'County clubs are helping us shine'

KENT RUGBY BOSS HIGHLIGHTS THEIR SUCCESS IN FINALS

- By MICHAEL REEVES

COUNTY director of rugby Taff Gwilliam believes that the success of Kent teams in National One and Two is helping them shine on the pitch.

The back-to-back champions are returning to Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, later this month looking to make it three in a row in a repeat of last year's final against Yorkshire.

And Gwilliam, who is also director of rugby at Canterbury, feels that despite having the likes of National One outfit Blackheath, National Two East champions Tonbridge Juddians as well as Sevenoaks, Westcombe Park and his own club in the same division, other regionals may be overlooking his county side.

"It would be incredible [to make it three in a row]," Gwilliam said. "We are not a so-called traditional rugby hotbed, but I think people underestimate this geographical area and our clubs are doing well at level three and level four, as a consequence the county is doing well in the county championship.

"They [TJs] have joined Blackheath in Nat One, ourselves [Canterbury] and Westcombe Park finished fourth and fifth and Sevenoaks are at level four as well, so there is a healthy group of clubs that are doing well and we have drawn players from all of those clubs."