The league’s top points scorer ended the season in style as Canterbury Rugby Club secured a seventh-placed National League 2 East finish.

Fittingly, fly-half Frank Reynolds landed a late second penalty, having already made four conversions, to seal a bonus-point 34-21 victory at home to Sevenoaks.

Head coach Matt Corker praised Reynolds - a farmer - and back-rower Jesse De Vries, who represented the Netherlands in the season. Both are set to stay for 2024/25.

On Reynolds’ efforts, Corker said: “That’s just a fantastic achievement.

“Frank continues to grow as a player, on and off the field. His contribution to the group just gets bigger and bigger. He has had a great year.

“As a farmer, Frank is a very busy man away from the pitch and has to work hard to make sure that he’s in the right place when he gets on the pitch.

“As for Jesse, there’s not really many greater privileges in rugby than playing for your country. I know it has not just been a privilege for him, he has also gained some really valuable experience from it.

“He’s hungry for more, too. That’s something that we can support him with.

“The better he plays for us, that’s great for us, and it’s great for him.”

Two-try Frank Morgan, Alfie Orris and Presley Farrance crossed the whitewash for the city club on Saturday, April 27, in front of their biggest crowd of the season of more than 600 at Merton Lane.

“I actually said to the boys before the game that we were privileged that the last game of the season for us wasn’t away against someone in a game that didn’t mean anything,” he said.

“We were playing at home, in front of our biggest crowd of the season, in a local derby and it felt like we had a score to settle from the beginning of the season (when they lost 23-22 at Sevenoaks).

“In terms of our league position, if we hadn’t won, we would have dropped two places, as well. There were lots of different elements that made the win important but I suppose really valuable, too.

“The boys have worked really hard for the whole season. We have been seventh for a long time so, for us to not achieve that at the death, would have been very disappointing.

“We got off to a fast start. On these emotional days, that can really help propel you.”

Canterbury’s bumper crowd certainly had a day to remember. Many were at the sponsors’ lunch and were treated to the action, one of the highlights being winger Orris’ try.

Corker said: “It’s genuinely one of my favourite days of the year, not just because of the big crowd. It just really feels like a celebration of the club.

“I think the players and myself feel a responsibility to make sure the rugby matches the occasion. It definitely did at times.

“Alfie Orris scored a 60-metre dash down the left wing, which was a fantastic finish. He’s had a fantastic season.

“We can now have a break. We had a review session on Tuesday night to take stock of the season.

“But in terms of the progress, that’s not in question.

“We won more games, managed to move up the league table and - even though it’s only three places - it’s been really hard-earned.”