Friday night's insight from the Guinness fuelled 'View from the Balcony' had set the scene for the significance of Saturday's game. The team, and the spectators, were told that it was "time to believe", and that everyone was going to have to bind together to ensure that the promise of the recent performances would be given a chance to grow. It was time to "take responsibility"; it was time to "light that fire".
Grown and overgrown spectators talked about how the hairs on their neck had stood on end when they read the rousing 'View from the Balcony' (with no remaining hairs on their head, this had been an unusual experience for them), and it was evident that the Coaches had impressed this spirit into the Hertford team as they ripped into Sudbury from the outset.
In previous games against each other, Hertford had struggled to contain Sudbury's expansive brand of rugby – notably losing heavily at Sudbury earlier in the season, and losing at home in January 2025 to Sudbury's wide and wily game plan.
On Saturday, the Hertford defence put Sudbury on the backfoot for almost all of the game, with the indomitable Fry tearing into them from the forwards and sending them backwards on a regular basis, alongside Lamb and Gilchrist who dominated the centre channels with a defence that gave Sudbury very little of the space that they craved.

In this context and on this platform, there was an opportunity for the talent to shine, and Captain Jones provided the shining beacon for the rest of the team and the rest of the club to follow. In a season where almost all of the numbers have been unfavourable to Hertford, Jones is a statistical freak with a skillset that is equally freakish.
He came into the game on a run of 3 successive hat-tricks (Medway away, Westcliff away, Letchworth home), followed by 5 tries against Colchester last week (the internet suggests that the collective nown for 5 goals / tries is a 'glut', but quintet sounds nicer), and then another quintet against Sudbury. 19 tries are more than most of us will have scored in our careers! The humble bragging should always acknowledge that this is a culmination of a team effort (indeed the combined yardage for the 5 tries was probably 10 metres), but someone has got to be there to lead, and to dominate, and to force the ball and team over the line. A truly outstanding effort by an outstanding player.
Whilst Sudbury enjoyed some early possession playing up the hill, Fry forced a turnover after driving the ball carrier back 5 metres, which resulted in a Banna and Hudson making powerful yards, and Cook breaking clear on the left wing. With a retreating defence and a delightful delayed and deft pass by Merrett to Jones, the hooker was able to saunter over for his longest range try of the day (c5 metres) after 9 minutes. Good conversion by Kendrick to make it 7-0.
One area that Sudbury had the upper hand all game was in the lineout, where they varied their options and pulled the Hertford pod around all afternoon. Following a rather harsh holding on penalty, Sudbury kicked into the Herford 22 and after another clear lineout win at the back on 19 minutes, and immediate rumble, they mauled it over from about 20 metres to make it 7-7.
In the other set piece, Hertford were on top in the scrum and repeatedly made life difficult for the opposition pack. This is a unit that Hertford is going to have to focus on for the rest of the season. It helped create the pressure to get Hertford into Sudbury's 22. Relentless possession by Hertford was sapping Sudbury, with the voluble and vigorous Hudson making good yards and linking up with Jones' round the back passes, and Bovaird bulldozing through tackles. Hertford went through at least 12 phases just yards out from the Sudbury line, but couldn’t get over, before going out wide and getting a lineout. After a huge amount of huffing and puffing, a neat move off the lineout meant it was just one phase and Jones went over from close range. The unconverted try to make it 12-7 was the last play of the half and just rewards for Hertford's efforts.
Hertford started the second half probably trying to play too much rugby, wanting to run with the ball and play out of their half. It was hard attritional rugby, and Hertford were earning penalties from their strength in the scrum. Some great kicking by Kendrick put the Hertford lineout in with a shout, and the subsequent rolling maul gave Jones a ride to the try line to make it 19-7.
Hertford pressure was forcing the visitors to transgress an with two quick yellow cards Sudbury have struggled.
This was the moment when Hertford should have taken the game away from Sudbury, but loose lineouts by Hertford that were disrupted by Sudbury, and some penalties for highish tackles giving the Sudbury lineout the opportunity to attack, resulted in a break by their winger and a good inside pass for Sudbury to go under the posts. 19-14.
It felt like an anomaly, but Sudbury were having their best spell and continued to make life difficult for Herford. Pressure on the Hertford backline resulted in a rushed clearance kick that was charged down and then regathered for another Sudbury try under the posts. 19-21. Was this inexperience giving the false security that you can relax in these circumstances? If so, it's a valuable lesson learnt.
Hertford were losing for the first time in the game, and after 10 minutes of pressure had conceded 14 unanswered points. This was the time for them to believe; this was the time for them to light that fire. Hertford did not go into themselves - they went for it. With some go forward ball, Lamb broke through the centre from Hertford's 10 metre line, determinably stayed on his feet as the defenders flew themselves at him, and then released the supporting Cook who streamed into the Sudbury 22, only to be hauled down about a metre short. The support was there, and with an overlap of 5 people Jones went straight and under the posts. Hertford were back on top. 26-21.
Tails up and with the aura of ascendency, Hertford surged back into the Sudbury half, helped by some no-look Kendrick passing, good dynamism by Fayaz, unexpected heading skills from Banna, as Jones went over for another close range converted try. 33-21.
With a few minutes left, Sudbury plugged away for their bonus point try and Hertford could have played the territory better with some effective kicking, but they held out for a well deserved win.
The performance begged the question of how this team had only won 2 previous games this season, and only one of those at home (a 27-20 win way back in September against Westcliff). The team is well aware that some of the performances to date have not been good enough, but they also know they are good enough to carry on winning – and they need to keep winning.
The first Ole of the season for the Hoe Laners, with the 2s doing the double over Welwyn in their Counties 1 league game (24-38), and a very youthful Termites side beating Mill Hill in the cup.
Team: Bloomer, Jones (c), Bovaird, Kay, Hudson, Banna, Fry, Karangaroa; Merret, Little, Cook, Lamb, Gilchrist, Sutherland, Kendrick
Subs: Fayaz, Galvin, Neave
Tries: Jones 5
Conversions: Kendrick 4
Man of the match: Steff 'Glut' Jones
Match day Sponsors: Longmores Solicitors
Match ball Sponsor Leading Environmental Solutions.