Barking rugby's third team on the attack in Rhodes

Highly-successful season capped off with trip to Rhodes.

Rodos Colossi 26 Barking 12

Barking third team’s reward for their great campaign was an end-of-season tour to the Greek island of Rhodes.

The thirds had won the BL Essex Merit League Division Two, before missing out on the double after a League Cup final defeat to Westcliff.

Rhodes is home to former club president Martin Dutt, and the Barking players made the trip to face a representative team, with players from the two teams on the island, the Rodos Colossi and Rodos Knights.

They were the first English club team to visit the island, although the Colossi have a great tradition of games against visiting ships from the Royal Navy.

Playing in the Karakonero Athletics Stadium, built five years ago when Rhodes hosted the Island Games, both teams were presented to Rania Kossiori, the Honorary British Vice-Consul for Rhodes before the game and it was the hosts who struck the first blow with a try after 10 minutes.

Barking responded with one of their own from Jack Quirke, which was converted by Connor Baker to give them a two-point lead, but Rhodes grabbed another try before half time for a 12-7 interval lead.

As the heat began to tell on the visitors, a spell of two converted tries in rapid succession for the home team saw them stretch away and although Quirke grabbed a consolation try for the tourists, Rodos Colossi came out on top 26-12.