Jersey 73 Guernsey 5 : Siam
Cup : May 14th 2011 : By Tom
Innes
Jersey warmed up for the National
Two Play-off at the end of May with a comprehensive routing of
Channel Island rivals Guernsey in the annual battle for the Siam
Cup. The trophy, the second-oldest in world rugby
after the Calcutta Cup, was lifted by Jersey captain Paul Rodgers
after a game which reflected the gap in league status between the
teams.
Guernsey, champions of
London 2SW this season, were on the back foot from the start after
a prodigious drive from the home pack at the first scrum. Visiting
hooker Bradley Choules was then sin-binned for killing the ball and
soon afterwards Dan Hawkes fed Donovan Sanders for the first
score. After Ed Dawson notched the second try, James
Copsey showed his pace in registering a 10-minute hat-trick. Ross
Kenwright added a final first-half touchdown for Jersey.
Mike Le Bourgeois had his kicking boots on, converting nine
out of 11 tries, including one of his own - the first of the second
half - after which Sanders completed a hat-trick, Dave McCormack
profited from Nick Trower's deft delayed pass and Dawson notched
his second after a 70-metre move and another Trower assist.
Guernsey played with spirit,
and overall the match featured less niggle than is typically a
feature of the annual inter-island clash. The visitors broke their
duck in the final minute when Jason Morgan intercepted and ran 50
metres to score.
Jersey: Le Bourgeois, Copsey, Sanders,
Henderson, Dawson, Hawkes, O'Brien B, Kenwright, Felton, Brennan,
Hannay, Rodgers, Elphinston, O'Brien S, Trower. Replacements:
Maddocks, Landick, Clyde-Smith(C), Clyde-Smith (T), Bell,
McCormack, Turner
Guernsey: Hayton, Bailey, Wyatt, Batiste,
Jones, Campbell, Crouse, Craine, Choules, Bellingham, Merrien,
Hillier, Kelly, Ciellem, Barton. Replacements: Morgan, Coles,
Harvey, Paul, Goude, Gardner, Yabsley
Referee: Paul Kimber
Star Man:Nick Trower (Jersey)
Scorers & Times
Jersey
Tries: Sanders 9, 52, 73, Dawson 15, 77,
Copsey 18, 23, 28, Kenwright 40, Le Bourgeois 47, McCormack
63
Conversions: Le Bourgeois 9, 15, 18, 23, 28,
40, 47, 52, 77
Guernsey
Try: Morgan 80
Attendance: 2,900
Half Time: 42-0