Medway RFC 1stxv travelled to south London on Saturday afternoon. Old Colfeians RFC (Colfe’s) partner with Colfe’s Independent School & the pitch at Horn Park was in very good condition. A celebration Lunch was hosted prior to the match, the Six Nations Rugby Tournament got underway also & many a feast was enjoyed by all rugby supporters.
The afternoon weather was dark, cold, and dry. The gathered storm clouds did not rain. The excellent referee blew his whistle at 2.30pm to start the contest and the sides locked horns.
Four Medway RFC Men’s teams were deployed with Kings College Hospital RFC travelling to Medway to play our 3rdxv, our 2nd xv travelling to Sevenoaks RFC plus our 4th xv on the road to the seaside at Rye RFC.
Their respective League positions before today’s game was Medway 6th place & Colfe’s 7th place. Medway and Colfeians met earlier in the season and on that occasion, Colfe’s won by a narrow 5-point margin at Medway RFC (last play of the match attracting a winning try!) and recent form favoured Medway so we all looked forward to some exciting rugby in the Capital.
Early pressure from the hosts and the referee penalised Medway. Colfe’s centre shows a clean pair of heels and a good early try from Colfe’s 5-0. Conversion added 7-0. Medway attempt to put together some phases but Colfe’s energy is high. The partizan home crowd help and Medway transgress off-side. Colfe’s kicker showed good form as he kicked the penalty, 10-0 after 15 minutes.
Medway lock, Jordan Stubbington shows some leadership and clatters into the solid wall of defenders. Good clear-out work by Props Ryan Eastley and Jack Nikalls allows No.8 Todd Johnson to carry further. Colfe’s put a hand in the Ruck. A Medway Penalty & Fly-Half Owen Church-Mills stepped up and slots the penalty, 10-3 after 20 minutes. Player of the day, centre Max Bullock then scythed through the defence to gallop 60 meters. John Sipawa uses his power and goes close in an attempt to breach Colfe’s defence but they remain solid & their counterattack produced another long rage but kickable penalty, 13-3. Medway begin to get frustrated.
Colfe’s employed a clever kicking strategy that made them ground. Medway continue to concede penalties and but for the first-class defence of Josh Knight, Harry Gibbons, Tom Beaumont and Dan Jackson, more points would have been leaked. Colfe’s excellent centre once again makes the most of the pressure to score under the Medway posts. Extras are added, 20-3. Deji Oyesola replaces the injured Eastley and Jonah Hyde replaces injured Gibbons. Another penalty to Colfe’s and the half time scoreboard reads 23-3. Medway’s changing room at the half time break is hushed.

Jack Johnson takes to the field and using all their bench Medway breathe deep and seek higher performance. The large travelling contingent from Medway were rewarded with a much more dynamic start to the second half. Scrum Half, Sean Marriott leads the higher tempo performance sniping and distributing width. Captain Antony Clement smashes the Colfe’s defence who now experience defending against pace and power. Winger Connor Chalmers enjoys the overlap…TRY! 8-23 (no extras). Bullock, Clement and JJ now begin to combine and test the defences out wide. Another TRY with JJ diving over the tryline. Owen kicks the conversion, 15-23 after 60 minutes…Game on!
Medway forwards and backs then combine, pouring on phase after phase of power and pace. Colfe’s are running out of energy and the referee running out of patience. More penalties are awarded to Medway who surf their new-found energy, ignore the posts and another TRY with Todd bulldozing over the line, 20-23 with just ten minutes remaining. Colfe’s attempt to force the pace, but Medway hold firm with amazing defensive work.
The last three minutes remain & Medway cut loose, Bullock’s pace cannot be matched, JJ’s vision is x-ray, Marriott’s sniping stretches the defence to snapping point and winger Mac Perry feeds the other wing, Connor Chalmers to score the winning points using pace and quite brilliant handling… TRY! The conversion is good and Medway win the second half 0-24 plus the league fixture, 23-27 and a bonus point for their amazing 4th try…Wow.

Medway Coaches, Jay Jenkins & James Pierce wished Old Colfeians RFC well for the rest of the season and praised them for exciting & excellent rugby.

Medway’s next fixture is on Saturday 17th February 2024 versus Reeds Weybridge RFC, at home & with a 2.30pm ko.