Colchester Rugby Club are champions! Cheered on by hundreds of travelling supporters, Colchester players took to the field as league leaders and left as legends, the fourth Colchester Rugby Club senior team to win their respective league this season - an English rugby first.

Colchester’s first team scored 1228 points this season, the highest total in English rugby. Unbeaten for 25 consecutive games they earn a place in the National Leagues next season, the highest level the club has ever played at in what will be the 90th anniversary of the founding of Colchester Rugby Club in 1925. Successful coaches Anthony O’Riordan, Lee Soper and Nic Lloyd relish the challenge.

Hosts Eton Manor had led the league earlier in the season and shadowed Colchester in a close second place, Colchester’s superior try bonus points separating the sides. The north London side still have a chance to win promotion in play-off against Chobham, runners up of London One South, Manor’s record earning a home tie following two previous unsuccessful play-offs.

Spring sunshine bathed the New Wilderness ground for the championship decider. Four coach loads and carloads of Colchester supporters cheered on the men in black in a competitive game with both teams playing with fast backs and forwards mixing their running and kicking game. Matt Rosier gave an exemplary display of refereeing that allowed the game to flow.

Eton Manor started the game strongly, forwards recycling the ball through phases and robbing Colchester’s early lineouts to set their backs running and catching Colchester offside, flyhalf Callum McKie converting the penalty for a three point lead on five minutes.

Playing their way into their opponents half, Colchester forwards began edging scrums and No.8 James McRae robbed lineout ball. Forwards and backs combined to push back the Eton Manor defence until a high tackle enabled Colchester flyhalf David Higgins to level the scores with a 30 metre penalty.

Both teams created chances, Manor’s lively scrumhalf Reece Read linking with his namesake on the wing who broke upfield until bundled into touch. Colchester centre Matt Smith broke a tackle to attack up the left wing, drawing the last defender and passing inside to wing James Crozier for what would have been a try but for an unlucky knock-on. Higgins narrowly missed a penalty kick at goal before McKie added three points after Colchester were penalised for not driving straight at a scrum.

Higgins boomed a kick from his own to Manor’s 22 where a fumble presented an attacking platform to the Colchester pack. Fullback Brett Cutbush entered the line at speed and drew defenders before offloading to skipper Calum Irvine to race in the first try of the game, Higgins adding the conversion for the 6-10 halftime lead.

The second half started with Manor pressing, McKie’s penalty kick for Colchester handling in a ruck rebounding out from a post. Colchester worked their way upfield, pressing Manor into errors. Another scrum platform set Colchester’s backs attacking, Higgins deft kick to the corner leading to a hasty clearance kick under pressure that was fielded by Irvine. The Colchester pack drove to their opponents tryline where lock Liam Pickett grounded for Colchester’s second try.

Eton Manor rallied to protect their unbeaten home record, a fast paced back move culminating with replacement wing Jack Pike crossing for a well made try.
Colchester mounted several attacks into the Manor half, the pack disrupting a Manor scrum forcing No.8 Nick Cooper-Hicks to pick up, Colchester flanker Danny Whiteman driving his larger opponent backwards and Manor were penalised for killing the ball. Higgins kicked the penalty to extend Colchester’s lead 11 – 18 with ten minutes to go.

The hosts exploited a Colchester offside penalty to kick to the 22, a lineout catch and drive drawing in defenders, wing Reed stealing around the fringe to race in a try, McKie converting to level the scores for a tense final four minutes.

Colchester took the game to Manor, Graeme Hay yellow carded for going off his feet at a ruck. Manor tried to run the penalty but Colchester defended resolutely and Manor were penalised for offside. Rather than risk a 30 metre kick at goal which could have won the game or gifted their opponents the ball if he missed, Higgins punted the ball into touch to end the game as champions and trigger the celebrations.

Gary Griffiths
Colchester RFC