Aylesford Bulls II 12 vs TWRUFC 1st XV 29

14th Feb 2026, KO 14:30

Aylesford Bulls II - Away

Live Text, Match Report & Information

Match Report

Another Win on the Road for the Boys

After a well-earned 2-week break, off the back of 2 big wins at home in the league, (the first against Cranbrook and the second Tunbridge Wells), the boys were revamped and re-energized to take yet another win away from home. Aylesford were in a tough competition earlier on in the season when they visited us, for our VP dinner and kit reveal. Every game we’ve had against Aylesford has always been a test since we came into the same league, they always bring a strong and physical aspect to the game with big hitters and runners all over the park. With Dover taking back the top spot in the league table with a re-arranged fixture being played out, the premise of the day for the Green and Whites was one simple and easy goal …… Win!!!

Some changes to the starting lineup were evident yet again, the absence of Jimmy O left space for Will Cornwell, the returning veteran, to make his way back into the starting lineup alongside Captain Matthew Radbourne. The rest of the pack stayed eerily similar with no changes at all to the rest of the 8 men up the front. However, regrettably readers I bring you maybe the saddest news of the season so far. The return of Brad Blaxland at 10, paired with his other half-back Harry Hopkins at 9, has ended the almighty reign of our stand in fly-half Kieran Munn-Holland. Many people would’ve expected him to be back in at flank or prop, maybe better the bench. But the coaches decided 13 was his best option, which I think might be even more terrifying than him at 10, he was joined in the centre pairing by Dan (Bok) Norman our most consistent centre this season. The back line had a returning face with Alex Manning returning from down under to take up the 15 shirt paired with the normal Conor McGrath and Brad Nash as wingers. 3 more Hopkins lined up the bench with Steve Lewis and Pip on standby and the ever-reliable Joey (Hinge) Hales ready to make that finishing touch in the game.

The sun was shining for this fixture, and with us having around a 40-minute commute to the pitch from the changing rooms we decided to take the kit out with us so that we were ready to go straight after the warmup. Fin Parfitt managed to avoid falling over straight away this weekend which he counted as an immediate win, Dylan was very well dressed and ready to go in his bright orange socks, and Kieran had already been warned by the all too familiar referee there would be “no funny business today”.

Some quick-thinking tactics from Coach Neil came into effect early on making our lads take up the home sides preferred end, when they hopped into their cars for the minor trip to the changing rooms and back to kit up. By the time they had come back out we were already lined up ready for the kickoff and just like that the mental game was already in full flow.

Straight away some good rugby was shown with runs going into lovely, created holes for both sides but defense quick on their feet shutting down the threats. The first scrum came where the opposition number 8 shouted “watch the 8 he loves a pick and go”, to be honest I have no clue how he would’ve known that considering Bok took up 8 in the last fixture and we’d never seen the gobby angry man before. Harry did in fact get the ball out and we attacked the right side of the pitch, with some lovely, placed offloads creating what could be called “champagne” rugby. Multiple phases around 10 meters out had the back line screaming for the ball to execute wide, but the persistence of the forwards ultimately resulted in Matt Radbourne dotting down just outside of the posts, quickly followed by a sleek conversion from Brad. The boys were away!!!

Aylesford clapped back quickly with some impressive running lines and made their way slowly up to the line. Some strong tryline defense however from the Ash boys kept the bulls out for many phases until a cheeky pick-and-go from the 9 resulted in their first score after very almost being held up by number 8 Fin Parfitt, their fly-half followed this up with a nice conversion.

Pressure built with a stalemate there wasn’t a whole load of panic from the boys it was early on still and there were very clear signs that despite the 7 all scoreline, the boys were still winning small one on one battles all over the field, the wingers running faster, full back kicking further, props scrummaging better, forwards hitting harder, flankers jackling more, running backs hitting more holes than their opposite numbers. Everything felt fluent and like it was working, but the game was nowhere near a giveaway.

Scrums became a strong point, with the pack taming the bulls at almost every scrum down opportunity. Lineouts were mainly solid despite the gap between the lines being tighter than Sammy Gunters hamstring that went in the second half. We’ll just ignore the one defensive lineout where Dec unfortunately got dropped and the lifters looked at attacking the ball as more important than his safety. Backs lines were working looping around to attack the holes securing the backfield with any threat coming its way and both forwards and backs alike played the short sharp and sympathetic offload game to perfection. Persistence proved to be key and even though Aylesford’s defense proved tough, the Ash boys managed to crash over for another 2 scores before the half time whistle with Bok and Brad Nash claiming 1 apiece.

2 scores up some half time changes happened. Being aware that Fly half Brad Blaxland would have to leave before the final whistle to shoot off to “work?”, the option to put Pip Hopkins in at 13 to get a feel for the game before having to move to 10 later on was made, and allowed Kieran to have a much deserved rest after a strong first half performance. Harry Hopkins also departed the field, trading in for the younger model as Lewis took over the scrum half duties.

These changes instantly changed the game with the pace of the game picking up and putting the opposition on their heals from minute one. Some brilliant spots of defensive play were very notable from the boys, holding up 3 tries in the second half hitting hard and meeting the attack in every single hit. But naturally a try for the opposition was allowed in. As well as the defensive efforts attacking rugby was at its absolute best, one try being scored off the back of a scrum on our own 22-meter line, falling to Dec Quincey who nearly ran the length before lofting a lovely pass back inside to Pip. A Sam Gunter intercept out of nowhere almost produced a second of the half but materialized to nothing in the end, and there was nearly a run in from our own line. A goal line drop out after a held-up ball was placed perfectly by Pip picked up by Guy Williamson offloaded to Brad then to Fin who cut back inside with a pop to Radbourne back inside to Little Hopkins and another to Gunter who managed to run it off the field around 20 meters short of the line. Just another example of that “champagne rugby” we go on about so much.

There was however one more score left in the game. Attacking pressure on their line resulted in a completely open left side of the field, where Bok, Fin and Joey Hales were lined up for the run in, a lovely chip over the top from the returned to play Kieran set aside the easiest finish this club may have ever seen all that needed to happen was one of them drop on it. The kick had been so perfectly placed that it flew past the front of bok and fell short of Fin out wide leaving it up to the man the myth the hinge hall of famer Joey Hales to dive over for his first ever score for the club in 4 years. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife if you tried, as everyone looked on in anxiousness when he seemed to lag out in real life just staring at the ball before attempting to pick it up and walk over but by some miracle he ,must’ve slipped securing the all-important try in the last 10 to bring the final score Aylesford 12 – 29 Ash.

So yet again it’s nice to report to you all with good news. Another win on the road means that we are unbeaten in 2026, and this game marks the third team that we’ve achieved thedouble over this season, first Cranbrook, then Tunbridge Wells and now Aylesford. Another bit of exciting news is that we are now in the Kent Vase for a home semi final after Greenwich forfeited their game last week. We will face Cliffe Crusaders at home, a game which promises to be one hell of a contest.

Another huge thank you to travelling supporters and to our sponsors for the continued support it means the world to us lads on the pitch, and we hope the winning ways make it up to you.

Next is a week off, and then back into league action where we face Ashford 2nd XV away from home on Saturday 28th February. Business end of the season and Ash RFC are full steam ahead to close off their 30th season on a high.

MOTM: Fin Parfitt (overall solid performance)

DOTD: Neil Parfitt (staying on trend with the coaches slander)

Try Scorers: Matthew Radbourne, Daniel Norman, Brad-Lee Nash, Phillip Hopkins, Joey (Hinge) Hales

Conversions: Brad Blaxland(1), Phillip Hopkins(1)