FIRST PLAYS SECOND in Regional 1 South Central tomorrow as Jersey RFC men welcome one of their toughest test to date in Tunbridge Wells, scheduled for a 4pm start.
18 wins from 20 games between the pair demonstrates their dominance throughout the 2025/26 campaign. The challenge for any side this season travelling to Coinshares Park has proved brutally difficult.
Myles Landick’s organised defensive unit has conceded just 41 points from their four home games this campaign, an average of just 10.25 points per game.
At the other end, although not the highest in the division, Jersey’s 159 points at home outscores their opponents on average four-fold.
Landick and his teammates have regularly described home games as extra challenging, stating away teams “treat the Jersey game like their cup final”.
They may have a point. General crowd sizes throughout the rest of the league is significantly lower than those at Coinshares Park, as well as the general standard of the surface, clubhouse and facilities.
Jersey’s away games regularly see them facing challenges of uneven surfaces in park-style pitches, which fail in comparison to the excellent standards of Coinshares Park.
One could easily see why a side would want to put their best foot forwards for an away trip to the sunniest place in the British Isles.
Backed up with the fact that the Caesareans are also clearly the side to beat in this division, Landick’s men know they will get the very best of their opponents each time they are cheered out by their home fans.
The power in the Jersey unit has been utterly dominant this season, none more so than top try-scorer, Jack Macfarlane. The powerful Scottish hooker boasts an excellent return of 13 tries this season, which has seen him force his way over from the back of the surging maul on numerous occasions.
Macfarlane and his fellow front row cronies, which has included the highly impressive Huw Owen and and Jack Higgins along with the rest of the dynamic pack, have commanded the best scrum in the division, a weapon that has proved mightily effective for them.
Just one change in that pack for tomorrow see’s Lewis Wynne out with a shoulder injury, the experienced Tim Grey returning in his place.
Jersey also boast the second and third highest try-scorers in the league, with Scott Van Breda just one back with 12 and George Willmott on 7.
The experienced and powerful South African Van Breda also leads the way by nearly 40 points as the highest points scorer in the division, with 124. He will also don the captain’s armband once again this season as skipper Evan Whitson misses out with a hamstring injury.
The exciting feet of Mark Boarer returns in the number 15 position for Lewis Evans, and Bevan Biggs’ unavailability sees a start for Joe Munns in the 14 spot.
Tunbridge Wells boast some fire-power of their own however, with their talisman Brady Robertson tied with Willmott with 7 tries. Fly-half Daniel Tomanek also boasts 52 points so far, the sixth highest point scorer.
Jersey claimed the double over Tunbridge Wells last campaign, besting them on their own past 34-14 in the first game of the season, before a close-fought 28-24 victory at Coinshares Park in the season finale.
Coach Landick admitted before the game that “it’ll be a game watched by many throughout this league”, but also stated his side were “excited and ready for the challenge”.
Action from Coinshares Park tomorrow is scheduled for a 4pm kick off.
JRFC squad to face Tunbridge Wells: [15-9] Mark Boarer, Joe Munns, Dylan Stocks, Dan Barnes, Lance Armstrong, Scott Van Breda, Jonty O’Sullivan [1-8] Huw Owen, Jack Macfarlane, Jack Higgins, Max Ayling, Cam Keys, Tom Tilstone, Euan Spencer, Tim Grey Replacements: Morgan Brady, Tom Ellis, Liam Rhodes
