Kent a dominant force at Allianz Stadium Twickenham

Yorkshire 32 Kent 39

(Photos by Peta Nash)

A sixth title, but more significantly, a third in succession, as Kent confirmed themselves as the current dominant force in County Championship rugby.

Furthermore, whereas a year ago, and against the same opposition, they’d had to rely on a slice of good fortune as they watched a last-ditch penalty from the Yorkshiremen slide wide to leave them victors by a single point, there was no element of luck in this performance.

Aside from the concession of a couple of early tries, Kent dominated the vast majority of this contest, the boot of Sam Evans continually nudging them a safe distance in front, and only two late Yorkshire scores, when the result was beyond doubt, giving the final tally a tighter look than it merited.

On the summer solstice, and with temperature a shade over 30 degrees, it was though Yorkshire who caught Kent cold with only two minutes played as wing James Norman and Lewis Minikin combined, the outside-centre sending a neat diagonal kick for fellow Hull Ionian and number-eight George Mewburn to gather for a converted try. 

Mac Duaibe, on early in the back-row for the unfortunate Vince Everitt, mopped up loose lineout ball for Luke Boon to power across in response, only for Mewburn to emerge from a maul at the other end of the field to restore Yorkshire’s seven-point advantage.

However, with a smoothly functioning lineout, allied to great continuity, Garry Jones and Ben Charnock made breaks as Kent went through numerous phases, before Evans’ inside ball sent Duaibe on a weaving run to the goal-line for a fine try and parity at 14-apiece at the end of the opening quarter.

Two long-range Evans’ penalties pushed Kent ahead, before Minikin responded with a decent strike of his own, but although the Tonbridge Juddian then struck the upright with an attempt from out wide, his only blemish of the entire competition, a scrum penalty offered an easier opportunity, and Kent led 23-17 at the break.

Minikin and Evans exchanged further goals after the re-start, but it was the third quarter when Kent began to decisively stretch their lead.

With Yorkshire temporarily down to 14-men, Kent found another great shove at the scrum, and as Charnock came off the base, the excellent, and ever-alert, Mike Davies spotted the gap to score for a 13-point lead.

Kent continued to dominate the breakdown, denying the Yorkshiremen, while penalties five and six pushed them further ahead, and although the game lost some shape in the closing stages as the sapping heat took its toll, and Yorkshire claimed two late tries from backs Kristian Dobson and Will Smith, the first County Championship hat-trick since Lancashire in 2011 was never under threat. 

‘It was emotional, it meant a lot to the boys,’ said a delighted Tom Stradwick.  ‘Even for the ones who’ve been here before, it was special, it’ll be memories that’ll stay with us forever.’

‘People don’t get to write their own endings,’ continued the player-coach, for whom this was his 35th Kent appearance and final competitive game of rugby.  

‘But for me, to finish my playing career playing at Twickenham with a bunch of very good mates and standing on the top step with a trophy above your head.  It doesn’t get better.’


Yorkshire

Tries:  Mewburn 2, 14, Dobson 78, Smith 80

Conv:  Minikin 2, 14, 78

Pens:   Minikin 31, 43

Kent

Tries:   Boon 10, Duaibe 20, Davies 50

Conv:  Evans 10, 20, 50

Pens:   Evans 24, 30, 37, 45, 60, 68

 

Report by Graham Cox