Senior Rugby DoR report of 2017/18
This year's season has been a tale of two halves. First half of the season was hampered with injuries to the 1st XV & Extra 1st XV resulting in a number of difficult losses.
The second half of the season saw a resurgence in terms of player’s available, new players joining the club, and new coaching staff. An upturn in results almost saw Westcombe Park 1st XV safe, only to fall agonisingly short on the last day. The last 13 games from Christmas saw the team displaying Top 4 form which the group have taken heart from, this has born itself out in the large number of players wanting to stay on and bounce back to Level 5 rugby at the first opportunity.
Congratulations to Tom Clarke, Charlie O’Sullivan who both represented Kent this year. Dylan Eames who represented Sussex and Cassius Dechamps Scored 42 points on his International Debut for Denmark. I am looking forward to seeing more Combe players achieving representative honours down the line.
The Extra 1stXV have also ended a season blighted with cancellations and withdrawal from there league, but the new year and additional depth has provided some really meaningful and consistent run outs culminating in the 65-0 demolish ion of Thanet 1XV in the Kent Plate competition, pleasingly the team included many local Combe lads and 3 colts, Harry Taylor (MOM), Owen Church Mills and Lewis Hoad, this is something the senior section are desperate to continue with even greater numbers of quality young Combe lads coming into the higher levels of senior rugby in the coming seasons.
AXV finished a credible 3rd in the Bishops Finger Merit table one point behind 2nd place. Frustratingly, we had to scratch 3 games and field some weakened teams before Christmas as result of lack of playing numbers in senior squad.
Gents XV made the semi-final of Vets Kent Cup sadly having to forfeit to Sevenoaks who went on to win the Cup final vs New Ash Green.
My thanks go to all of the players, coaching staff, managers and administrators (special thanks to Mark Ley and JWT) for the section who have worked tirelessly under some testing times. I think we are all in agreement the glass is very much half full now not half empty!
On a personal note, I would like to wish Danny Vaughan and Gareth Jackson all the best on their future coaching paths and thank Simon Campell who will be stepping back from his role due to work commitments but will still remain a very active part of the club and I am sure the senior section of the club in the future.
Yours in Rugby
Rob Lawrence
DOR Westcombe Park RFC