In an extraordinary series of round robin games Jersey beat Wales 5-2, drew with Scotland 4-4, then beat England 4-3 in a combination of touch games that captain Kevin McGinty described as ‘getting better every time the tournament progressed’.
Currently three times European champions, the Jersey team were taken so seriously, in terms of their players and their mental toughness, that Scotland sent out their strongest team to meet them, twice, once in the initial series of games, once in the final.
However, McGinty pointed out that Jersey, despite having ten new players in the squad, are mentally well prepared for such competition.
‘We did keep getting stronger and, mentally, blew them away in the final,’ he said.
‘We drew with them 4-4 earlier and were impressed by their progress through the rounds, but within a minute of the final we were 1-0 up.’ Steve O’Brien scored a hat-trick in the first game, against Wales.
After that it was a question of the team defending in depth, and as McGinty said: ‘It was a creditable performance, because with each game we simply got better and better.
I think that this competition will take place every year, in between the Europeans.’ It was McGinty, himself, who scored the first try in the first minute of the final, but most of his praise went to the newcomers in the side.
Jersey’s record in European touch is currently second to none.
They have tremendous team discipline and wins against each of the home nations makes the point that touch is one sport which proves Jersey is a formidable force to be reckoned with.
Squad: Diane Dos Santos, Chrissie Hefford, Sam Horsfall, Ronnie Jubb, Clare Le Maistre, Zoe Smart, Ellen Richings, Danny Curzons, Arnou Helmholt Kneisel Mark Knight, Dave McCready, Dan McDowell (player coach) Kevin McGinty (captain), Steve O’Brien, Chris Veal, Morag Obarska (manager).
