Match Reports

Portsmouth 20 Jersey 40

’Considering we were missing V (captain Talite Vaioleti) at times we played brilliantly,’ Ben Harvey(Jersey’s Coach) said, immediately after the match.’Perhaps Sam Tuia’s second try was the best we scored but in fairness they were all terrific.

’We also started with a changed side from the one I named in the paper, but the reason for that was all down to me. Jamie Crawford was going to play on the wing but with 40 minutes to go and the guys in the changing room I heard alarm bells going off in my head. Normally I am painstaking in checking if our players are registered or not. But this time I wasn’t so sure. So I phoned Alison Hinks back in Jersey and asked her to check for me with the RFU. He wasn’t (registered). So I had to pull him out of the game. When I told him, with ten minutes to go to kick-off, I put up my hand and admitted it was my fault and, to Jamie’s credit, although he was rightly disappointed, he took it well.’

’The lads will probably fine me for this and I’ll be carrying Jamie’s bags for the next three weeks. But the team we fielded played some brilliant rugby. Overall this was one of the best games we’ve played all season.’ Man of the match Dave Felton, playing at second row in place of V, had an assist in the first Jersey score, made by the pack in the tenth minute from a well worked line-out on the left-hand side and touched down by Kemp. Felton was also on hand to help supply Tuia after Hendry Rheeders had punched a hole in the Portsmouth defence from 60 yards out before the outside centre cruised through for a converted try to make it 12-0 with three-quarters of the match remaining.

Mitch Burton then converted a penalty to make it 15-0.Despite a penalty by Portsmouth’s Kevin McEvoy and then a forward try by Harry Cripps; an Ed Dawson try, which saw the winger ghost in from 10 yards out, made the half-time score 22-8.

After sustained Portsmouth attack and stoic Jersey defence after the restart, from deep in their own 22 the Ist XV turned the ball over, allowing Mike Le Bourgeois’s clever kick to cause all sorts of problems against a startled set of opposition threes as Tuia seized hold of the ball, beat two men to the line and touched down. Burton converted.Jersey had made and scored a try from 70 yards out when, initially, they didn’t have possession. They were now 29-8 ahead.

Further tries, by Ben Williams and Mike Eaniora for Portsmouth and Le Bourgeois for Jersey, plus two Burton penalties, made the final score 40-20 but, in truth, the 20 points they scored flattered the south coast team although afterwards their backs’ coach, Ian Chandler said: ’Three of our most experienced players, including former Newcastle Falcons scrum-half and captain, Rupert Neville, are missing and we’ve had to field teenagers in their place. ’For their overall size and potency Jersey have an excellent pack but I think the real difference was your outside centre (Tuia).’Ashley Maggs also did the donkey work at inside centre.’We’re good enough to stay in this division. But good luck to Jersey. They’re a very good outfit and on Saturday were the best team out there.’