JERSEY Women RFC were narrowly beaten 32-27 away to Canterbury in an entertaining contest that still earned the island side two valuable bonus points.
The defeat means Jersey remain third in the table, having gone into the match six points behind leaders Dorking Women and three adrift of second-placed Hove Women. With those two sides meeting this weekend, the result could represent a missed opportunity for Jersey to close the gap with just three matches of the season remaining.
Jersey had beaten Canterbury 14-7 in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign, but this time the hosts edged a tightly contested encounter.
The visitors made the perfect start, taking an early lead through a powerful driving maul after sustained pressure down the line.
However, Canterbury soon responded and took advantage of brief lapses in Jersey’s defensive organisation to keep themselves firmly in the contest.
Jersey’s attack proved a constant threat throughout the match. Laura Turpin delivered a standout display with a hat-trick of tries, while Georgina Ruellan crossed twice as the islanders kept themselves within striking distance.
Despite the defeat, the five-try return ensured Jersey collected two bonus points from the trip.
Head coach George Thomas said his side had shown plenty of attacking quality but were punished for switching off at key moments.
“It was a good performance overall,” he said. “We had a bit of a slow start and our defence was standing off a little bit, but we built into the game and found our attacking structure.
“We played some really good running rugby, but we switched off for a few crucial minutes and allowed them a couple of easy tries.” The match also saw debuts for Myra Bonello and Cara Williams.
Thomas added that concentration will be key as the season reaches its decisive stage.
“At this level if you switch off you get exposed. There are still lots of areas we can improve, particularly defensively, but the fact we’re pushing near the top of the table shows how far this team has come.”
Jersey RFC Women squad: Nicole Rodrigues Magalhaes, Hannah Le Moignan, Ella Vieira, Ava Byrne, Emile Langlands, Abbie Syvret, Katie De La Cloche (c), Andi Vaughn, Laura Turpin, Emily Duncan, Cara Williams, Bethan Hughes, Georgina Ruellan, Fern Moolasiwa, Lucy Kendrick Substitutes: Emma Cornick, Morgan Carter, Kerry Bisson-Mercury, Myra Bonello
