
? MATCH PREVIEW
Charlton Park v Dover Sharks
Saturday 21 March 2026 — KO 15:00
Referee: Gavin Nichols
Venue: 60A Broad Walk, Kidbrooke, London SE3 8NB
Weather: Sunny Intervals
Admission: Free
Parking: Free
Bar: Open from 12 noon
Food: Available
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Back to Business at Broad Walk
Charlton Park return to league action after an enforced week off, ready to welcome the players, officials, and travelling supporters of Dover Sharks RFC. With the season entering its decisive stretch and just four points separating the bottom three, every fixture now carries real weight. Five games remain. Points are needed. Wins are needed. Bonus points are needed. The mission is clear.
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Recent Form & The Story So Far
Charlton Park’s last two scheduled fixtures tell a tale of frustration. A disappointing performance against Ashford was followed by the enforced concession of the match against Deal & Betteshanger due to injuries and unavailability in key positions.
Dover, meanwhile, fell to a 7–25 home defeat to Crowborough last time out, but their season as a whole has been impressive. They sit comfortably in mid‑table on 55 points, having beaten Charlton Park 24–5 earlier in the campaign.
League Records
Team P W D L Points
Charlton Park 17 3 1 13 17
Dover 17 10 0 7 55
The challenge is significant — but far from insurmountable.
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Our Opponents: Dover Sharks RFC
Rugby in Dover has deep roots. The first recorded matches date back to 1873, when local scratch sides took on Dover College under a patchwork of “private rules.” After a lull, the sport revived in the late 1890s, with fixtures against military teams and Kent clubs.
The modern club traces its foundation to 1925, when Dover College bursar T. Guthrie Morgan rallied enough local enthusiasm to form a new side. Their first full season in 1926–27 featured 19 fixtures — including Tonbridge, Thanet, Worcester College (Oxford), and even Club Athlétique, Paris.
A move to The Danes in 1929, the addition of a second XV, and steady growth followed until the outbreak of the Second World War. From these beginnings, Dover RFC has evolved into the proud, community‑rooted club we know today — nearly 150 years of rugby heritage behind them.
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Tucker’s Take
Selection is nearly settled — mainly the bench — but the spine of the team is locked in and looking strong. A few key players return this week, adding balance, experience, and a bit more punch across the park.
The focus in training has been simple and relentless:
• Keep the ball
• Support the carrier
• Win the breakdown
Too often, promising moments have slipped away through lost possession or slow support. The work-ons have been clear, and the lads have responded.
“If we stick to our structures, look after the pill, and back each other in contact, we’ll give ourselves the platform to play the rugby we know we can. The intent is there — now it’s about execution.”
This match also marks Shae Tucker’s final appearance before he heads back to the Antipodes to take up a new role in Sydney. A popular figure on and off the field, Shae has given everything in Charlton Park colours. Let’s make this a day he won’t forget.
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Your Support Matters
This is a big game — for the table, for momentum, and for belief. The lads need every voice, every clap, every shout of encouragement. With the sun forecast to break through and the bar open from midday, Broad Walk is the place to be.
Bring your colours. Bring your noise. Bring your Park spirit.
Let’s make it count.