Cornwall U18s 21-12 Devon U18s

Cornwall U18’s took on county rivals Devon U18’s on a squally, blustery and very damp day at Callywith College, Bodmin, reports James Mills

The game started brightly with Cornwall hitting the ball up through double digit phases but being met with an equally competent Devon defence which was only ever going to end in 1 of 2 ways either with Devon conceding a break down penalty or the Cornwall lads knocking on. As it was Eddie Pearce (Cornwall) from full back running an excellent line but receiving an unsympathetic pass in challenging conditions failed to keep hold of the ball resulting in the first of 29 scrums in the match! It was clear from the off that on balance Cornwall had the edge in the scrum winning the first 2 Devon scrums and taking in all 3 against the head. Cornwall didn’t have it all their own way but only once did we get shoved backwards and we conceded 2 scrum penalties one in each half. Devon looked much more settled in the second half at the set piece but on balance the Cornish front row boys had a good day in the office.

With a strong westerly breeze, lineouts were always going to be difficult for the hookers and both sides suffered inconsistency and struggled to win clean ball. It was off such a line out 11mins into the game, on the Devon 22m line when a messy ball was gathered up at the back of the lineout by flanker Jack Mills (Cornwall) who span out of the first tackle, broke the next tackle and powered to the Devon line with a further 2 tacklers valiantly attempting to bring him down which they nearly achieved. Millsy wrestled the ball down for the first score of the match which Kristian Davis converted.

It was Jack Mills again creating the space for the Cornish second score by drawing 2 Devon defenders handing them off and then offloading to Saltash club team mate centre Freddie Davies running an excellent line in the newly created space to register the Cornish second score with fly-half Kristian Davis taking the additional points.  

The first half finished 14-0 to the boys in black and gold.

The second half with the wind now abating but at the backs of the Cornish lads proved to be a much tighter affair, with Devon replenishing their ranks with plenty of fresh legs and as a result the Devon intensity noticeably increased as the some of the Cornish lads started to slow up. That said it was again another Saltash player Kristian Davis who opened the scoring with a great individual skill in broken open field play, spotting that the Devon defence was not organised and there was a mismatch on. Kristian pinned his ears back and accelerated into the space from 30m out and breaking the line with only the Devon fullback Brandon Bonser to beat which he did with a nice side step to leave Bonser on the deck with Davis dotting down under the posts. Davis converted his own try 21-0

Devon were far from done and very much wrestled control of the game back from Cornwall and replied through 2 scores of their own, each time through breaking a tackle or a missed tackle from Cornwall. However they only converted 1 of their scores with fullback Brandon Bonser failing to convert a challenging kick in the swirling wind and rain 15m off the right touchline. 21-12

These scores seemed to galvanise Cornwall once more and for the remaining 10mins Cornwall camped in the opposition half. Kit May the Cornish 13 with another trade mark cross field kick found winger Callum Preece who athletically jumped and took the ball on the full in the far right channel, darting in field with a 30m sprint with flanker Mills in close support. Preece looked good for the score but the Devon scramble defence was excellent and he was hauled down 1m short of the line and he was unable to get the offload to Mills away. Millsy was on station to duly secure the ball with Freddie Davies picking off the base to go over only to be held up over the line. This was the last real opportunity for either side to register points with Cornwall seeing out the match in Devon’s half to take a well deserved win.

Many thanks goes to CRRS for supplying the match official team who did an excellent job.

Starting XV                                                          Finishes

1. Finn Richards                                     16. Cameron Harvey
2. Tyler Dower                                       17. Callum Grohmann
3. Declan Prowse                                  18. Ethan Reed
4. Jack Hoskin                                         19. Dillon Newton
5. Tom Hughes                                       20. Lewis Wills
6. Cameron Richards                           22. Matt Trehair
7. Jack Mills                                            
8. Eli Williams (C)
9. Huey Campbell
10. Kristian Davis
11. George Hutchinson
12. Freddie Davies
13. Kit May
14. Callum Preece
15. Eddie Pearce

Press Officer Bill Hooper was at the Redruth v Dings Crusaders game were he re-presented the TASC U.20 Shield to the 2019 winner Jack Hodge.

He also presented the Redruth players from the 2019 Bill Beaumont side with some TASC cuff-links as a thank you from the Army.

Players from other clubs will receive theirs in due course.

TRELAWNY’S ARMY ANNOUNCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Trelawny’s Army members have voted Cornwall Tony Whittle as their 2019 Cornwall Player of the Year.

Whittle has been a standout player for Cornwall during coach Graham Dawe’s tenure as county coach. Comfortable in either the back row or at lock Whittle’s work rate is second to none, this was evident throughout the 2019 Bill Beaumont Cup campaign which saw Cornwall win a dramatic final against Cheshire at Twickenham in June.

Whittle, has been playing for the Camborne club in recent seasons but during the summer he has returned to his former club Falmouth, will be presented with the Bill Osborne Memorial Shield at the club’s A.G.M. at St. Austell Brewery on Wednesday 25^th September.

The award for the Cornwall Under 20 Player of the Year went to Redruth’s Jack Hodge, the young prop has made a name for himself with the National League 2 side last season and led Cornwall Under 20s when skipper Torin Clarke was unavailable.

A fine scrummager and good ball-carrier Hodge looks set for a bright future in the game. Hodge will receive the Tony Mead Memorial Shield the same evening.

A new award this year is the Jess Humber Shield for the Cornwall Woman Player of the Year. We are delighted that Jess will be with us to make the inaugural presentation to the winner Lauren Chenoweth of Penryn Ladies RFC.

Lauren, a strong running centre,  put in very powerful performances in Cornwall’s Gill Burns Cup games against both Dorset & Wilts and Somerset in the spring.

The club will also be biding a fond farewell to our President John Treglown. John has been in post for the last 19 years and has helped foster our links with St. Austell Brewery. We are delighted that Sean Jarvis, also from the Brewery has kindly agreed to become our new President.

TASC were also delighted that Dave Saunter, the new Chairman of the Cornwall RFU was in attendance along with the Bill Beaumont Cup which was given pride of place on the top table.   

Cornishmen and women around the World will be cheering Sam Matavesi on Saturday when Fiji start their World Cup campaign against two-time champions Australia in Sapporo.

There is disappointment for Sam’s brother Josh who has not made the side for this match, but no doubt we shall see Josh in subsequent games.

Well done Sam, we shall sink a pint or two and down a pasty in your honour m ‘ansum.

We are saddened to learn that former county President Mike Trott has passed away at the age of 90.

Mike, a stalwart at both county and also Camborne RFC where he was club President for many years, was county President for one season, but what a season 1990-91 when Cornwall won the County Championship for the first time since 1908.

Everyone at Trelawny’s Army will wish to express their sincerest condolences to all family and friends.

Mike’s funeral will take place on Thursday 26th September, at 11 am, at Camborne Parish Church.

Thank you to Martin Symons from Camborne RFC for the following tribute;

Camborne Rugby Club mourns the passing of stalwart Mike Trott.

Camborne Rugby Club is mourning the passing of stalwart Mike Trott at the age of 90 following an association with the Cherry & Whites spanning some 60 years.

Having first joined the committee in 1959 he became the Cherry & Whites Chairman in 1964 an office which he held with distinction until 1970.

At that point he took over as the Club’s President and remained in post for a remarkable 21 years during which time Camborne became the dominant force in Cornish Rugby until he finally stepped down in 1991.

Since then he has remained an enthusiastic supporter of ‘Town’ attending 1^st XV matches home and away as well as taking an active interest in all aspects of the various sections of his beloved Club.

In 1982 he became one of a select few to be awarded life membership of Camborne Rugby Club for his long service and dedication.

Mike became Cornwall RFU President for the 1990-91 season which culminated in the Senior XV memorably being crowned as County champions at Twickenham for the first time since 1908.

The funeral service will take place at 11.00am on Thursday 26^th September at Camborne Parish Church to be followed by a wake at Camborne RFC’s clubhouse at Crane Park.

Bill Hussey current President of Camborne RFC commented ‘Mike was a very generous, genuine and modest man with a well developed dry sense of humour. He was a man who served his club, his town and his county with great dedication and distinction. A man who many were proud to call, a true friend. Life is about creating memories and Mike Trott left us with many great ones.’’

London Cornish RFC is pleased to confirm the following signatures ahead of the 2019-20 season:

Tony Pellow – Hooker/Prop – Te Awamutu RFC (ex Penryn)

Morgan Jones – Back Row – Penarth RFC

Sam Matanle – Back Row – London Scottish RFC

Cameron Crozier – Back Row – Glasgow Hawks RFC

Kyle Coulter – Lock – Sutton & Epsom RFC

Freddie Jackson – Prop – Hampstead RFC

Niko Mirosevic-Sorgo – Back Row – Old Priorians RFC

Jamie Robert-Tissot- Prop – Exeter Uni RFC

Ed Carne – Centre – Dorking RFC (ex Redruth)

Jack Willey – Wing – Penryn RFC

Andy Munro-Lott – Scrum Half – Falmouth RFC

Tom Whelan – Fly Half – Exmouth RFC

Pete Wood – Wing – Dorking RFC

Moe Alothman – Centre – Eton Manor RFC

Eji Erhirhie – Wing – Surrey Uni RFC

Ben Lines – Centre – Effingham & Leatherhead RFC

Ben Nichols – Fly Half – Rosslyn Park RFC

Lawrence Elliott – Full Back – Chobham RFC

Julian Osborne – Fly Half/Full Back – Tynedale RFC

Royce Tooth – Wing – Cardiff Uni RFC

The following players are no longer with the club

Harry Somers – Lock – Pirates Amateurs RFC

Ian Dowie – Back Row – Manchester RFC

George Shirlaw – Back Row – Hong Kong (6 month posting)

Guy Sullivan – Prop – Met Police

To be clear, no player at LCRFC is paid to play, and nor do they receive any expenses or accommodation. In addition to these numbers, we expect to be able to confirm a further 5-10 further signings in the next few weeks, as we seek to build a squad capable both of sustaining a top half placing in London 1 South, and of challenging for honours at the 2^nd team level too. Describing the summer as ‘the busiest from a player recruitment perspective in my time at the club’, Director of Rugby Dickon Moon adds ‘We have spent a couple of seasons assessing what we need to be successful at Level 6, and this recruitment campaign reflects the start of our efforts to be competing higher up the league than the 8^th place we have achieved in our 2 seasons here to date’.

Trelawny’s Army was saddened to learn that former County player Vernon Parkin had passed away whilst visiting his son in the States.

Parkin was a hard-running and feisty centre who broke through into the county side in the 68-69 season. The Penryn centre featured in all the county championship games including the final against Lancashire held at Redruth in front of some 23,000 spectators.

In all Parkin played for Cornwall on 20 occasions including the famous draw in France against a French Selection and the subsequent return game in Redruth against France B.

He went on to play at Bristol and Northampton.

The Army sends it’s condolences to all Vernon’s family and friends.

The 2020 Tamar Cup between Cornwall (holders) & Devon will be played at St. Austell RFC on the evening of Tuesday 21st April. Kick-off time will be confirmed nearer the date.