Barnes treble helps TJs to dominate Dorking

Tonbridge J….. 45pts Dorking…………… 31pts

■ By GARETH WITHERS

AN excellent opening-day performance from Tonbridge Juddians saw them dominate a Dorking side who had finished third for the previous two seasons.

The majority of the first quarter was played in the Dorking half and TJs made it count on the scoreboard.

Two tries apiece for Curtis Barnes and Howard Packman saw TJs have the bonus point in the bag with little more than a quarter of the game gone.

And it was Barnes who was first to cross after just five minutes.

Scores came from a mixture of brutal power and handling finesse as well as a cross-field from the boot of fly-half Tom White.

His trusty left boot converted three of the four scores and added a penalty, while Dorking’s only response was three points from the boot of centre Henry Anscombe.

But the visitors did manage to cross the whitewash courtesy of winger Tobermory McRae with Anscombe converting, but TJs took a healthy advantage into the break.

It was the home team who started fastest in the second period, as they had the first.

The ball was moved wide through the hands and a beautiful grubber from full-back Packman assisted winger Barnes for his hat-trick on debut just two minutes after the restart.

Dorking responded with a purple patch of their own, McRae adding his second, converted by Anscombe, and then a penalty try following a maul infringement by the home side brought the score back within two converted tries.

However, TJs regained control and kept the scoreboard ticking over intermittently with three penalties from the boot of replacement fly-half Sam Evans.

A late breakaway score from Finn Osborne, converted by Anscombe, gave the score more respectability for the visitors and, perhaps more importantly, a try bonus point to show for their efforts.

But in truth, a home victory was never in doubt after the opening quarter.

TJs Director of Rugby Jordan Turner-Hall said “It was a great start but with lots still to work on,” while head coach Seb Sherwood added: “The boys have worked hard throughout pre-season, and it’s great to see that work translating to what is produced on the pitch.”

Overall, the Slade faithful will be delighted with the opening-day result.

But they will also have been grateful to have been treated to a high-quality game of rugby from two teams intent on playing combative but expansive rugby.