Beavis Memorial Ground, Cinderford

GLOUCESTERSHIRE U-20 v KENT U-20

Sunday 27th March 2016

Beavis Memorial Ground, Cinderford

National U-20 County Championship Quarter Final.

Gloucestershire U-20 22 Kent U-20 20

A late Niall Gibbons try eased Gloucestershire into the semi-finals of the National U-20 Championship for the first time in four seasons. Although Gloucestershire out-scored Kent by four tries to two they may consider themselves slightly fortunate to go through.

Facing a Gloucestershire side short of injured players, Kent kicked off into a stiff wind and driving rain. The home side used the elements to dominate the early exchanges and went ahead on eight minutes. After three powerful scrums on the Kent line the forwards picked and drove with Cinderford flanker Dan Broady diving over for the score. The conversion hit the post.

Kent played with purpose and outside half Frank Reynolds reduced the deficit with a penalty before Gloucestershire went further ahead on the half hour. The now dominant scrum forced Kent into infringements on their own line and the referee was left with no option but to award a penalty try. Joe Carolan converted and Gloucestershire led 12-3.

This seemed to inspire Kent and they controlled the last ten minutes of the half. They forced Gloucestershire into making errors and capitalised on a handling error on half way for fullback Jake Caddy to score a well-taken opportunist try. Reynolds converted with an excellent kick across the gale to reduce the home lead to 12-10 shortly before half time.

Kent took the game by the scruff of the neck from the start of the second half, and following half-time changes suddenly had the ascendency in the scrum. Gloucestershire made too many errors and kicked the ball away whilst the fluidity of the Kent three-quarters was impressive and Reynolds kept putting the ball into space behind the Gloucestershire wings.

Three minutes afterthe restart Kent went ahead with a fine counter-attack from their own ’22’. Caddy put wing Liam Brencher into space and the Dartfordians wing hared up the touchline through three weak Gloucestershire tackles to score close to the posts. Reynolds added the extras for 17-12.

Kent dominated the following twenty minutes, denying Gloucestershirepossession and forcing more mistakes. But Gloucestershire hung on and after Kent had failed to convert a couple of half chances Reynolds added a penalty to extend the lead to 20-12.

The next sore was crucial. Gloucestershire changed their front row again and attacked from the kick off and forced a penalty. Rather than going for goal they went for territory and won a driving lineout which rumbled ten metres for a perfectly-executed try awarded to the excellent Broady. The conversion missed but Gloucestershire were back in the game at 20-17.

This time it was Gloucestershire who dominated and a multi-phase move with great ball retention saw Gloucestershire take play from their own half to the Kent ‘22’. With five minutes of normal time remaining another penalty was put into the corner. Kent did well to repel the driving lineout but Gloucestershire retained possession and after several drives Gordon League flanker Gibbons burst out of a tackle and dived for the line. He was brought down just short but immediately reachedforward and stretched over for the winning try.

The missed conversion caused some Gloucestershire palpitations but they controlled possession and ran down the clock for the win.

Gloucestershire will need to improve greatly if they are to advance to the final. The backs made too many handling errors and the lineout only functioned in fits and starts, however the scrum went well for most of the game and in flanker Dan Broady they had the outstanding player on the day.

Kent will feel they should have turned the knife when they were on top but ultimately came up just short.

Scorers:

Gloucestershire U-20: tries – Dan Broady (2), Niall Gibbons, penalty try; conversion – Joe Carolan

Kent U-20: tries – Jake Caddy, Liam Brencher; conversions – Frank Reynolds (2); penalties – Frank Reynolds (2)

Teams:

Gloucestershire U-20: Wayne Mulhern (Coney Hill); Jack Beck (Old Centralians), Joe Carolan (Lydney), Robbie Faulkner (Hartpury College), Reuben Goatley (Old Centralians); Julian Mogg (Cardiff University), Farrell Gwilliam (Matson); Lee Nightingill (Hartpury College), Ben Gompels (University of Bristol), Ashley Challenger (Filton College), Tyler Jerrum (Lydney), Lewis Locke (Old Centralians), Niall Gibbons (Gordon League), Dan Broady (Cinderford), Jack Shields (Cardiff University).

Replacements: Cameron Jones (Old Centralians), Brandon Mustoe (Lydney), Mike Addis (Newent), Alex Caviezel-Cox (Old Centralians), Jordan Taylor (Cinderford), Terrence Barberasina (Cinderford), Lee Hathaway (Old Patesians)

Kent U-20: Jake Caddy (Beckenham); Liam Brencher (Dartfordians), Harry Sayers (Canterbury), Courtney Horey (Canterbury), Alex Eastwood (Maidstone); Frank Reynolds (Westcombe Park), Nick Hill (Gravesend); Harrison Keeley (Sidcup), Zac Lewis (Gravesend), Sam Kenny (Canterbury), Freddie Owens (Blackheath) (c), Jordan Stubbington (Medway), Josh Hawkins (Blackheath), Alex Everett (Sevenoaks), Ben Dickson (Blackheath).

Replacements: George Baker (Blackheath), Michael Young (Dartfordians), Ryan Munnelly (Elthamians), Alfie Collins (Dartfordians), Ethan Wright (Aylesford Bulls), Will Kelley (Blackheath), Anthony Clement (Thanet Wanderers)

Referee: Ben Russell