Crowborough Rugby Club have won the Counties One South Shield in the Papa John’s Community Cup after beating Thanet Wanderers 28-15 at StoneX Stadium – the home of premiership rugby club Saracens.
The Crows have seen an amazing turnaround of fortunes. It has been tough since Covid, with some players moving onto higher level clubs, other senior players retiring and others unable to play because of injury. Mid-season they had lost every game and were bottom of league. The Club dug deep, players stepped-up and number of 17 and 18 year olds started playing – demonstrating the Club’s commitment to player development and bringing-on home-grown talent. They ended-up winning most of their games, beating some of the best teams in the league to finish ninth.
The new cup competition was launched this year as part of a RFU’s restructure, after players said they would prefer a shorter league season followed by a cup competition, helping clubs celebrate community rugby and finish the season on a high. Through the Papa Johns Community Cup, many clubs were able to play different opposition and visit new places, while others reignited old local rivalries, with all making plenty of memories along the way.
You can read a full report of the final and see more photos of the game on the Club’s website: crowboroughrugby.com.
The final can be watched in full on the RFU’s Twitter account (from 4:30 onwards): LIVE at StoneX Stadium | Papa Johns Community Cup Finals 2022/23.
