JERSEY RFC’s finest will be out in full force tomorrow, as both the men’s and women’s sides will be in action at CoinShares Park to make for an entertaining double header.
The men’s first XV are scheduled to kick off at 3.15pm against Bracknell, before the women’s squad commence their fixture at 5pm following a short interval.
Jersey RFC Men
To kick off this bumper day of rugby, the table-topping boys in red will be eager to maintain their impressive win streak, defending home soil against Bracknell.
“Up against Bracknell this weekend, they’re a great side who pushed us to the brink last season. After getting two very tight wins over them during that campaign, we know the quality they possess, so it’s going to be a physical challenge,” said Head Coach Myles Landick.
“We have to focus on ourselves and make sure that we’re defensively sound, as Bracknell are going to throw the kitchen sink at us. If we get off the line quickly and take our shots, then we’ll have a good chance of getting the win.
“Anyone can beat anyone in this league, so no team should be under-estimated. Bracknell are about mid-table right now, but they’ve picked up a couple of impressive wins, including one against Stags who are a really tough side, so we won’t be taking them lightly.”
Everything has gone according to plan so far this season for the Caesarean outfit, as they’re still yet to taste defeat eight games into their campaign. Such extraordinary form has catapulted them to the top of the table, where they now sit six points clear of the rest.
It’s not as if the Islanders have been one-dimensional in these victories, as the statistics show the local side have produced complete team performances. The Jerseyman have scored the most points to show themselves as the best attacking unit of Regional 1 South Central, scoring 388 points to lead in that area by 99, while conceding the least with 127.
To lead the league in both departments just goes to show how complete Jersey are as a side, and playing at home will certainly provide a big boost to their efforts, as Landick added: “You can’t beat a home game, we had just over 800 last time out so we’d love to build on that this weekend.
“The guys love playing at home, so they’ll be giving their best to produce a good performance for the fans. We know that all these teams come to Jersey ready to throw everything at us, so get up to the club and support.”
Although Jersey are towering above their adversaries on the table, Bracknell aren’t a team to be under-estimated, as they’re heading into the contest full of confidence after winning their last fixture 32 – 19 against Camberley in devastating fashion. They also pushed second-placed Tunbridge Wells to the limit earlier this season, narrowly falling short 29-33 to prove that they’re capable of competing with the league’s best.
With windy conditions thrown into the mix, this promises to be an entertaining match-up, set to kick off at 3.15pm.
Jersey RFC Women
Following that entertaining clash, Jersey RFC Women will then be taking the field, set to square off with Canterbury Women at 5pm.
If their last duel is anything to go by, this looks set to be an evenly-matched blockbuster, as they narrowly lost out 20-22 earlier this year. This will only add to their efforts to right that wrong, as the team are all “raring” to go.
“We’re all raring to go and hoping for a good game this weekend. The last time we faced them it was a close loss, so we’ve been training hard and we’re ready to go again,” said Vice Captain Abbie Syvret.
“After analysing our last game, we’ve been working on reducing the gaps in defence, as you can’t afford to leave any. But, for the most part, it’s all about continuing what we’ve been doing and maintaining the intensity.”
The Caesareans have made a great start to their campaign, winning three of their first four fixtures to sit atop the Women’s NC 1 South East division.
This marks an incredible turnaround for Jersey RFC Women, as they’ve already matched their total win tally from the entirety of last season in just their first four games, demonstrating great improvement.
The vice-captain shared her thoughts on what has gone behind the vast developments, adding: “I think because we ended so strongly last season, with a couple good wins and the Siam Cup victory, we’ve just continued to build on that and nail our technical skillsets as a squad, while also enhancing our understanding of the game. Things like analysis sessions have also made a huge difference for us, as our coaches have really broken things down and showed us where to improve.
“We now have a broad depth to the squad, the new players have adjusted very quickly and fit in very well to the team, almost as if they’ve been playing alongside us for ages.
“This season has definitely exceeded our expectations so far, the whole squad has gelled a lot more than last year and we’re aiming to maintain the intensity and do the best we can.”
Tomorrow stands not just as a match-day, but also a great opportunity to further expand the sport, as Nudge Rugby and the Red Roses are teaming up to put on free girls’ rugby sessions from 11am – 12.30pm up at the Jersey Rugby Club, on Pitch 2.
Fresh off their momentous World Cup win, England stars Zoe Aldcroft and Jess Breach will be working with Jersey RFC Minis and Juniors to teach new skills and hopefully inspire more girls to get involved in the sport.
To learn directly from World Cup winners makes for an unmissable opportunity, so to register your interest and find out all the information, check out the events page on www.islandtickethut.com.
Jersey RFC 1st XV: (15-9) Aaron Penberthy, Dylan Stocks, George Willmott, Dan Barnes, Bevan Biggs, Scott Van Breda, Liam Rhodes, (1-8) Huw Owen, Jack Macfarlane, Jack Higgins, Euan Spencer, Max Ayling, Tom Tilstone, Evan Whitson, Jerry Sexton. Replacements: Morgan Brady, Cam Keys, Jonty O’Sullivan.
Jersey RFC Women 1st XV: (15-9) Lucy Kendrick, Molly Büsel, Georgina Ruellan, Gemma Love, Fern Moolasiwa, Emily Duncan, Bethan Hughes, (1-8) Nicole Rodrigues Magalhaes, Hannah Le Moignan, Elly Downing, Abbie Syvret, Emilie Langlands, Andi Vaughan, Katie De La Cloche (C), Kerry Bisson-Mercury. Replacements: Ella Vieira, Jo Shipton-Taylor, Abi Lappage, Kim Vallance, Beth Wyatt, Jenna McKinley.
