Canterbury rugby chief Andy Pratt will have taken quiet satisfaction from this first of three pre-season friendly games.

With both sides fielding big mix and match squads it was performance rather that result that interested the coaches and the city club, when they had their strongest contenders on the pitch, did not disappoint.

In a game split into three, 30 minute sessions they started in blistering fashion and shook their National Division One rivals with two converted tries.

A pack still short of several leading lights was in control with solid work by the  props, newcomer Aaron Cooper and the powerful Sam Kenny, and a competitive back row giving Esher plenty to think about.

It led to tries by full back Aiden Moss, sweeping through a gap out wide, and a text book catch and drive score from Sam Rogers.  A couple of conversions by Ollie Best pushed Canterbury fourteen points ahead, but the second session belonged to the visitors, Handling errors allowed Esher to dominate possession and the introduction of a former Harlequins Academy scrum half had a rejuvenating effect.

He was instrumental in creating three of Esher’s four tries.  Then a typical Martyn Beaumont dummy and finish, converted by Nil Baro Mestres, saw the last session start with only one point between the sides.

A yellow card for Matt Barnes  early in the proceedings was punished by the customary score and late in the game what was now a largely experimental Canterbury line-up made errors which gave away two easy tries.

But is was the god times time earlier on which, on this evidence, will give Canterbury an optimistic view of their league prospects in the new season.