Both Canterbury Rugby Club 2nds and Dover Sharks face an anxious wait - with the former now having been crowned Kent 2 champions under unusual circumstances.

The Sharks thought they had pipped the Pilgrims on playing points difference after they beat Sidcup 2nds 31-12 earlier this month in their final match this season.

Plenty of celebrations followed that victory at Crabble but the league have now confirmed that Canterbury are the champions on playing points difference.

Canterbury’s Chris Fullbrook explained: “The regulation is quite clear and the regulations all stand.

“It’s whether Dover have a case to change the regulations, as far as I’m aware.”

Canterbury were due to play their last match of the season against Old Dunstonians but their opponents were unable to raise a team, so they were awarded five league points for a walkover victory.

It was the third occasion Canterbury had been awarded walkover wins this season - twice against Dunstonians and once against Southwark Lancers.

It meant they finished the season with 92 league points, which left Dover, who started their match against Sidcup on 87 points, needing a bonus-point victory over Sidcup to secure the title through a superior playing points difference of 469 to Canterbury’s 416 - or so they thought.

Subsequently, however, Canterbury officials alerted the league, under their rules, the playing points Dover achieved in their corresponding fixtures against Old Dunstonians, who they beat 40-34 and 38-5, and in their away match against Southwark Lancers - which they won 68-10 - should be erased.

This is because Canterbury had been denied the opportunity to achieve any playing points in their walkover wins against those opponents.

As things stand, the city club are champions after they highlighted RFU regulation 13.6.11, although the Sharks have appealed.

Fullbrook said: “I think they were a bit aggrieved no one had told them.

"In fairness, no one told Canterbury! But we read the regulations.”

Regardless of who are champions, however, both will go up.

Fullbrook said: “The boys know they are going to get promoted.

“For Canterbury 2nds’ first season in the RFU at that level, it’s excellent.

“Being crowned champions would be the carrot on top.

“Everyone really wants to win the league, it’s that old adage that no one remembers second place, but both clubs are going to get promoted.

“We don’t want to lose that friendship with Dover. That game at Canterbury was on a Friday night and it was an amazing night [as the Sharks won 39-31 on February 24].

"There’s four or five others [from Kent] at that level so that’s fantastic for east Kent derbies.

“We will wait and see what ruling comes through.

"It’s their appeal. Let’s see.”

Asked if it would tarnish the title success for whoever, eventually, are crowned champions, Fullbrook replied: “It does and it doesn’t. It’s all swings and roundabouts.

“Dover beat Canterbury twice.

"Does that make them the better side? Yes, on those occasions, but not necessarily all season.”