Deal topped their group with dominant wins against Southwark Tigers (36–12) and Gillingham Anchorians (24–12), setting up a quarter-final in the Cup/Vase against the highest-ranked teams in Kent.

A narrow loss to Old Elthamians (14–17) in the quarter-final placed Deal into the Plate competition, facing last year’s opponents, Tunbridge Wells (Saracens Academy).

The teams lined up with contrasting approaches. Tunbridge Wells fielded an all-backs side, while Deal entered with three powerful forwards to complement their back line.

From the whistle, Deal were first to score, with Max Vere breaking the line and running clear to put them ahead. Tunbridge Wells responded with a try down the wing. Deal dominated the centre of the pitch, while Tunbridge Wells looked to utilise the wide areas. The game remained tightly contested, with tries traded at a rapid pace.

With two minutes to go, Tunbridge Wells broke from a Deal attack to give themselves a two-try lead. However, Deal hit back immediately. Felix Poynton received the ball in space from a well-executed move through the middle, only to be caught agonisingly close to the try line, resulting in a Tunbridge Wells scrum.

The Deal forwards had been waiting all game for this moment. As the ball was put in, they made their advantage count, driving Tunbridge Wells back over their own line. Jonathan Mattison recovered possession and fed William Lisle, who powered over through last-ditch defence to bring the game back to a single score.

Deal opted for a quick restart before Tunbridge Wells had fully reset. In the dying moments, the comeback looked on, but it wasn’t to be. A final attack exposed a gap in Deal’s defence, and from the turnover, Tunbridge Wells found the space they needed to seal the game.

Final score: 26–38 to Tunbridge Wells.

Overall, a fantastic performance from the whole squad, securing a top-tier finish in the competition and once again showing the team’s ability to compete with the best rugby academies in Kent.

Congratulations to the tournament squad: Aston Armstrong, Brandon Ashington, Logan Campling, Matthew Cocker, Sam Keniver, William Lisle, Jonathan Mattison, Seb Mugford, Will Northcott, Nathan Obijiaku, Felix Poynton and Max Vere.

Man of the Match: Max Vere – for his power, speed, determination, and incredible ability to break the line at any level.

Tries:

Max Vere (6)
Jonathan Mattison (3)
Nathan Obijiaku (2)
Seb Mugford (2)
Sam Kenicer
William Lisle