WHILE Jersey Wanderers travelled to Guernsey for their first run-out in this season’s JRA league, before losing to Guernsey 2nds 40-12, Jersey United Banks were punishing St Jacques at Grainville on Sunday afternoon, winning 50 points to five.

For Banks their man of the match was undoubtedly captain, Ivan Murphy, who scored a hat-trick of tries from the back of the scrum and was, according to visitors’ captain John Coyde, the difference between the sides.

‘I think that our front five were better at set play, but they dominated in the loose,’ he said afterwards.

‘Despite the scoreline, I still think that Jersey 2nds are the strongest team in the league, although it will be interesting to see how Beeches – who beat Banks last weekend – will play against them.

But take nothing away from Banks, they’re a very good team.’ At half-time Banks had already asserted their supremacy, with tries from Geoff Nott – a drive from the line-out – Tim de Gruchy and, following quick ball and an overlap, Michael Pankhurst in the corner.

Jimmy McCormack converted one try and, eventually, converted ten points with the boot.

In the second half centre Matt Winpenny went over on the left hand side with Murphy adding to the festivities with three tries, including a bulldozering run from a quickly taken penalty and a surge for the line.

Antoine Becquet also scored, following a Pankhurst break and an inside pass.

John Duggan scored for St Jacques.

‘If we can just keep the team together, we can only get better,’ said Murphy after the game.

Meanwhile, in Guernsey, Wanderers’ captain Clive Russell wasn’t too dispirited by the 40-12 scoreline against a ‘very good’ 2nds team, which included more than one former or current first team member.

‘On more than one occasion we were shoving their pack back,’ he said, ‘and the standard of refereeing did us no favours.

‘In the second half Rad Montgomery was so mad, after a perfectly good pack try was disallowed, that we stole the ball against the head and he rampaged over.

‘Steve Byrne scored the other try, immediately after half time, from a fine interception and a 45-yard run.’ John Creavy converted Byrne’s try while Guernsey scorers were Billy Jones (3), Jason Brouard, Harras Guthrie and Ben Mahy.

There were five conversions from Carl Gardner.

According to Russell, play was fairly even until they conceded three quick tries during a ten-minute spell when Wanderers went off the pace midway through the second half, but as Guernsey captain, Mark Stone explained: ‘It was only then that we started to play to our strengths, by keeping the ball away from their bigger set of forwards.

After two defeats in a row we stepped up a gear, and were also much more disciplined.

The incentive for us was to claw back as many points as we could today.’