With eight tries and two conversions they easily top the J Promail JRA league and, according to captain Gareth Davies, were good value for their win.
‘We deserved the victory as our backs were outstanding.
He didn’t score, but Mark Le Mott?e was instrumental in most of the tries – seven scored by the backs – and although the Banks played well in parts, we were really up for it, having lost to them in a friendly earlier this season.
‘Everyone wanted to prove a point, and with every game we play, we’re getting better and better.’
Mark Livesey on the right wing scored four tries, Matt Leach one and Jim Milner another, as he scooted through two missed tackles to put the 2nds so far ahead that the Banks were well beaten with 20 minutes remaining.
Despite only one conversion, by No 10 Paul Banahan, Jersey went on to score another two tries including one from Banahan and another by forward Toby Clyde-Smith who dummied and ran in a try to the right of the posts, which Banahan converted to give the 2nds their final score of 44-0.
This win places them easily on top, as the best team in this division.
Meanwhile, at Les Quennevais, the westerners won their first game this year, 24-17 against Guernsey St Jacques.
Despite starting with only 14 players and playing the first half into the sun, the home side scored after 20 minutes when Ian Burrell stole over.
Gary Rousseau added the conversion.
Then, despite being camped in their own 22 for most of the first half, St Jacques scored a breakway try, which went unconverted.
‘But we were dominant in the scrum,’ said former captain Darren O’Brien afterwards.
‘And Roy Le Lievre, at No 9, was playing as an extra forward.
He scored another converted try to make it 14-5 before they scored from another breakaway move, which made the half-time score 14-10.
‘In the second half we defended well, and then Matt Davenport-Brown, at outside centre, scored an excellent try when he ran through three or four tackles before touching down.
‘After that, although they scored a converted try to make it 19-17, we stole the ball from a line-out in their 22 and Howard Phillips, our hooker, caught the ball and drove over.
The scoreline reflects all of the hard work we’ve put in.
This was a good win for us, against the same St Jacques’ team that beat the Banks a fortnight ago.’
While St Jacques’ captain, Alex Ford, lamented his side giving away too many penalties, he was full of praise for the opposition and is now focused on his side’s main match of the season, against the Jersey 2nds in two weeks’ time.
Jersey Wanderers lost away to Guernsey 2nds 40-29.
Despite three tries from Matt Collins plus a ‘guest’ try from a St Jacques’ player and a final score by Rad Montgomery, playing at No 8, with two conversions coming from the boot of Michael Le Bourgeoise, the Wanderers – five points down after only 30 seconds – were always playing catch up rugby.
‘We made mistakes in the backs and should have kept them busy in the forwards,’ said Montgomery, afterwards.
‘We were only 23-12 down at half-time and could have done a great deal better.’
For Guernsey 2nds teenager David Davison scored twice; Jason Batiste scored two tries on his debut; Seamus Murphy also scored, as did Jason Batiste’s older brother, Layton.
There was also a try from outside centre and captain Alec Bailey, who said: ‘It was a scrappy game, in which we gave away too much possession.
‘But I think we deserved to win, because we created several holes through which we scored.
They did well to come back at us and, from a spectators’ point of view, this was a good game to watch.
At one stage we were ahead by up to 30 points, but we simply let them back into the match.
The next game we need to win is against the Banks, on 9 November.
If we win that, we should be back in second place in the JRA table.’
