Siam Cup (H) 14-05-11

Jersey 73 Guernsey 5 : Siam Cup : May 14th 2011 : By Tom Innes 
    Jersey warmed up for the National Two Play-off at the end of May with a comprehensive routing of Channel Island rivals Guernsey in the annual battle for the Siam Cup. The trophy, the second-oldest in world rugby after the Calcutta Cup, was lifted by Jersey captain Paul Rodgers after a game which reflected the gap in league status between the teams.
     Guernsey, champions of London 2SW this season, were on the back foot from the start after a prodigious drive from the home pack at the first scrum. Visiting hooker Bradley Choules was then sin-binned for killing the ball and soon afterwards Dan Hawkes fed Donovan Sanders for the first score. After Ed Dawson notched the second try, James Copsey showed his pace in registering a 10-minute hat-trick. Ross Kenwright added a final first-half touchdown for Jersey. Mike Le Bourgeois had his kicking boots on, converting nine out of 11 tries, including one of his own - the first of the second half - after which Sanders completed a hat-trick, Dave McCormack profited from Nick Trower's deft delayed pass and Dawson notched his second after a 70-metre move and another Trower assist.
     Guernsey played with spirit, and overall the match featured less niggle than is typically a feature of the annual inter-island clash. The visitors broke their duck in the final minute when Jason Morgan intercepted and ran 50 metres to score.

Jersey: Le Bourgeois, Copsey, Sanders, Henderson, Dawson, Hawkes, O'Brien B, Kenwright, Felton, Brennan, Hannay, Rodgers, Elphinston, O'Brien S, Trower. Replacements: Maddocks, Landick, Clyde-Smith(C), Clyde-Smith (T), Bell, McCormack, Turner

Guernsey: Hayton, Bailey, Wyatt, Batiste, Jones, Campbell, Crouse, Craine, Choules, Bellingham, Merrien, Hillier, Kelly, Ciellem, Barton. Replacements: Morgan, Coles, Harvey, Paul, Goude, Gardner, Yabsley

Referee: Paul Kimber

Star Man:Nick Trower (Jersey)

Scorers & Times

Jersey

Tries: Sanders 9, 52, 73, Dawson 15, 77, Copsey 18, 23, 28, Kenwright 40, Le Bourgeois 47, McCormack 63

Conversions: Le Bourgeois 9, 15, 18, 23, 28, 40, 47, 52, 77

Guernsey

Try: Morgan 80

 Attendance: 2,900

Half Time: 42-0