All four of our National League clubs have now had a run out during pre-season. Last week-end Mount’s Bay defeated Welsh Premiership side Pontypridd 9-8 at the Mennaye in a fiesty encounter.
Launceston got the ball rolling this week-end as they entertained South West 1 side Exmouth at Polson. As expected the National League 2 side defeated their Devon opponents 50-5 with tries from Ben Turner, Marc Dibble (2), Mike Rawlings, Sam Hocking (2), Glenn Cooper and Ben Collings with Adam Staniforth and Jon Fabian kicking five conversions betwen them. Despite the difficult playing conditions coaches Chris Brown and Jon Hill were pleased with their charges efforts, especially their new signings who have settled in well.
Down at Camborne the Cornish Pirates took on Redruth infront of a very respectable crowd of 2,498. The Cornish Pirates scored six tries as they ran out winners by 34-8, during the first half they managed four un-converted tries scored by winger Aisea Havili, the former Worcester ace running in two scores, new No 8 Frenchman Bertrand Bedes, who looks set to be a crowd favourite at Camborne, and from Sam Betty. The Reds managed to score a penalty through fly-half Mark Scrivener. In the second half Redruth scored a fine try through skipper on the day prop Darren Jacques before the Pirates who threw on a whole raft of replacements pulled away with two more converted tries scored by winger Rhodri McAtee and flanker Chris Morgan both converted by Olly Thomas.
Interesting to note that both sides were captained by former Penryn players Addy Winnan (Cornish Pirates) and Darren Jacques (Redruth). Both sides will look to build ahead of their opening National League campaigns next week-end, the Cornish Pirates take on Italian Top 10 side Almaviva Capitolina from Rome at Camborne, kick-off 5pm, whilst Redruth travel to Bath to play Bath United at the Bath Rec following Bath’s match with Llanelli Scarlets.
Also on Saturday Falmouth entertained Cardiff RFC at the Falmouth Rec with the Welsh Premiership side running out easy winners by 80-8.
This Saturday also sees the Arthur Hunt Cup match up at Bude, when London Cornish head “home” for a pre-season friendly up on the North Coast.
