Looking through the rest of the divisions there aren’t many sides who haven’t lost this season,’ he said.
‘I still think, though, that our main challenge will come from Hayward’s Heath away from home although I was surprised that they only beat the bottom club, Sevenoaks, 12-7.
Surprise
‘That was probably more of a surprise than our score.
‘Tunbridge Wells were a very different side to the one we played here in Jersey’.
In fact, on their own large, home pitch they kept Jersey pinned back in their own half for long periods, their No 10 in particular kicking cleverly for position, even though Jersey were dominant in the forwards and could have scored, twice, in the first four minutes but didn’t, before the home team took the lead with a break out try, scored in the corner.
After 12 minutes Jersey were level following clean ball from the ruck, a Mark Le Mott?e run and a run to the line from second rower Ian Henderson.
Steve O’Brien missed the conversion before Tunbridge Wells retook the lead with a penalty five minutes later.
Penalty try
Jersey, though, were dominant in the loose and should, arguably, have been awarded a penalty try before centre Sam Tuia made a break from 60 yards which was eventually finished by No 8 Kern Yates.
O’Brien converted.
Another penalty followed by a try against the run of play took the score to 16-12 at half-time but, although they were losing, George believed that Jersey, with the wind behind them in the second half, were always capable of scoring more points than the opposition.
‘In the last ten minutes of the first half we were all over them, and we should have been given a penalty try when they deliberately collapsed the scrum when Kern was on the point of scoring,’ said George.
‘Then, early in the second half V (Talite Vaioleti) scored from a pick-up-and-go from the ruck, to make it 17-16 before we were eventually awarded a penalty try, 11 minutes into the second half.
‘Steve (O’Brien) put that one over, and we were in the driving seat again at 24-16.
‘In the 17th minute of the second half they scored with another penalty, to make it 24-19, and the rest of the game was really played between both 22s.
Dumb
‘Our defence was solid, but at times we were playing dumb rugby, when we should have been kicking the ball instead of trying to run it through the threes.
‘But I’m not complaining.
‘I wanted to get to the Christmas break at the head of the table, without losing any games, which we’ve done and now we’ve another three weeks before the second half of the season.
For director of coaching, Dai Burton, Saturday’s win was due mainly to the forwards who ‘had a great display’.
He also recognises that now Jersey have played every other team in the division at least once, the teams in London II all know what to expect when Jersey play against them.
So, he believes, the away matches, after the Christmas break, will be the toughest Jersey will play this year.
Superior
With a two-point lead ahead of Hayward’s Heath and a superior for-and-against points difference, his Island side could, theoretically, lose a game but top the league …
although that is the last thing that coach Barry George has in mind.
He wants to complete the rest of the season as he began the first half.
Unbeaten at home and away and in all games played.
Collins Stewart squad: Marcus Nobes, Josh Chamier, Jon Brennan, Ian Henderson, Talite Ki A Vaioleti, Graham Bell, Kern Yates, Latu Maka’afi, Keiaho Bloomfield, Steve O’Brien, Christian Weald, James Milner, Sam Tuia, Ryan Morgan, Mark Le Mott?e, Jim Brimelow, Peter O’Connor, John Allo, David Felton.
Other results: Dorking 11, Maidstone 10; Guildford 17, Chobham 25; Old Colfeians 9, Sidcup 18; Sevenoaks 7, Hayward’s Heath 12; Wimbledon 15, Beckenham 26.
Other results – Jersey 2nds 58, Wanderers 17 (Doug Tranter Semi-Final.
