VICTORIES in rugby take on many forms. For Jersey RFC’s fledgling life in the English rugby union system, many of those have been resounding, with the outcome in little doubt from the opening whistle.
The visit of Bracknell, however, was exactly the test that Myles Landick’s men required, and if it was a Regional 1 South Central litmus test, the boys in red passed.
With 30 minutes on the clock, it looked business as usual for the Islanders on home soil – 14-3 to the good, with the home crowd clinging onto the last of the September sun on the far touchline.
But, unlike many who had came before them, the Berkshire boys dug in and gave Jersey the fight of their lives, in what experienced forward Jack Macfarlane called “our hardest game in the last three years”.
“We knew coming up the leagues we would come across so real challenges,” he said. “They deserve a lot of credit. They were really disciplined in their kicking game and whenever we put them under pressure, they exited really well.
“From our front, there were some errors in there as well to not convert some promising attacks into points, but coupled with that, they were very good at disrupting the play.
“A lot of our boys would have never experienced a test like this. A few of the side that have played Championship-level rugby are used to this style, but it’s a fantastic lesson for the squad.
“The boys dug in and when energy levels were at empty, they found more and those are the moments you learn a lot about yourself.
“Until the very last whistle, we fought for one another and to come out of a game like this with another win, really shows where we are as a unit.”
Macfarlane was the man to open to the scoring for Jersey after 19 minutes, following Jake Findlay’s successful penalty for the visitors five minutes prior.
The men in red turned the ball over on Bracknell’s five-metre line and a couple phases later, the powerful hooker bundled over, as full-back Mark Boarer added the extra points.
George Willmott, who was incredible defensively all game provided the spark for Jersey’s second.
The No.8 forced a turnover to send the hosts on their way and Euan Spencer was on hand to break several tackles en route to crossing the whitewash under the posts, for a routine conversion for Boarer.
At 14-3 up, there was a sense of calm around CoinShares Park. But it was short-lived.
Bracknell spent the majority of the remaining ten minutes of the half camped inside Jersey’s 22-metre line, and they got their reward through stand-out winger Luke Schofield – who received the ball out wide following a scrum to dance round the Jersey line to score – although the try went unconverted.
An engrossing second-half ensued, with no points scored by either side until 75 minutes, when again, it was the pacey Schofield who led the Bracknell counter-attack and stormed through to score under the posts for seven points and a slender one-point lead.
Jersey were down for the first time in the entire campaign, and in the game’s dying embers.
Cue a cool head, and the vast experience of Dan Barnes.
The centre had shifted to fly-half to cover for the injured Scott Van Breda, who hobbled off after just 20 minutes on his return to the side.
Following some gritty phases to eat up the ground, Barnes picked the ball from a ruck and juked and twisted through spaces that were seemingly not there.
The former Jersey Reds star touched down underneath the posts to a seismic home roar, with an undertone of relief.
With ten extra minutes to play after a half plagued with stoppages, Bracknell were hell-bent on having the final say.
But despite nearly 20 phases worth on the Jersey try-line, the score eluded the Greens and Jersey would survive, holding their opponents up on the line and clearing with a goal-line drop-out.
Head coach Landick cited “heart, desire and determination” as central to his team’s success, under trying circumstances. He said: “Perhaps at times, we put pressure on ourselves. Our line-out didn’t function as well as it has of late, but we have to credit Bracknell for that.
“They put that pressure on us and made it very difficult. But I cannot express how proud I am of the guys.
“To show that heart, desire and determination to defend inside your own five-metre line for 20-odd phases is incredible.
“Bodies were tired and they quite easily could have accepted their fate that they would concede a late try, but they didn’t.
“It was a game that saw Scotty [Van Breda] come off early, we also lost our scrum-half [Max Harrington]. We asked forwards to play as backs and they were exceptional.
“We have always said we want to be in battles. Winning by 60 or 70 points doesn’t help anyone. It’s games like this where you learn so much about yourself as a team and they stuck together and fought and ultimately were rewarded.”
It could have been anyone in red that earned the JEP player of the match award, but after much deliberation, that honour went to Willmott.
He is best known for his line-breaking runs and power in attack, but he assumed a very different duty against Bracknell.
Forcing multiple turnovers in defence, Willmott was a key part of the effort off the ball. He said: “The boys showed a lot of dog. I don’t think there was anyone who had anything left in the tank come full-time.
“We came into the unknown this season. Bracknell are the best side we have faced in three years now, and to come through that, shows how far we’ve come.
“It’s no secret that we’re an attacking team and we like to play on the front foot. But we showed a different side of us. A side who can defend for large stints, and a side that is difficult to break down.”
Jersey can now enjoy a welcomed week off, whereby Landick will hope he can get some players back from the treatment table, ahead of a tough away clash against fellow unbeaten side CS Stags 1863 on 12 October.
Jersey RFC [1-15]: George Thomas, Jack Macfarlane, Huw Owen, Nathan Thomas, Cameron Keys, Euan Spencer, Tom Tilstone, George Willmott, Max Harrington, Scott Van Breda, Eryk Swiech, Dan Barnes, Nathan Rogers, Bevan Biggs, Mark Boarer. Replacements: Joe Ridgway, Bryn Edwards, Sam Harvey
Bracknell [1-15]: Mathew Woodrow, Hamish Beattie, Jake Hodge, Ruairi Henderson, Sam Dunks, Thomas Field, Joel Gardner, Joshua Riles, Alex Frame, Matt Outson, Luke Schofield, William Field, Fergus O’Connor, Vincent Parker, Jake Findlay. Replacements: Jasper Miranda, Daniel Kane, Harry Warr
