forced the TJs fly half to run back into the lineout traffic, where the referee perceived that obstruction had taken place. The angle of the kick was not favourable, but once again Bouverie stepped up to the mark. With 2 minutes on the clock, everyone knew that this kick would possibly, if not probably, decide the match. It could not have been more through the middle. 17-16 with 2 to play.
TJs had one last roll of the dice as they forced a right hand scrum from a botched Oaks lineout. They desperately tried to get the ball wide to their powerful outside centre, but such was the pressure exerted by centres Pearl and Le Roux, the ball was fumbled with the clock in the red. Oaks had done it! Kent League and now Kent Cup champions!
This was a hugely entertaining game played by two teams who without question are two of the best club u18 sides in the country. The carrying power of TJs forward pack was a constant threat and Oaks' defence had to be of the highest calibre to keep them to one try. The physicality of players like Zach Johnson and Frank Kitchen, both of whom are U17s, was truly a marvel to behold. Apart from defensive excellence, Oaks won the game by being just a little bit more accurate in attack in the outside channels when it mattered.
Man of the match could easily have gone to Ruben Le Roux for his brace of tries, or fly half Bouverie for two outstanding kicks at goal under enormous pressure. However, it was decided that captain James Kerton deserved the gong, with one of the most energetic performances ever put in by a tight five forward.
The academy group now has just one game left for this season. Ironically, it is an Academy 2nd XV game against none other than our friends and rivals, TJs. Sunday 23rd April at The Slade.
Squad list : Gregor Pauling, Dom Stangroome, Oli Langley, James Kerton (C), Zach Johnson, George Burgess, Elliot Wright, Frank Kitchen, Mac Leason, Louis Bouverie, Luka Crowcroft, Fin Stables, Ruben Le Roux, Oli Ebsworth, Ollie May
Subs : Jack Wilson, Drew Mercer, Ben McClinton, Zach Ferguson, Ben Pearl
Non-playing injury reserves : Jake Tucker, Isaac Canham