Jersey captain Paul Rodgers hurls himself forward

IT was never much of a secret … the first scrum was always going to be incredibly important.IT was never much of a secret … the first scrum was always going to be incredibly important.

The record books will show that explosive tries from wingers James Copsey and David Doherty, sandwiching two power-packed second-half efforts from lock Nathan Hannay, and ten points from the boot of Michael Le Bourgeois sent Loughborough Students home empty handed rocketed Jersey RFC into National I for the first time.

But perhaps the most revealing moment of this National II play-off came after just three minutes.

Loughborough, backed by some of the most impressive coaching and conditioning resources in the UK, knew about Jersey’s power. But the Students had reassured themselves that they had improved their forwards to such an extent that their being overpowered, as they were by rugby royalty Rosslyn Park at the same play-off stage last year, would be handled far better this time.

Full match report in today’s JEP