Even their 38-13 defeat at Foote’s Lane last May pales into insignificance after the Guernsey squad, a division below Jersey in terms of national leagues, deservedly returned home with the second oldest rugby union trophy in the world.
For coach Jon Colley, choking back tears of joy at the end of yet another intensely physical battle, his Guernsey side could do no wrong.
‘We’ve talked about this game a lot.
We play as a team and all the hard work’s been done in training,’ he said.
‘The boys play for each other and I think we proved, today, how well we can work together as a unit.’ Colley was reluctant to name any one player who orchestrated this Guernsey win in front of around 4,000 Jersey supporters at St Peter.
However, the most calming influence of all, on the pitch, was 25-year-old Australian Jordan Reynalds, Guernsey’s fly-half, who scored the first try and who, throughout the game, kicked, cajoled, tackled and speared his team way down the pitch, into the opposition half, whenever his side looked to be in trouble.
Possession And, in terms of possession lost, that was quite an accomplishment as Jersey enjoyed 70 per cent possession in the first half, 60 per cent in the second – but could only score one try from flanker Graham Bell during that time or rather, one try and another, by Jason Hosty, which wasn’t given at a critical point midway through the second half.
‘That could have made a difference,’ said Jersey captain Steve O’Brien afterwards.
‘Jason was over the line, when he seemed to regather the ball before grounding it, and the decision went against us at a time when we were mounting all the pressure.
But I can’t blame the referee.
The referee could have gone for us or against us; what disappointed me was that it just wasn’t there today; we had no platform to work from.
The team that played best on the day won the game .
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I’m just so sorry that we let down so many Jersey spectators who came to St Peter to see us play .
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.’ Jersey RFC: Marcus Nobes, Nathan Kemp, Josh Chamier, Jon Allo, Roger Quirk, Kern Yates, Latu Maka’afi, Graham Bell (try), Dave Miles, Jamie Allan, Ryan Morgan, Mark White (pen), Jason Hosty, Steve O’Brien.
Replacements (all used): Jim Brimelow (40), Ross Kenwright (40), Peter O’Connor (52), Ian Henderson (52), Richard Stevens (67), Jim Milner (7), David Felton (79).
Guernsey RFC: Simon Sharrott, Laurence Hill-Tout, David McGall, Peter Miers, Gerrie Marais, Nick Barton (1 pen, 2 cons), Darren Jones (1 try), James Regnard, Rob Brazier, Jordan Reynalds (1 try), Barry Goude, Cameron Patten, Dan Taylor-Edwards, Andy Bailey, Jim Elliott.
Replacements: Leighton Batiste (39), Russell Roberts.
Subs not used: David Harvey.
Zach Ferbrache, Hendri Marais, Divon Crouse.
Sin-binned: Roberts (Guernsey, 79th minute).
