Blackheath 50 Canterbury 14
The final dress-rehearsal before the new term begins and comfortable, seven tries to two, victory for The Club on their all-weather surface at Well Hall.
Fielding a much changed pack from the side that finished their 2014-15 campaign, the hosts went ahead in the seventh minute after fly-half Freddie Gabbitas slotted an easy three points after Canterbury stood up under pressure from the Blackheath scrum, and moments later Mike Mvelase scored the first try after Tom Chapman’s off-load.
Line-out ball set up a try for James Catt, and as Jake Lloyd ghosted across the line on two occasions after numerous phases, Blackheath had cruised into an easy 31-0 advantage by the interval.
Canterbury captain Martyn Beaumont injected some life into his side from full-back at the outset of the second period, enabling the visitors to set field position from which Will Farris crossed, and although Tom Baldwin added a fifth try for Blackheath, the hosts’ discipline gave way with a glut of penalties (and a second yellow card) for the Canterbury inside-centre to add his second.
Nevertheless, an unlikely comeback was snuffed out as Mvelase quickly scored his second try, and as Freddie Bush crossed late in the match, Gabbitas’ fifth conversion brought up the half-century.
‘I was pleasing to get 50 points on the board with just a week to go before the new season,’ commented new Director of Rugby Colin Ridgway. ‘It shows the squad are coming together well.’
‘However, there is still a lot to work on, so we’ll be pushing hard in training this week to be ready for Blaydon.’
Blackheath
Tries: Mvelase 2, Catt, Lloyd 2, Baldwin, Bush
Conv: Gabbitas 5
Pens: Gabbitas
Canterbury
Tries: Farris 2
Conv: Best 2
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