Player-coach Martyn Beaumont on Dover Rugby Club being named 'joint-champions' of Kent 2 with Canterbury 2nds

Dover Rugby Club are happy to move on after their title battle with Canterbury 2nds became clouded in unusual circumstances - although they still consider themselves outright champions!

The Sharks thought they had pipped Canterbury Pilgrims on playing points difference.

Celebrations followed last month’s victorious final match of the season for the Sharks but the league later, instead, initially confirmed Canterbury as the Kent 2 champions on playing points difference due to RFU regulation 13.6.11.

Dover appealed that decision and it has been decided both clubs - promoted to Kent 1 - will be “joint-champions” this term, as the Sharks confirmed in a statement on Tuesday.

“We still feel we won the league - regardless of those regulations,” said player-coach Martyn Beaumont.

“We were disappointed with the way Canterbury went about it.

“Bearing in mind we have a good relationship with them, there was no contact from them and the RFU. We found out third-hand.

“We could have fought it more if we wanted to, but we would rather just move on.”

Canterbury were due to play their last match this season against Old Dunstonians but their opponents were unable to raise a team, so they were awarded five league points for a walkover victory.

It was the third occasion Canterbury had been awarded walkover wins - twice against Dunstonians and once against Southwark Lancers.

It meant they finished the season with 92 league points, which left Dover, who started their match against Sidcup on 87 points, needing a bonus-point victory to secure the title through a superior playing points difference of 469 to Canterbury’s 416 - or so they thought.

Subsequently, however, Canterbury officials alerted the league, under their rules, the playing points