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Harvey Biljon & Alex Rea after Coventry beat Jersey to reach the Championship Cup Final

Championship Cup Semi Final loss to Coventry immediate reaction

More Jersey Reds tries v Coventry

The Reds produced a rampant display to round off their 2021/22 league campaign, scoring 10 tries in overwhelming their Coventry hosts. The 104-point aggregate at the Butts Park Arena was a record for the Reds in their time in the Championship, coming almost exactly a decade after a win at the same ground clinched the National 1 title and promotion to the second tier. Jordan Holgate started the ball rolling when he forced his way over for a try by the posts within four minutes, but the centre was then forced off with an injury and replaced by Scott Van Breda. The home side then took the lead with two scores of their own: hooker Suva Ma’asi from a maul and wing Tom Stanton in the corner. Although Eoghan Clarke and his forward colleagues then delivered a mauled try for the Reds, Cov responded in kind through Ma’asi to regain the lead. Three tries in the last 10 minutes of the half saw the Reds build a decent lead. Harry Simmons claimed the first after a clever lobbed kick by James Mitchell bounced nicely for him near the posts, then Clarke added another mauled effort. Simmons’ second followed a turnover by replacement Wes White and a kick through by Van Breda which his team-mate reached first and dotted down. Looking to reinforce their lead soon after the resumption, the visitors took advantage of errors by their opponents to claim a sixth try through Dan Barnes, only for the Blue-and-Whites to claim their bonus-point try scored by lock James Tyas. Sam Leeming’s first try for the Reds was a beauty as he beat three players in a jinking run to the line, and then another replacement got in on the act as TJ Harris forced his way over in the corner to mark his return from a four-month injury lay-off. The pace of scoring didn’t ease off, with Will Owen claiming another try for the hosts and then Simmons completing his hat-trick following a flowing move down the three-quarters which featured a galloping run by Alex Humfrey and a scoring pass from Dan Barnes that enabled Simmons to finish in the corner. James Martin’s interception gave some cheer to the home supporters, but the Reds had the final word as James Mitchell crossed in the last play. Tom Pittman added two points from the tee after Leeming had earlier registered seven conversions from eight attempts. The match aggregate was well beyond the previous club record in the Championship: 85 points a Rotherham in September 2012, when the Yorkshire side won 54-31, and the same tally at Ampthill in November 2019, when the Reds won 38-47. Ten tries was also a record Championship haul, surpassing eight scored on four previous occasions, including the previous game against Nottingham. And the total points of 66 was another record, surpassing the 56 scored against Yorkshire Carnegie in January 2020 and 52 on two occasions in 2018, away at London Scottish and Hartpury. The result made sure that the Reds will finish fourth in the final standings, with 69 points in 20 games, surpassing the previous best tally of 65 points in 22 games in 2017/18. The Reds will take on Ayrshire Bulls in a friendly this Saturday (k-o 3pm) before starting their Championship Cup campaign with a home fixture against London Scottish on Saturday April 9th (k-o 5pm). COVENTRY: Brown; Knox, Forsyth, Owen, Stanton; Mitchell, Barton; Jeannot, Ma’asi, Bridges, Tyas, Peters, Nayalo, Bainbridge, Burrows. Replacements (all used): Haly, Woodward, Lockwood, Betteridge, Ball, Babos, James, Martin JERSEY REDS: Owen; Simmons, Barnes, Holgate (Van Breda 5), Brown; Leeming (Pittman 65), Elliott (Mitchell 48); Flynn (Godfrey 58), Clarke (Harris 48), Longwell (Nicol 35), O’Connor (Everard 61), Cook, Argyle (Humfrey 66), Wynne (capt), Grey (White 38). REFEREE: Andrew Jackson. Assistants: Ian Bibey, George Selwood Half Time: 19-33 Attendance: 2,341 Scorers Coventry Tries: Nayalo 8, Stanton 12, Ma’asi 22, Tyas 48, Owen 64, Martin 73 Conversions: Mitchell 8, 12, 48, Knox 64 Jersey Reds Tries: Holgate 4, Clarke 18, 37, Simmons 31, 40, 68, Barnes 43, Leeming 55, Harris 58, Mitchell 79 Conversions: Leeming 4, 31, 37, 40, 43, 55, 58, Pittman 80

Sam Leeming try v Coventry

Harry Simmons 3 tries v Coventry

3 of Jersey's 10 tries came from winger Harry Simmons in the Reds 66 -38 win away at Coventry to sign the league campaign off in style.

Jersey Reds v Nottingham tries & post match reaction

The Reds ran in eight tries to conclude the home part of their 2021/22 schedule in fine style. Visitors Nottingham never gave up, but were run ragged by opponents to whom they have now conceded 24 tries in three games over the past 12 months. After some mixed winter weather for their home outings at Stade Santander International, the Reds were pleased to have some dry, bright conditions, albeit with a southerly breeze blowing across the ground towards the airport. Jersey Reds concluded their home league schedule by putting their visitors from Nottingham to the sword, scoring eight tries and cruising to victory. Nottingham’s task became harder within two minutes of kick-off when wing Joe Browning caught his opposite number Will Brown late after a kick ahead and was yellow-carded following a conference between the officials. The Jersey pack couldn’t capitalise from the resulting attacking lineout, but made up for it soon afterwards thanks to great hands by Steve Longwell, Eoghan Clarke, Macauley Cook and Lewis Wynne, with Cook looping round to take a scoring pass and canter home in front of the big screen. Not long after the second quarter started Eoghan Clarke had claimed his 14th and 15th tries of the season, the first from a well-worked move off a lineout and the second by more traditional means as a maul rumbled over, just after Carl Kirwan saw yellow for foul play. A rolling maul that rumbled 2-plus metres from the restart showed the Reds’ forward power, as did the opening scrum, which did not take place until approximately the half-hour mark. Nottingham’s first spell of pressure was sparked by a powerful run by Callum Allen and then Sam Hollingsworth chipped through for Browning to gather and score. But the hosts had the last word before half-time when successive scrum offences by the Green-and-Whites in the red-zone resulted in a penalty try. Jordan Holgate was arguably the Reds’ most potent attacking weapon and proved the dominant figure as the second half began, handling three times in quick succession before Brown scooted over in the corner within two minutes. There were loud cheers from the home bench as Adam Nicol trotted on 11 minutes into the second half, the Scottish prop making his home debut almost a year after joining the club and suffering a serious injury on making his debut at Castle Park in Doncaster. Skipper Josh Poullet pulled a score back for the visitors, but the Reds finished strongly with three tries in the final quarter. Sean O’Connor scored from a maul after a successful 50:22 kick by Sam Leeming and then Dan Barnes finished a well-executed lineout move. The visitors didn’t give up, in spite of losing several players to injury, starting as early as the fifth minute; but they conceded again at the death when Max Argyle went over from close range for Jersey’s eighth try. Jersey Director of Rugby Harvey Biljon said: “We have been waiting for a game where it all came together and we made some big steps in that direction today. “There’s been some difficult weather around recently and so it was great to have a dry pitch and good conditions so the boys could show what they could do.” Visiting Head Coach Craig Hammond said: “Our set-piece didn’t function – it’s hard to play without a scrum and a lineout, and we were put under pressure by a good side from early in the game.” The Reds conclude their Championship campaign with an away trip to Coventry next Saturday, which will be followed by successive home games: a friendly against Ayrshire Bulls on Saturday March 26th (3pm KO) and the home leg of the Championship Cup first round game against London Scottish on Saturday April 9th (5pm KO). JERSEY REDS: Owen; Simmons (Van Breda 54), Barnes, Holgate (Pittman 68), Brown; Leeming, Elliott (Mitchell 54); Flynn (Owen H 68), Clarke (Doolan 68), Longwell (Nicol 51), O’Connor (Everard 61), Cook, Argyle, Wynne (c), Lawrence (Grey h-t). NOTTINGHAM: Stapley; Williams D (Peachey 60), Creed, Manihera (Bunting 48), Browning (YC 2); Hollingsworth, Stronge (Marsh 54); Williams T, Vanes (Hanekom 69), Betts (McNulty 51), Hall (Barrett 5), Allen (Sio 56), Kirwan (YC 22, Obano 48), Tweedy, Poullet (c). REFEREE: Dean Richards. Assistants: Ian Bibey, Tom Bird Half Time: 26-6 Attendance: 1,432 Scorers Jersey Reds Tries: Cook 6, Clarke 17, 23, Penalty 38, Brown 42, O’Connor 61, Barnes 70, Argyle 80 Conversions: Leeming 6, 17, 61 Nottingham Tries: Browning 28, Poullet 48 Conversion: Hollingsworth 48

Jersey v Nottingham DOR Harvey Biljon post match reaction

Jersey Reds DOR Harvey Biljon's immediate reaction post match to the victory over Nottingham by 48 points to 12

Extended post match reaction Cornish Pirates 21 Jersey Reds 17

An exciting match between old rivals featured a storming start from the Reds and a determined comeback from Cornish Pirates, who ended up the narrow victors on their home turf at the Mennaye Field. The result was a hammer-blow to the Reds’ ambitions to be in the mix at the end of the Championship season, with fourth place now the almost inevitable final ranking for Harvey Biljon’s side; the Pirates remain very much in contention, with Doncaster Knights and Ealing Trailfinders their rivals for the title. Playing at a lively tempo from the start, the Reds quickly tapped their first penalty of the match, with Brendan Owen racing forward and being supported by Scott Van Breda. When the ball was worked back to Tom Pittman the fly-half kicked over the Pirates’ defence and Ryan Olowofela raced forward to tackle the defender. With the Pirates in disarray the ball was quickly worked wide and Owen slid through a grubber that bounced up nicely for Macauley Cook to collect it and stroll over with only 130 seconds on the clock. Another good run by Owen, this time from a kick return, gave the visitors more momentum a few minutes later and the ball was fed wide via an unlikely ‘Serevi’ flick-pass between the legs of prop James Flynn. The bouncing ball from Flynn was taken by Dan Barnes who found Olowofela for a searing break forward and then a pass inside to James Elliott, who then returned the ball back outside to Barnes, who took it well and crossed by the posts. A second conversion from ‘SVB’ left the Reds 14-points ahead after eight minutes. With the Reds rampant, there could have been a third try when Owen fed Will Brown, who got very close to the line, but this time the Pirates held firm and they were soon able to get some field position at the other end and hooker Tom Channon, wearing number 16, crossed from the back of a maul. The Reds enjoyed a further spell of pressure late in the half, with Matt Bolwell of Pirates binned for illegal play at the breakdown and a series of drives that went close, but could not get the ball over the line. With the last play of the half the Reds won a penalty and Van Breda slotted the kick to make it 7-17. Although there was some rain in the first half, the weather was a lot kinder than for the majority of the Reds’ previous visits to the Mennaye, and the sun was back out by the time the second half started. The Reds had a great chance when Olowofela and Brown fed Barnes, but the final pass to Van Breda went to ground with the line beckoning. There were also two lost lineout balls at the start of the second period which robbed the visitors of momentum. Pirates capitalised with a second mauled try by Channon and the home crowd of just over 2,000 urged their side to complete the comeback. The Pirates were in the ascendancy now, but the Jersey defence was solid, with the closest shave being when number 8 Tom Duncan was held up over the line. But eventually the pressure told and replacement scrum-half Tom Kessell got over in the corner, Arwel Robson extending the lead with his third successful conversion. Both side had chances in the closing stages, with Pirates being initially awarded a fourth try through Robin Wedlake only for the officials to disallow the score as a result of handling in a scrum several phases earlier, with acting captain Van Breda displaying some authoritative yet tactful negotiating skills. The Reds had a chance with an attacking lineout inside their opponents 22 after a deliberate knock-on - but no yellow card - against Wedlake as he went for an interception, but although Harry Doolan found his jumper, the Reds weren't able to form a maul; in spite of some promising late attacks, with replacements Guy Thompson and James Mitchell having an impact, the clock ran down and the home side’s win was confirmed. The losing margin was typical of the league games between the sides over the past decade, with 13 of the 18 contests settled by seven points or fewer, and the winning side only once managing to secure a try bonus point. CORNISH PIRATES: Penny, O’Meara (Wedlake 3), Wyatt, De Battista (capt), Sirker (Tucker 68), Robson, Schwarz (Kessell 52); Andrew (Phillips 68), Channon, Petch (Rodman 71), Caulfield (Teague 68), Cutmore, Montgomery (Gibson 56), Bolwell (YC 33), Duncan. Unused: Blackmore JERSEY REDS: Owen (Roberts 77); Olowofela, Van Breda, Barnes, Brown; Pittman, Elliott (Mitchell 64); Flynn (Godfrey 59), Clarke (Doolan 78), Longwell (Yendle 71), O’Connor (Humfrey 71), Cook, Argyle, Wynne (capt) (Grey 65), Lawrence (Thompson 61). REFEREE: Anthony Woodthorpe. Assistants: Simon Adams, Ian Bibey Half Time: 7-17 Attendance: 2,042 Scorers Cornish Pirates Tries: Channon 20, 48, Kessell 66 Conversions: Robson 20, 48, 66 Jersey Reds Tries: Cook 3, Barnes 8 Conversions: Van Breda 3, 8 Penalty: Van Breda 40