LONDON CORNISH 36-0 WEYBRIDGE VANDALS    

By Ben Gilby, Press Officer LCRFC       

The Exiles opened their London Two South-West league season with a comfortable win over Weybridge Vandals at The REMPF.

On a mild afternoon with an occasional stiff breeze, it was Cornish who started the strongest, earning a penalty within the opening forty seconds of the game. Luke Spells kick was good, and The Exiles had their first points of 2014/15. Vandals hit back and earned a penalty, and James Parker got excellent distance on his kick to find touch just five metres out, but Cornish’s defence drove hard and forced a penalty to clear their lines.

It became obvious early on that the Black & Golds’ pack had the advantage, and with seven minutes gone, a giant rolling maul made over twenty metres, with Ciaran Acford grounding the ball. Spells’ conversion was good and it was 10-0. Just three minutes later, Cornish launched a dazzling attack; Tim Homan found Craig Chatley on the left. His ball inside found Mark Osei-Tutu who reached for the line, but Vandals’ scrum-half Dave Parker stole the ball to clear.

Weybridge earned a period of possession, but a combination of handling errors and choosing the wrong option prevented them from getting on the scoreboard. Cornish came into it once more as the game neared the twenty minute mark as Spells made a break, and offloaded to Bond, who in turn found Harry Somers. Vandals were penalised, but Spells kick at goal missed. Another chance was lost shortly afterwards when Heymann found Hakes. The ball then came to Joe Skinnard, but the move ended when the ball was knocked on.

The final ten minutes of the half was generally error-strewn with typical opening day handling errors. Cornish had one further chance before the half-time break when Nigel Johnston’s injection of pace carved through the Vandals defence. Homan and Bond combined, but the ball ended in touch. At half-time, the score was 10-0 to Cornish.

Pic Ben Gilby Mark Osei-Tutu makes a break

 The second half was just two minutes old when The Exiles increased their lead. Mark Osei-Tutu picked up the ball from the back of the scrum and made fifteen metres on a storming run. From the resulting ruck, Weybridge turned over the ball, but another Vandals error saw them lose possession immediately to Matt Hakes, who sprinted down the left hand side to ground the ball. Spells’ conversion attempt missed.

The following period of the match was punctuated by constant penalising of both teams, but it was now becoming abundantly clear that Cornish had more in the tank, and with 57 minutes played, Matt Hakes intercepted a Vandals pass and cut in from the left to dot the ball down under the posts. Luke Spells’ conversion extended the home side’s lead to 22-0. The Exiles now had the bit between their teeth and were threatening constantly. A great move at pace between Johnston and Heymann, saw the ball fed to Dave Theobald, but play was stopped due to an injury to Weybridge’s Craig Decoteau.

Cornish kept going, and it was only a matter of time before the bonus point try arrived. Just three minutes later, Joe Skinnard fed Luke Spells, who put in Matt Hakes who secured his third try of the afternoon. Luke Spells landed a superb conversion from wide out on the left hand touchline for 29-0. The Black and Golds scented blood, and from the re-start, mounted another attack with Robin Heymann tackled into touch just two metres from the try line. From the resulting line-out, the ball was gathered and a huge rolling maul sent Cornish forward at a rapid rate of knots, the move ended with Mark Osei-Tutu grounding the ball for the home side’s fifth try of the afternoon. Spells’ conversion was successful.

The last ten minutes saw the game going to uncontested scrums with Weybridge not able to produce another front rower. This nullified Cornish’s dominance and there was no further scoring.

BILL HOOPER’S CORNISH ROUND UP

Here we go again, the season is up and running as most clubs return to the their league programs, with the Cornwall 1 & 2 clubs battling it out for places in the RFU Junior Vase competition proper.

I took in the games at Camborne and the Cornish Pirates this weekend, plenty of talking points from both games, more of that later.

Top of the bill has to be Redruth’s great start to their National League 2 South campaign with a good win 36 – 31 and five league points at Southend, never an easy place to get a result.

Despite leading 15-6 at half-time and then 22-9 early in the second half, the Reds found themselves behind 28-22 with just 10 minutes to go.

Tries from Rhodri McAtee and Tom Simmons both converted by Ashley Hosking swung the game back finally in the Reds’ favour.

You can read Ed Bawden’s match report from Sunday’s Western Morning News in the link.

The Cornish All Blacks could only salvage a losing bonus point at Polson Bridge losing 18-19 against a Bishop’s Stortford side that many pundits are tipping to be there or thereabouts come April in the promotion stakes.

Trailing 15-6 at the break the All Blacks stormed back during the second half but the visitors managed to score a third try to put the game safe.

Pale Nonu scored a try on his return to Polson as did debutant Matt Shepherd.

Match report by Suzanne Cleve from Sunday’s Western Morning News in the link.

All roads will lead to the Recreation Ground next Saturday when Redruth take on the Cornish All Blacks in the first of this season’s Cornish Derbies.

On Sunday at the Mennaye the Cornish Pirates got their season off to a disappointing start going down to Yorkshire Carnegie by 29-18.

Head coach Ian Davies was disappointed with the result and more than a little perplexed that his side were penalised so often by the referee especially at scrum time. In a game of some 41 penalties it was surprising that no yellow cards were shown!

He also felt that a missed penalty by Kieran Hallett just before half-time coupled with Yorkshire Carnegie scoring an early second half try through flanker Chris Jones effectively took the game away from the Pirates.

Former International Jones had a big game for the Yorkshire side showing his class throughout.

On the plus side the Pirates showed plenty of endeavour and worked hard playing to the end to score a couple of tries through their Canadian Internationals Matt Evans and Aaron Carpenter, also a lot of the boys were playing their first Championship game having made some big steps up from lower levels, it is inevitable that it will be a learning curve for many as the season progresses. Flanker Alex Cheesman again showed his undoubted class in the Pirate’s back row, though they did miss club skipper Chris Morgan out following his injury against the Reds.

For a full report you can read Bill Sobey’s from today’s Western Morning News in the link.

In the regional leagues; Tribute South West 1 West, there were winning starts for both Cornish clubs. Camborne needed a last gasp penalty-try to defeat North Petherton 40-34, in a roller-coaster of game that Camborne at one stage looked set to run away with.

You can read my report from the West Briton site in the link.

Post match reaction from Head Coach Liam Chapple will be in this Thursday’s West Briton.

St. Austell defeated Bridgwater & Albion 25-17 at Tregorrick Park. Saints pulled away in the final ten minutes to secure the win thanks to a Jack Grigg try. Other tries came from Paul Winterbottom and Sam Tank with Andy Ashwin kicking the points.

In Tribute Western Counties West Truro got the better of Kingsbridge 29-21 at St Clements. Truro scored tries through Ieuan Boon, Jake Champion, Will Booth and Ollie Dell with Champion adding three conversions and a penalty.

Penryn also had an opening day win against Sidmouth 25-10.

Wadebridge Camels had an opening day loss to the much-fancied Exeter University side 23-21. It was a last gasp drop-goal that gave the students the spoils at the Molesworth Field.

Camels fought back with tries from Dom Hawkey and Ben Miskey with their other points coming from the boot of Sam Fox and Dan Thomas but were pipped at the death.

St. Ives lost at home to Devonport Services 27-17.

In the Tribute Cornwall & Devon League; there were good wins for Bude 49-36 at South Molton and Pirates Amateurs 50-0 at the Mennaye against Exeter Saracens. Saltash lost at Moorlands 27-24 to Crediton, Bodmin, their first game at this level, 26-15 to Withycombe, Falmouth at Paignton 34-5 and Liskeard-Looe at Lux Park to Honiton 8-37. Hayle’s game against OPM’s was postponed due to a wedding.

Good report from the North Devon Journal on Bude’s win in the link

In the quarter-finals of the qualifying competition for the RFU Junior Vase, Veor beat Lanner 19-8, St.Agnes defeated Lankelly-Fowey 68-12, Roseland beat Camelford 31-0 and Illogan Park won at St. Just 69-7.

By Ben Gilby Press Officer London Cornish RFC

After the finishing the previous season on the crest of a wave, London Cornish are aiming to build on this with more success in 2014/15. First team head coach Tom Sincock has been speaking to club press officer Ben Gilby about his views ahead of the new league season in London Two South-West.

Sincock, the former Redruth and Cornwall county player, has no doubts whatsoever as to the reasons behind last season’s success story which saw the club win ten of their last twelve matches, securing ten bonus points in the process to finish in their highest ever league position of third: “After the relegation battle we faced in the previous season there was a lot of soul searching amongst the players. I think that drove a lot of individuals to improve their overall commitment to the club.  This was key for us to improve our game and ensure continuity in selection. The boys will tell you we worked very hard at our fitness during pre-season and in season and this really paid off later in the campaign. Finally, thanks to a great recruitment drive by the coaches and players, we added some very talented individuals to our squad, the likes of Harry Somers, Ben Devonport, Cieran Acford, Andy Eustace, Luke Bridges, Jamie Macdonald, Rob Healey, Phil Dale, Craig Chatley, Joe Skinnard and Rich Skinnard all added a huge amount to our game.”

TONY SINCOCK – PHOTO BY BEN GILBY

As Sincock alludes to, the travails of 2012/13, when Cornish needed to secure four try bonus point wins in their last two games to avoid relegation, changed so many elements of the club:  “We have gone from having two coaches to five, with a dedicated 2nd team coach. We are training twice a week as opposed to once which has had an immediate impact. There has been a massive change in player personnel, which could always cause problems, but luckily the boys have gelled well as a team on and off the pitch. Yes there are things that need to be changed, such as training on a full sized pitch but these are things that can be dealt with in time and not rushed as our location is key to us attracting players to the club.” Another aim for the club this season will be to have more players available more often; “We need our 1st team squad of 25 to 30 players available for every game. That is it really, we have the players to do very well in this league, we just need them on the pitch every Saturday to do the job.”

A strong period of pre-season training is always vital to ensure any team hits the ground running. “It went really well this year with excellent numbers,” Sincock states. “I think the spectators will enjoy a very fast game of rugby this season. Coach Marc Sweeney has just completed an elite athletics course, funded by the club, and has started to introduce some very cutting edge techniques. There were noises coming from the players I have never heard before during the last session!” I next asked Tom about player movement during the close season.  “There have been a few new players join and I’m actively looking at a couple of new players but will only invite those players who are going to be fully committed to club and whose character and personality fits. We have a young team and we’re still developing. If we can keep this squad together for another 3 or 4 seasons who knows where could be.”

This aura of positivity which seems to be surrounding the club is reflected in Sincock’s clear aims for the coming season: “I want us to improve on last season’s final position (third), and for the team to play a style of rugby that the players and spectators will enjoy. As for who I expect to be challenging at the top of the table this time round, the league is always very open. I think our old friends Tottonians and maybe the new boys Farnham will be up there. I’d like to think we will challenge too, but we shall see.”

Finally, I asked Tom what he believes makes London Cornish such a great club to be connected with -“Being an amateur club the players play for the love of the game, the shirt and for each other – things that are very rare in today’s game

Following last weekend’s 1st Round ties  the Quarter-Final draw is as follows;

ST. AUSTELL VS. WADEBRIDGE CAMELS

BUDE VS. PENRYN

BODMIN VS. CAMBORNE

TRURO VS. PIRATES AMATEURS

Ties to be played on or before 8th November 2014.

Camborne rounded off their pre-season games going down by just a solitary point to a very useful Cornish Pirates side 21-20 at the Rec on Wednesday evening.

With a little more luck the Cherry and Whites could have caused a major upset as they led 20- 7 as the game went into it’s closing stages. Two pushover tries from canny player-coach and replacement scrum-half Gavin Cattle diving in for the vital touches, plus a couple of good conversions from fly-half Bertie Hopkin saved the Championship side’s blushes.

Having gone behind to a try scored and converted by Hopkin, Camborne stormed back with converted tries scored by scrum-half Taron Peacock following a good mid-field break from winger Ben Drew, and flanker Neil Stanlieck as Camborne capitalised on an error from Cornish Pirates’ replacement full back Sam Marland, fly-half Dave Mankee added both conversions as well as a couple of penalties for a shock 20-7 lead until the Pirates’ late show.

Head coach Liam Chapple was very happy with his team performance. He said. “I am delighted with the effort and commitment from the Camborne lads tonight. The boys all piled into the ground having done a day’s work and went toe to toe with them for at least 70 minutes. The massive plus for me was the physicality of our boys, we’ve been building over the past six weeks, the boys stuck together as a team and their defensive effort was massive.

“I am not going to be too down hearted at losing the game at the end, Pirates sent on their two player coaches Gavin Cattle and Alan Paver and their experience got them over the line. We knew we were probably a stone a man lighter than them at scrum time, but I felt we more than held our own in the scrums and that our lineout went well, which could be down to Pirates head coach Ian Davies’ help. I cannot speak highly enough of him for all the help he has given me over the past two years.

Chapple however is making sure his players keep their feet firmly on the ground and don’t have any grand ideas. “All this will be for nothing if we don’t make the start we need when the league campaign gets under way. We have set our stall out and what really matters is where we are come the end of April. We have the players to do the job hopefully we can keep everyone injury free, but already we have picked a couple of injuries with Adam Lewarne and Tom Murray who will be out for a couple of weeks.

Camborne will train internally next week as they prepare for the visit of North Petherton on September 6^th for their opening Tribute South West 1 West league fixture.

CORNISH PIRATES 46 – 14 REDRUTH

By Bill Hooper at the Mennaye Field.

Redruth will take plenty of positives from their game at the Greene King Championship side, it was a performance that pleased head coach Steve Larkins as the Reds look to build for next Saturday’s opening National League 2 South fixture at Southend. Larkins said after the match. “I thought we played very well and I think for the first hour you would have been hard pushed to tell the sides apart. We showed great enthusiasm during the game and showed up well both in attack and defence, you couldn’t fault us.

“We took our tries very well and I think our second try was the best of the game. We said to the lads if it’s on give it a go and I think Rhodri saw the opportunity to set the move in motion, great hands from Fucs and Browner slipped the tackle and got over the line put us in the lead at that stage.

“Despite the lack of game time I think to hold our own against a Championship side for a good hour and go toe to toe physically with them for the entire game was tremendous and I think we are in a good place prior to Southend. Yes we’ve only had the two games but they have been hard games and will stand us in good stead.

Redruth’s back row of Kyle Marriott, Chris Fuca and Owen Hambly got through a lot of work with locks Chis Bailey and Todd Prisk competing well at the lineout.

The combination of Rhodri McAtee and Greg Goodfellow at half back will cause the opposition plenty of headaches this season, whilst in mid-field Nielson Webber and Sam Parsons will pack a hefty punch going forward.

Despite a few knocks to players Larkins was happy it was nothing too serious. “One or two of the lads had a knocks so we took them off as a precaution but there was nothing serious and they should be fit for next week.”

Prior to the kick-off there was a minute’s silence in respect of Pirate’s supporter and volunteer Peter Cogbill and for Redruth’ s legendary player “Bonzo” Johns.

The first points scoring chance went the way of the Reds after just 3 minutes but full-back Murray Westren saw his effort sale wide of the posts.

The Pirates lost their skipper Chris Morgan very early in the game with a cut which required some twenty stitches, however fly-half Kieran Hallett gave the hosts the lead with a penalty soon after.

Having weathered the early pressure Redruth got back into the game with a series of penalties down in the clubhouse corner, which Westren kicked to touch. The Reds looked to set up a driving maul finally succeeding at the fourth attempt when the Pirates were down fourteen men after lock Will Graulich was yellow carded having taken Red’s skipper Chris Fuca out in the lineout, scrumhalf Greg Goodfellow getting the score.

Westren added the extras for a 7-3 lead. Goodfellow was at his incisive best making some good breaks and bouncing off tackles.

The Pirates soon re-gained the lead with a good try from Canadian full-back Matt Evans from a Luke Jones’ pass. Hallett slotted the conversion for a 10-7 advantage.

Brown’s try again converted by Westren saw the advantage swing back to the Reds as the game went over the half-hour mark.

Scrum-half Tom Kessell made a good break which led to a penalty for the Pirates, which was kicked to the corner, eventually prop Paul Andrew burrowed over for an un-converted try.

Then just on half-time Evans scored his second try of the game with Hallett adding the conversion for a 22-14 lead to the Cornish Pirates.

Kessell took a quick tap penalty in the Reds’ twenty-two early in the second half to run in the Pirate’s fourth try in the scoreboard corner with Hallett again on the money with the extras.

Both sides brought on a raft of replacements during the second half to give players much needed game time, among them last season’s Cornwall 18 group skipper Locryn Williams from the Pirates guesting for the Reds as replacement hooker.

Redruth went down to fourteen men after replacement fly-half Ashley Hosking was yellow carded.

The Pirates greater fitness began to tell as they ran in further tries from Hallett replacement scrum-half Mike Pope and replacement hooker Tom Channon with Hallett adding another couple of conversions.

Cornish Pirates: M Evans, L Jones, T Riley, R James, K Moyle, K Hallett, T Kessell; P Andrew, A Carpenter, A Jamieson, W Graulich, D Barry, C Morgan (capt), A Cheesman, L McGlone

Replacements – T Channon, J Ford-Robinson, T Gendall, W Carrick-Smith, B Howe, J Atkinson, C Pope, L May, T Hendrickson, M Bodilly, M Bolwell

Tries – Evans 27, 40+4; Andrew 35, Kessell 42, Hallett 59, Pope 67, Channon 77

Cons – Hallett 35, 40+4, 42, 59

Pens – Hallett 15

Yellow Card – Graulich 22-32

Redruth: M Westren, R Wedlake, N Webber, S Parsons, J.Kessell, R McAtee, G Goodfellow; J Tompsett, R Brown, C Williams, T Prisk, C Bailey, C Fuca (capt), O Hambly, K Marriott

Replacements – B Drew, L.Williams, T Phillips, J Lamsin, P Joyce, A Hosking, D Rutter, L Thomas D Bonds. T Notman

Tries – Goodfellow 23, Brown 31

Cons – Westren 23, 31

Yellow Card – Hosking 55-65

Referee – D.Proctor (RFU)

Attendance – 843

A true colossus of Cornish rugby Charles Robert “Bonzo” Johns has passed away at the age of 80.

He was a player revered not only by those he played with, but also and perhaps just important, those he played against.

Picture- Cornwall’s 1958 County Championship side, Bonzo middle of back row

This was so well epitomised the last time he played against Gloucestershire in 1970 when at the final whistle the whole of the Gloucestershire pack, which at that time included many International players, hoisted Bonzo on their shoulders and chaired him off the field in recognition of their great battles over the years. He was also a firm favourite with the crowd wherever he played, Bonzo loved the crowd and the crowd loved Bonzo. In the 1950’s and 60’s there wasn’t a household in Cornwall that didn’t know who was Bonzo.

Working on a Saturday morning as a coalman would see him cycle to Redruth from Portreath on his bicycle. Later on many will remember him on his milk round in the Redruth area always with his chirpy smile and chat.

It was his engaging personality and a huge smile that made him so popular with fellow players and the public.

I can well remember prior to the County Final in 1969, Cornish supporters parading a large mascot around the pitch at Redruth to huge cheers; needless to say the mascot was named Bonzo.

He was a player who possessed huge strength; once he had the ball you had a job to get it off him. He was a renowned srummager and powerful in the loose and driving with the ball from the front of the lineout. In those days if a player was driven into touch with the ball his side would retain possession when play re-started. “Driven into touch ref” Bonzo would plead to the official; invariably the decision went his way.

Picture Bonzo Johns in possession at the front of a Cornwall lineout vs Devon at Redruth.

Bonzo played all his career 21 years with Redruth and made his debut for the club at the age of sixteen. At that time he played mostly in the second row.

It wasn’t long before he caught the eye of the county selectors earning the first of his eighty-eight county caps, which stood as a record for well over twenty years, against the British Police at Camborne in September 1954.

He scored the only try in the Championship game against Somerset in October of the same year at Redruth as Cornwall topped the South West group in a run that saw them lose the semi-final against Middlesex at Redruth, however it was Bonzo who caught the eye with a tremendous performance winning lineout after lineout and driving down the pitch with the whole of Middlesex hanging on his back!

His performances saw him earn the first of many England trials but to the dismay of everyone in Cornwall and many beyond the Tamar he never got his England cap.

Moving up into the front row Bonzo would play for Cornwall in two County Championship Finals against Warwickshire in 1958 and Lancashire in 1969, both were to end in disappointment.

Despite not earning international recognition Bonzo was invited by the Barbarians to play in their prestigious Easter tour of Wales in 1962.

He faced the might of the Southern Hemisphere Nations playing for Cornwall & Devon against the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies. His final appearance for Cornwall was in Clermont-Ferrand when Cornwall drew 11-11 with a powerful French Selection side boasting many future Internationals.

After his playing days Bonzo turned to rugby administration both at Redruth and for Cornwall. He was Chairman of Selectors when Cornwall triumphed at Twickenham in 1991 against Yorkshire. There would not have been many happier, nor broader smiles that Cornwall had after 83 years finally won another County Championship.

In 2000, Bonzo was made a Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh with the bardic name Gwarier du Hag Owr, which translates to Black and Gold player, he was a true son of Cornwall.

The funeral will be held on Tuesday 2 September 2014 at Treswithian Downs Crematorium at 3pm.

Trelawnys Army Supporters Club wishes to extend its condolences to family and friends.

There is bound to be added interest this season in the fortunes of Cornwall’s premier rugby club from the Penryn club as two of their own are set to help the Cornish Pirates campaign in both the Championship and the British & Irish Cup.

Head coach Ian Davies knows a thing or two about checking out rugby talent both near and far and whilst he had his eye on prop Jamal Ford-Robinson for a while, many were surprised when he signed up Penryn’s promising lock Ben Trevaskis this summer.

However, Ben, son of former Penryn player and coach Paul Trevaskis, has been catching the eye with his performances for Penryn that led to his opportunity to sign for the Pirates.

The chance to go down to the Pirates was one that his home town club and his employers, Blue Flame, urged him to grasp with their blessings and backing.

Just prior to the Pirates’ first home pre-season game with Rosslyn Park I managed to catch up with Ben to see how he’d settled in to life a professional player. He said. “I feel that I’ve settled in well down here, it’s a big step up from Penryn and from training just two evenings a week to training every day but everyone has made me feel welcome down here and I feel I’ve fitted in well.

“The daily training has taken a bit of getting used to, the physicality of the sessions and pace is big step up from at Penryn, and to start with I felt spent but as I get more used to it I am finding it more comfortable to cope with.

Ben’s keen to see how far he can go this season and having got his first pre-season game under his belt at St. Austell last week he’s keen to progress further. “I hope to get myself in the mix for some of the Championship games as well as the British and Irish Cup matches, it’s a constant learning curve here which makes it all the more exciting but the aim this season is to learn and improve myself as best I can.

Ben hopes that his progression to the Pirates can be a beacon for other youngsters in the Falmouth/Penryn area, that they to, with hard work can catch the eye and get a chance.

There’s a bit of a Borough corner down the Mennaye this season with Jamal Ford-Robinson, Alex Ducker and Ben
“I played minis and juniors with Jamal at Penryn and he was in my tutor group at Penryn College and he’s a good mate and of course Alex was with us down at Penryn before returning to Camborne last season so it’s been good to have people I know being down here to help me fit in.

And when Ben gets home he conceded that father was waiting for a de-brief on the day’s events. “When I get home Dad want’s to know what I’ve been doing in fine detail, he’s proud of what I’ve managed to achieve and with him not coaching at the moment he’s got time to take plenty of interest.

Talking of Jamal I managed to speak to him after him after his home debut for the Cornish Pirates in the pre-season win over Rosslyn Park on Saturday.

Jamal came on as a replacement at half-time for Adam Jamieson and had a good forty minutes on the Mennaye pitch.

It was a great breakthrough season for the young prop last season which saw him capped for England Counties at both senior and Under 20 level as well as being one of the stars of Cornwall’s run in the County Championship and scoring a memorable try in the final at Twickenham.

On life down at the Mennaye. “I am loving it down here, I’ve been here since the beginning of July and settled in really well, the boys are a real good bunch and I’ve been made to feel really welcome. Looks like I am having some good banter with the crowd down on the “Naughty Boy’s Corner” so it’s all good.

Having been through Leicester Tiger’s Academy Jamal is used to the pressurised environment of professional rugby. “I was used to the training at the Academy but obviously it’s step up from last season at Cambridge and the physicality of the training here, it’s a massive step up from National League 2 South to the Championship but I will give it my best.

“Pre-season’s been good and we all enjoyed our trip to the Isles of Scilly and then last week to Guernsey where we a good game against the local side.

“I think the benefits of that showed in the game today, especially during the first half when we played some good rugby, but I think the second half showed that we still have some areas to work on but that’s what pre-season is all about.

And Jamal is keen to learn all he can from Ian Davies and Alan Paver about the art of scrummaging. “It’s one of the main reasons I came down here, I had a week with Paves out in Georgia with England Counties in June and I think they can help school me in the “dark arts” and it’s something I am really looking forward to.

“I just hope the preparation goes well so that I can be in the mix for the opening games of the Championship season we’ve got some great lads here and with Paul Andrew back at the club after his stint in the Premiership with Worcester places in the match day twenty-two are going to be tough to nail down.”

Whilst the tail end of Hurricane Bertha hasn’t quite broken the summer weather, it heralds that the end of summer and the start of the rugby season are just round the corner.

Preparations stepped up a gear last weekend with the first pre-season friendlies being played.

The Cornish Pirates continued their island hoping having enjoyed a week in the Scillies they moved on to the Channel Island of Guernsey to play their first pre-season fixture against the National 3 London & SE side.

Picture – Cornish Pirates on Tresco

Close ties have been built between Guernsey and the Pirates over the last couple of years with islanders Luke Jones and George Collenette both plying their trade in West Cornwall.

The match in Saint Peter Port was played over 3 x 30 minutes periods, with the Championship side running out winners 62-8.

Tom Kessell (2), Kieran Goss (2), Tyler Gendall, Darren Barry, Joe Atkinson, Alex Cheesman, Oliver Snook and an penalty-try award accounted for the five point scores, whilst Kieran Hallet (2) and Sam Marland (4) slotted the extras.

Guernsey Head Coach Jordan Reynolds said of the Pirates visit: “The experience our guys will get out of this week is something you could not put a price on, just being able to lean on them, engage with them and get ideas off them is going to be of massive benefit to us.”

Ian Davies, Cornish Pirates Director of Rugby was full of praise for the hospitality experienced during the trip and pleased with the final outcome.
“We have had a fantastic training week and have been impressed by the Guernsey club’s organisation and facilities.

The boys have enjoyed working with the community here and if the opportunity arose to visit again we’d welcome it with open arms.”

On Sunday afternoon the Cornish All Blacks travelled to Brickfields to take on Championship side Plymouth Albion in both sides first pre-season game.

The game was a good work out for both sides as they look to bed in their new signings. As you would expect, Albion had too much noose for the All Blacks winning 55-3. Both sides had a player red carded following a tiff between Albion player-coach Ruairi Cushion and the Cornish All Blacks’ former Plymouth player James Salter.

Sam Matavesi continues in his new role as hooker for Albion and got on the score sheet.

Launceston’s only points came via a Kieron Lewitt penalty during the first half.

Former St. Austell player Matt Shepherd made his debut at full back for the All Blacks though he moved to scrum-half later in the game.

Difficult for Launceston but they will look to step up when they face Newton Abbot on Friday evening under the Polson lights.

Congratulations to both Jack Nowell and Luke Cowan-Dickee on being included in Stuart Lancaster’s England squad training camp at Loughborough, which started yesterday for four days.

This week’s main pre-season fixtures;

Tues 12th Redruth v Exeter Academy 7.15pm
Thu 14th, Truro v Camborne 7.00 pm
Fri 15th Cornish All Blacks v Newton Abbot 7.45 pm
Sat 16th Cornish Pirates v Rosslyn Park 3.00 pm
Sat 16th St. Austell v Redruth 3.00pm

Four more gifted young rugby players have been added to the Cornish Pirates squad, reports Cornish Pirates’ Media Office Phil Westren. They are fly-half/utility back Sam Marland, fly-half Oliver Snook, hooker Dean Brooker, and back-rower Brad Howe. Brief profile details on each are as follows:-

Sam Marland

This 21-year-old back represented Cheshire Under 16s and was a member of the Myerscough Academy in Preston. He has played in Italy, firstly for Aironi’s Academy and then last season in Romagna Rugby Football Club’s senior side.

Oliver Snook

From North Yorkshire, Oliver, who is aged 20, formerly played for Otley Under 17s and then their senior side, and he has also gained experience playing two years in New Zealand. Based in Christchurch he represented Christchurch Old Boys in 2013, and then Marist Albion in 2014.

Dean Brooker

Aged 20, Bristol-born Dean was educated at Colstons School. He had two years playing at Hartpury College under the guidance of Alan Martinovic and then spent a season with Ealing Trailfinders. His honours include having played for South West Under 20s, whilst he has also featured for Gloucester Academy and for London Wasps Academy.

PHOTO – BRAD HOWE IN ACTION FOR CORNWALL UNDER 20’S AGAINST DEVON LAST SEASON AT PENRYN

Brad Howe

Of the players named Brad, who is aged just 18, is the only one who joins as a member of the recently announced Player Development Foundation, which was introduced by the Cornish Pirates to ensure that such players have an opportunity to see their potential fully developed here in Cornwall. Educated at Helston Community College and at Truro & Penwith College, Brad has played for Cornwall Under 20s and for the Exeter Chiefs Academy.

Commenting with reference to the latest squad acquisitions, the club’s Director of Rugby, Ian Davies, said:

“All four lads have impressed during their trial period with us and will be welcome additions to the squad.”