Pace is one of rugby’s most potent weapons and in this last of the city club’s pre-season games Southend were overwhelmed by it.

Eleven of Canterbury’s twelve tries were scored by a back division that, given the right possession, is likely to pose problems for any side.

The Essex club, relegated from National Division 2 and with a much revamped squad, can count themselves unlucky to be the first team to catch the blast.

As a rehearsal for tougher days ahead it was perhaps not ideal as the home side set the tone by conceding a try in the first minute and by half time were 42 points adrift.

It took twenty minutes for Canterbury to really hit their stride but when they did they opened up gaps almost at will and their speed did the rest.

While Head of Rugby Andy Pratt will have been impressed by that and a high turnover count other issues remained clouded in a one-sided contest.

The defence was solid in the face of some strong Southend ball carrying, Tom Rogers marksmanship at the lineouts was almost faultless and the form of new boys JJ Murray and Kieran Thompson, both of whom scored their first tries for the club, was another bonus.

The set scrums, however, left some unanswered questions as Southend disrupted a couple before their lack of replacement front row players forced that area to go uncontested for more than half the game.

Among the many positives were the first appearances of lock Royce Cadman and new flanker Hugh McCormick-Huston, both recovered from injury, and the accurate goal kicking of Ollie Best who converted ten of the tries.

Scrum half Dan Smart was the biggest beneficiary of a growing scorers list, with four touchdowns, and the rest went to Murray (2), Aiden Moss (2), Thompson, Cameron Townley, Ollie Best and Tom Best.

Saturday’s absentees, Number Eight George Micans and fly half Martyn Beaumont, are both available for the opening league game at Cinderford next weekend so competition for places should be pleasingly fierce.

Canterbury: A.Moss (repl G.Hilton), K.Thompson, W.Farris (repl T.Best), JJ Murray (repl J.Jones), H.Sayers, O.Best, D.Smart, J.Green (repl C.Townley), T.Rogers, S.Kenny (repl A.Cooper), R.Cadman,T.Burns (repl E.Cohen), S.Rogers, H.McCormick-Huston (repl F.Edwards), M.Cantwell