The league table at the Jersey rugby Club tells the story

JERSEY RFC are feeling champion. Following their 16-14 win over Hertford on Saturday and with the news that nearest rivals Old Albanians could only beat Dorking 13-6, the National League III SE title is theirs.

So next year, for the first time in a history stretching back to the 1890s, they will be playing against the likes of Richmond, Rosslyn Park and Shelford in National League 2 South.

Not surprisingly, club president Bill Dempsey allowed himself the luxury of a pint of Guinness after his side’s 23rd win in a row to celebrate the occasion.

‘It was a hard game, right to the end, but to be fair to the boys we didn’t expect it to be any easier,’ he said of the two-point win over a team placed third in the table. ‘But this is fantastic. And it’s full credit to the players, not just for what they do on the pitch, but for all the work they put in behind the scenes. My only word of caution is that looking at the way Hertford played is a reminder of how hard it will be next season in Division II.’