Kent U20s kicked off their Jason Leonard U20s campaign with a well-earned 28-22 victory over Hertfordshire U20s on Sunday, 30th March, at Blackheath RFC. The match was a thrilling contest, with both teams showing determination, skill, and resilience throughout.

The game started brightly for Kent, who opened the scoring after just 5 minutes. Will Stenner touched down for the first try of the match following a slick passage of play involving the forwards. However, Hertfordshire responded strongly, and after a period of sustained pressure, they managed to cross the line in the 28th minute, levelling the score.

Kent regained the lead shortly after the restart. A penalty awarded to Kent was kicked to within five metres of the Hertfordshire line. From the resulting line-out, a powerful driving maul was set, and Aiden Demery barged over to score Kent’s second try, putting them 10-5 ahead.

With just a few minutes to go before halftime, Kent struck again. After a line-out just outside the Hertfordshire 22, the forwards carried the ball deep into the opposition’s territory. A long pass across the backs found full-back Bart Johnson, who ran a strong line and drew in the defenders. He offloaded to Ralp Baker, who finished the move with a well-executed try. Kent went into the break with a 15-5 lead after blustery conditions affected the kicking game, with all conversions missed.

The second half was a tense affair, with both teams guilty of giving away penalties. Kent extended their lead early in the half after another penalty inside the Hertfordshire 22. The decision was made to go for the corner, and from the ensuing line-out, Kent’s forwards set up another powerful maul, allowing Demery to score his second try of the game.

Hertfordshire responded with a penalty try of their own, narrowing Kent’s lead to just 5 points at 20-15. However, Kent’s attack remained sharp, and after regaining possession from the restart, Owain Collins chipped through for Brett Smith to gather and score Kent’s fifth try of the day. Collins extended the lead further with a successful penalty, making it 28-10.

Despite their best efforts, Hertfordshire refused to go down without a fight. After a Kent handling error in their own 22, Herts capitalized with a quick 2-on-1, resulting in a try in the corner. The visitors’ pressure continued, and they scored once again, converting to bring the score to 28-22.

With the game hanging in the balance, Kent managed to hold on to their lead. The final stages saw some desperate defending, but Kent regained possession from the restart and saw out the game to secure a hard-fought 28-22 victory.

Kent U20s will now turn their attention to their next pool match against Hampshire, which will be played at Havant on Sunday, 11th May. After a performance full of determination and flair, Kent will be confident of continuing their winning momentum as they progress in the competition.

Kent Scorers

Tries

William Stener (Old Elthamians)

Aidan Demery (Canterbury), 2

Ralph Baker (Old Elthamians)

Brett Smith  (Canterbury)

Penalty

Owain Collins (Canterbury)