ANYONE FOR a feel-good story? Amid the doom and gloom of arguably the worst English rugby season ever, with Wasps and Worcester going to the wall, there is a glimmer of hope located 85 miles south of the mainland.
Jersey Reds made history at the end of April with the first Championship title in the club’s history. A 43-15 victory at home to Ampthill on the final day of the season sparked the celebrations.
The hammer blow came a week earlier, though, when Jersey held off the might of reigning champions Ealing Trailfinders to win 19-13 at Stade Santander International in a decisive clash between the league’s top teams.
And it’s not just the Jersey fans who can revel in the uplifting tale of the unfancied Reds, who had never finished higher than fourth, climbing to the top. Everyone can get behind an underdog.
Nine years ago, in his first season as director of rugby, Harvey Biljon kept Jersey in the division with a last-day win over Bedford. The South African, himself a former Wasps
