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In-form Canterbury Rugby Club top last season’s purple patch with best winning run in years but coach Matt Corker insists players maintain intensity ahead of trip to National League 2 East strugglers Worthing

Canterbury Rugby Club are revelling in some of their best form for many years.

Matt Corker’s team made it five straight National League 2 East wins with a 61-5 victory at Havant last weekend.

Chad Thomas on the attack for Canterbury Rugby Club in last weekend’s 61-5 win at Havant. Picture: Phillipa Hilton
Chad Thomas on the attack for Canterbury Rugby Club in last weekend’s 61-5 win at Havant. Picture: Phillipa Hilton

They claimed four triumphs on the spin last term and, having already beaten that record, will be out to extend the run even further.

But head coach Corker is eager to guard against complacency ahead of this weekend’s rearranged trip to bottom side Worthing.

“I believe this is the first time we have won five games in a row since 2019,” said Corker. “We won four in a row last year and that was something we were really pleased with.

“To do anything in this league, you have to back up your performances. What’s important is we just go week-by-week.

“We’re feeling good about ourselves - and rightly so - but as soon as you lose your focus and come off with the intensity in the challenges a bit, this game has got a funny way of biting you.

Report: Havant 5 Canterbury 61

“That’s why we’re just super-focused on putting in good performances every week.”

Canterbury rarely looked troubled at Havant. Their tries came from Eoin O’Donoghue (2), Tom Best - back on first-team duty - Kurt Heatherley, Garry Jones, Sam Rogers, Tyler Oliver, Tom Williams and Harvey Furneaux.

They did concede a second-half try, only to swiftly get back on track in a further sign of how the team had developed under Corker’s stewardship.

He reflected: “This was our first of three away games in a row and we wanted to start it on the right foot.

"We had looked at Havant’s last five games at home where they had won twice and only lost the other three by fairly fine margins.

Tom Best scored on his return to action for Canterbury Rugby Club’s first team at Havant. Picture: Phillipa Hilton
Tom Best scored on his return to action for Canterbury Rugby Club’s first team at Havant. Picture: Phillipa Hilton

“But the boys turned up super-focused. It was a big day for Havant. They had a good crowd but we gave them very little to shout about.

“Some of the tries we scored were really impressive and there were some fantastic performances in there.

“There was a period in the second half where they got a try and came back into the game a little bit, but what I was really pleased with is how we worked our way out of it.

“At that point, it could have gone either way and the Canterbury team of a couple of years ago maybe would have conceded a couple more tries - and then it gets interesting.

“But we showed our growth and maturity in putting in a really strong performance.”

Canterbury Rugby Club’s Kurt Heatherley in possession at Havant. Picture: Phillipa Hilton
Canterbury Rugby Club’s Kurt Heatherley in possession at Havant. Picture: Phillipa Hilton

The game also saw Canterbury make the most of getting a rare chance to play on an artificial pitch.

Corker said: “We train on one once a week.

"They’re nice and wide and the boys get excited about playing on them, as well.

“That always adds a bit of extra spice.”

Canterbury are now preparing to head to Worthing - once again - after they had made the journey in mid-January, only to find out the game had been postponed.

Canterbury Rugby Club’s Danny Herriott in the thick of it at Havant. Picture: Phillipa Hilton
Canterbury Rugby Club’s Danny Herriott in the thick of it at Havant. Picture: Phillipa Hilton

Corker said: “We definitely know our way there!

“Obviously, we were hugely disappointed not to start when we travelled there last time - and this would have been our weekend off. But it is what it is.

“Three away games in a row is a real challenge for us but we’re very clear on what we want to do and how we want to approach these games, including Saturday’s one.”

With Canterbury having had to sacrifice a fixture-free weekend in order to play their rearranged match, they won’t take a break from league action until Saturday, February 22.

Asked if the opportunity to keep playing consistently due to their fine form was a welcome one, Corker replied: “The players might feel a little bit differently!

“A little rest from the physicality is always nice because the guys are working really hard and it is very physical. It turns a three-game run into a five-game run - but it could be worse.

“Guernsey have had a tough run of it. They don’t have a break until April now and we’re not quite in that position.

“But having these rests is really important for player welfare.”

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