Enough of the phony stuff, league rugby is back and what an exciting opening weekend it was for the Cornish clubs involved.

In the RFU Championship a solid win by the Cornish Pirates out in Jersey with a 20-6 score-line. Canadian International winger Matt Evans bagged a hat-trick of tries for the Pirates, whilst fly-half Kieron Hallett kicked a penalty and conversion. Four points to start the season off prior to the visit of Plymouth Albion to the Mennaye next Sunday.

Dick Straughan’s match report from the Western Morning News can be found in the link

In National League 2 South, contrasting fortunes for our two Cornish sides. Redruth began with an away win at Taunton Titans 25 – 15 , thanks to tries from Craig Bonds and a brace from No.8 Tom Duncan. Duncan last season’s top try-scorer for the Reds is back in the grove already. Paul Thirlby adding the other points with the boot.

You can read Roger Watson’s report from the Western Morning News in the link here

Launceston had a disappointing start losing at Polson to newly promoted Chinnor 33-29. As skipper Tom Rawlings put it “We blew it”. Centre Lewis Paterson showed great early season form with a hat-trick of tries, whilst scrum-half Richard Friend grabbed a fourth All Blacks try to at least give the All Blacks two points from the game.

Catch up with Dick Benson-Gyles match report for the Western Morning News here

It promises to be another exciting Cornish derby at Redruth this Saturday as Launceston head west looking to get their season back up and running, whilst Redruth will hope to build on the fine start at Taunton. It will be full of passion at the Rec!

In Tribute South West 1 West, Camborne had a great start at Oldfield Old boys winning 18-13 with tries from James Galsworthy and Dave Roberts. Dave Mankee’s trusty boot added the other points.

Wadebridge Camels will be disappointed to have lost at the Molesworth Field 11-10 to visitors Old Redcliffians. Mike Davey got the Camel’s try with James Grubb kicking a couple of penalties.

In Tribute Western Counties West, St. Austell started with a bang at home defeating new boys Honiton 46-10. Ben Chenoweth (2) Paul Winterbottom (2), Sam Tank (2) Matt Shepherd and Sam Howorth all crossed the whitewash.  Shepherd added three conversions to put Saints on top of the table.

Truro won the Cornish derby at St. Clements with a 38-8 win over Bude. Issac Scoble, Matt Ayres, Tim Gay, Tom Child (2) and Ashley Richards got Truro’s tries with Chevy Read adding four conversions.

Penryn lost their opener at home 18-13 to Ivybridge. Jamie Martin scored a couple of tries with Gavin Laycock kicking a penalty.

In the Tribute Cornwall & Devon League. St. Ives beat Newquay Hornets 52-32, thanks in part to 28 points, including three tries, from fly-half Kyle Moyle. For the losing side Liam Freeman also scored a hat-trick of tries in amassing a personal tally of 22 points.

Falmouth won at Wessex 24-14, Pirates Amateurs triumphed at Plymouth Barbarians 17-12, whilst newly promoted Saltash sent OPM’s back across the Tamar following a 50-22 defeat.

A loss for Liskeard & Looe at Teignmouth 31 – 12, whilst the game between Tiverton and Hayle was postponed.

I was sorry to learn of the passing of Dr. Mike Dove. A stalwart of the Cornish game who gave so much to the clubs he served. St Austell, Penryn and Truro all benefited from his hard work and enthusiasm, as did the Cornwall RFU.

Next month will be Trelawny’s Army Supporters Club AGM, when we announce the winners of our Cornwall Senior and U.20 Player of the Year. Voting has now closed and we look forward to informing the winners shortly.

CORNWALL ON THE ROAD:

Cornwall will play two of their three County Championship Division One South group matches away from home next May, writes Nigel Walrond.

They start their campaign on Saturday, May 4, with a trip to Gloucestershire, and then follow that with a very long journey to Kent seven days later.

The venues for both of those games are still to be confirmed.

They then host defending county champions Hertfordshire at Camborne on Saturday, May 18, with the county final taking place at Twickenham on Sunday, May 26.

The other group matches are: May 4: Kent v Hertfordshire; May 11: Hertfordshire v Gloucestershire, and May 18: Gloucestershire v Kent.

Cornwall will have to be at their best if they are to reach the final, with even the game at Kent, who have returned to the top tier of county rugby after an absence of one season, far from easy.

Two seasons ago, Cornwall won an amazing game 42-34 against them at Canterbury in a relegation decider.

Cornwall will be sponsored for the next three years by St Austell Brewery through their Tribute Ale brand, with a new kit soon to be unveiled with the sponsor’s logo on it.

Cornwall Rugby Football Union chairman Denis Preece said: “We are happy with the fixtures, though playing two away matches to start with is not ideal.

“We have got our hands full, with last year’s winners Hertfordshire in our pool, and Kent will have a point to prove, after dropping out of the top tier for a season.

“But we are looking forward to a good season, and looking forward to the support and help that Tribute are going to give us, and we are looking forward to Christmas time, when we will be launching the new shirts for the county team with our sponsors.”

It is a question that has been asked me time and time again when people find out that I am supporting France at a major sporting event be it rugby or any sport. Especially when it involves England as the opposition.

As you would expect there is no straight forward answer, though the simple one is that having had a French mother it is very natural to support the country maternelle!

However there is more to it than that and some of the reasons are not pleasant to recall and are memories that I have long-buried away from my childhood school days.

I attended public school in Cornwall at an establishment that no longer exists. I spent nine years at the school from the age of 7. The first few years were for me a personal hell. News that a new boy was not of the correct breeding i.e. had a French mother was carte blanche for being the bete noir of the whole school. It was a personal hell, which has left it’s mark to this day. However I did learn to run, and to run fast, to escape the gangs and bullies who were out to get me at every break during the day.

As you can imagine my school work suffered badly in this climate of hate, but through it all an enduring friendship with one lad at the school made life bearable and I am pleased to say that almost forty years after having left the school we are still close friends and remain very much in contact to this day.

I learnt to run fast. That statement would leave many people today somewhat bemused given my somewhat portly appearance. With my speed I became a member of the rugby XV and the soccer X1 and an athlete who on sports day was capable of carrying off a cup or two. I had gradually earned some form of respect, but what a hard road it had been! I had to be different I couldn’t be like them!

There was one further event that turned be away from supporting England. My cousin, who is a few years older than me married a chap called Roger Harris. Roger in his prime was arguably the best hooker in England playing for Truro, St. Luke’s College, Plymouth Albion and Penryn. He also amassed 62 caps for Cornwall and played in the 1969 County Final at Redruth against Lancashire when Cornwall lost 11-9. A Barbarian and countless representative matches for the SouthWest against touring sides including the All Black Springboks and Wallabies. But he never got an England cap. John Pullin was the incumbent hooker for England. The closest he got was standing on the touch-line ready to come on against I believe Ireland in 1970. Pullin was injured but wouldn’t come off, his chance had come and gone. The stories of being Cornish made it doubly hard to play for England seemed to have some element of truth for young impressionable adolescent.

There is always a game that cements one’s loyalty for life. For me it was 1972 France v England in the last International match to be played at the old Stade Colombes in North West Paris. I watched the game at my Uncle’s house along with my Aunt and another Aunt in Perranporth all fervent England supporters. England were routed by six tries to one and I couldn’t contain my glee, much to the annoyance of family members.  For the record France’s tries were scored by Duprat (2), Biemouret, Sillieres, Lux and Walter Spanghero with Pierre Villepreux kicking five of the six conversions and a penalty. It was the year that no matches were played in Ireland. For the record England lost all four games, whilst France fared little better with just the one win!

The love for the blue shirt was well and truly instilled and since that time I have enjoyed the highs and lows of French side’s performances. Highlights for me at Twickenham were the wins of 1983 (Rives final match for France against England), 1997 (The incredible comeback from 20-3 down to win 23-20 enroute to the Grand Slam) and 2005 (Yachvili’s six penalties for an 18-17 win over the World Champions). Best try Philippe Saint-Andre’s try started by Serge Blanco in the Grand Slam decider in 1991. I was seated in the North Stand middle tier and had a perfect view of the whole move. I missed the 1987 win at Twickenham as I did the draw in 1985, when Cornwall’s Chris Martin played full back for England when held up in a traffic jam on the way to to Twickenham! Lescarboura dropping three goals for France for 9-9.

So far I have only seen France v England in Paris once 1986 at the Parc des Princes, an awesome venue, when France tore England apart on a glorious spring afternoon in March scoring four tries in a 29-10 win. Blanco again was supreme as was Sella and Charvet.

The Rugby World Cup in 2007 was a thrill for me with it being held in France and I travelled to all of France’s games up to and including the quarter-final win in Cardiff over New Zealand.

My latest France game was in February at Murrayfield when France beat Scotland 23-17.

Roll on the next game, allez les bleus!

ALL HAIL THE CHAMPIONS – LONDON WELSH! Well you’d think so wouldn’t you after the Welsh exiles deservedly won the RFU Championship last Wednesday week.

Sadly that is not the case. The RFU are sticking to their ruling that the Welsh cannot go up to the Aviva Premiership making a farce of the Championship as a whole.

The RFU bigwigs at the Kassam Stadium deservedly got the chorus of boos from both London Welsh and Cornish Pirates supporters they deserved as the Championship trophy and medals were handed out with indecent haste at the end of the game.

I felt very sorry for the Pirates’ players who appeared to get nothing, not even a handshake or bad luck from the RFU! What a shower!! However, I have since learned that they were given medals after Sky’s coverage had finished!!

It really was a final that was dominated by events off the field rather than on it. Cornwall Council came out with impeccable timing announcing that they would not be forthcoming with the £10 million towards the stadium for Cornwall project to add to the controversy from the RFU over promotion.

So with the season over plans are now in-hand for the 2012-13 season. Sadly and inevitably a few Pirates will be moving on and it comes as no real surprise to learn that prop Carl Rimmer (Exeter Chiefs) and lock Ian Nimmo (Newport Gwent Dragons) will be moving to a higher level of rugby. Sad too the loss of Rhodri McAtee off to Championship rivals Plymouth Albion. Other players are also on the move in addition to the transfers of Drew Locke (Gloucester) and Dave Ward (Harlequins) previously announced.

In their place new players will come in and I am sure they will soon prove to be crowd pleasers too!

On the transfer front I note the arrival of Cornishman Toby Freeman at Rotherham Titans next season. Toby has spent a couple of season’s playing in Spain with Ordizia, this season finishing runners-up in the Championship final and winning the Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) in which he scored a couple of tries and was named man-of-the-match, winning his body weight in beer!

Another Cornishman who was at Ordizia, lock Tom Parker a Spanish International player and who indeed captained Spain recently in an international in Moscow against Russia is also on the move with Vannes in Brittany being the destination. Vannes who currently play in Federale 1 have plans to push for the Pro 2 over the next three years and can look forward to a more sympathetic support from their local authorities as the municipal stadium in Vannes will be available if and when they make the leap to professional rugby in Pro 2.

We shall be following with interest from this side of the Channel!

Looking forard to tomorrow evening’s final of the Top 14 between Toulouse and Toulon. A repeat of the 1985 final would be marvellous when Toulouse won 36-22 in extra-time scoring six tries!

Guy Noves was in the victorious Toulouse side that day, whilst 1991 Bernard Laporte captained Begles to the title against Toulouse!

As usual the RFU picked it’s moment! This time to deliver the news about four hours before kick-off that London Welsh’s plans to play their Premiership games at Oxford’s Kassam Stadium was no go due primacy of tenure, in other words nor being able to play match as dictated by Premier Rugby or the TV schedules.

Bit like a red rag to a bull, and certainly one to wind up good and proper the Welsh exiles prior to their game at the Mennaye last night and boy didn’t they put on a performance. Granted the Cornish Pirates were a tad below par from the performance levels they showed over their two legs against Bristol.

So Welsh will go into the second leg with a 16-point advantage from their win last night.

Brendan Gallagher in the Daily Telegraph has a national press match report  in the link.

I still think the Cornish Pirates have it in them to turn round this deficit despite having to trek up to the Kassam.

That game will bring the curtain down on another memorable rugby season in Cornwall. We will hadly have time to draw breath before we embark on the roller coaster once again for 2012/13!

By Phil Westren

The Cornish Pirates will play the first leg of this season’s RFU Championship final at the Mennaye Field, Penzance, on Wednesday (ko 7.45pm), when a ‘full house’ is expected with the visit of London Welsh.

It will be the second season running that the Pirates have reached the final, remembering that they performed well against Worcester Warriors last year, despite losing 12-21 and 25-20.

The Pirates qualified for the final this year with an aggregate score of 63-53 from the twin-legged semi-final games played against Bristol Rugby, whilst London Welsh ended their two games against Bedford Blues with a 30-27 advantage.

Dave Ewers takes the No. 6 shirt for the Cornish Pirates following the news that flanker Chris Morgan unluckily broke his arm in the ‘semi’ at Bristol, and the full side selected  is as follows:-

Cornish Pirates:   R. Cook, G. Pointer, S. Hill, A. Suniula, D. Doherty, C. Thomas, G. Cattle (capt), K. Marriott, P. Burgess, D. Ewers, I. Nimmo, L. McGlone, A. Paver, D. Ward, C. Rimmer.

Replacements:   R. Storer, R. Elloway, R. Brits, M. Smith, B. Maidment, T. Kessell, M. Evans.

Referee:   Greg Garner (RFU)            Assistants:   Luke Pearce & Chris Sharp

Match Day Sponsor:   Cornish Mining          Match Ball Sponsors:   The Cadgwith Singers

General information to note:-

Tickets:   The club’s ticket office 01736-331961 is open until 5pm on Tuesday but will be closed on match day. Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.cornish-pirates.com until 10pm on Tuesday and they are also available from various Warrens bakers shops about the county.

It is expected that terrace tickets will be available to buy at the gate on Wednesday evening but because demand is likely to be high the strong advice is to purchase needs in advance.

Gates & Bars – the gates and bars will open at 5.30pm.

Car Parking – the Isles of Scilly car park at Wherrytown on the western end of the promenade (by the Co-op) will be open at 5.30pm until 10.30pm. The parking fee is £3-00. Other car parks are available about and for those who park in the streets nearby please park sensibly and legally, taking due consideration for residents that live in the area.

Flags – don’t forget to bring your Cornish Pirates flags that were given out at our home semi-final. Wave them with passion and pride.

Falmouth Marine Band – we are delighted that the FMB will be in attendance once again, as will the Cadgwith Singers, as ever.

Arrive early – to avoid congestion at the gates, the advice is to arrive early.

Enjoy the game!

At the final whistle yesterday there is now doubt that the Cornish lads felt that but for a couple of breaks, they and not Hertfordshire, would be going to Twickenham next Sunday to face Lancashire in the Bill Beaumont Cup Final, at the ridiculous hour of 11 a.m.

“What could have been” lamented skipper Ben Hilton. The late penalty that hit the upright coupled with some indifferent referring left Cornwall in the runners-up spot in the pool.

“Last week is on everyone’s mind, it ruined my week the rest of the squad choked on it too. You can talk about the kick at the end but for me it wasn’t the kick we didn’t sadly do enough on the day and a good side will punish you. Two minutes losing our focus proved costly and our chance has gone for this year, but we demonstrated great spirit and pride and it’s good for our supporters to see us playing some quality rugby again.

“We knew the situation from Cinderford via our management fed us the news. I wanted to maximise our points to give us a chance should Hertfordshire slip up, but they did enough so congratulations to them on getting to Twickenham again.

“I chose to play up the slope first half, possibly against the conditions, we went in at half-time ahead, despite the fact that some were unhappy with our performance! However, I think we played to our strength, I was prepared to defend during the first half, but I don’t think North Midlands fully used their advantage and in the second half we did use it to good effect.

“The coaches backed me 100 per cent with my decision to play up the slope first half and I was prepared for us to be trailing at half-time, that we led was a bonus.

“We had forward dominance and this week we were rewarded by the officials in that phase of the game.

“I agree that we should have scored more points, and that we squandered chances, but to be fair they never really threatened our line”.

By Bill Hooper, at the Recreation Ground Camborne

Cornwall did their best to try and give themselves a chance of going to Twickenham next Sunday, but the narrow loss of Hertfordshire 27-25 at Gloucestershire saw the home-counties side through to their second successive final against title holders Lancashire who accounted for Cheshire at Broughton Park 36-29.

There was disappointment once more for centre Ryan Westren, whose groin injury flared up preventing him from playing. Steve Johns moved from the wing with Tom Notman coming off the bench and Aron Struminski a star from this season’s U.20 campaign coming on to the bench.

Cornwall’s head coach Dave “Benji” Thomas was pleased with the win, but still felt aggrieved with last week’s rub of the green at Hertford. He said. “They came out of the blocks all firing, they had a solid pack and some pacey backs and it took us a little while to get to grips with them. We got the early try, but we were in their twenty-two a number of times during the first half and didn’t come away with points, which were really quite crucial, I felt the boys were a little over anxious in their execution”.

“At half-time we had a good chat, we told them they needed to keep the ball and play to the patterns we had been playing in our previous games, we did that and in the end we scored some good tries. Our forwards were immense especially the driving mauls and in the loose getting possession”.

“I know we lost that game last week by two points, but today was a fitting end for an exceptional group of players who have shown great spirit and commitment from day one when we assembled at Kingsley Village to map out our plan for the season. Hopefully we can keep this group together and kick on again next season and get to Twickenham”.

Cornwall elected to play up the slope first half and were rewarded with an early try after just 7 minutes scored by hooker Jamie Salter following some good work by the Cornish forwards.

Brett Rule added the first of his three conversions and Cornwall looked well set to dominate proceedings.

However, the visitors had other ideas and came back into the game well, scoring a well-worked try by Rhys Crane (Nottingham) on his county debut.

Goal kicker for the visitors Jimmy Oliver had an off-day with the boot missing the conversion and penalty shortly afterwards.

Cornwall really should have the most of their possession during the first half but saw some guilt-edge chances missed to go further ahead. Johns was held up over the line, whilst No.8 Sam Hocking crucially lost the ball near the whitewash.

Cornwall had the better of it with centre Lewis Paterson once more catching the eye along with the forwards notably prop Darren Jacques who carried well and was immense at scrum time, flanker Mike Rawlings always in the thick of the action and skipper Ben Hilton leading by example.

There was no further scoring during the first half so Cornwall turned around 7-5 to the good.

Cornwall needed an early try at the start of the second half and it come following several phases from Johns who angled his run to make the line.

Rule having missed the conversion made amends shortly after with a penalty to nudge Cornwall 15-5 ahead.

As the half wore on Cornwall needed tries. North Midlands were reduced to fourteen men as flanker Daniel Smith took a yellow card for offside. Rule kicked the penalty towards the clubhouse corner, Cornwall drove from the lineout with Hilton getting the black and gold’s third try.

Rule kicked the conversion, but with time fast running out Cornwall needed a fourth try to stand any chance of overhauling Hertfordshire.

Well into time added on Cornwall got the fourth try again from a forward drive with flanker Tom Rawlings getting the score, Rule added the extras but at the final whistle the news filtered through that Hertfordshire despite losing had done enough.

North Midlands defeat sees them relegated after just one season in the top division to be replaced by Kent who beat Somerset 32-28.

Cornwall 29 pts

Tries – Salter, Johns, Hilton, Tom Rawlings Penalty – Rule, Conversions – Rule (3)

North Midlands 5 pts

Try – Crane

Yellow Card – Smith (80)

Cornwall (Cornish All Blacks unless otherwise): B Rule (Redruth), R Bright, S Johns  (Plymouth Albion), L Paterson, T Notman (Redruth), J Murphy, D Pascoe (Penryn & Royal Navy); D Jacques (Redruth), J Salter, C Williams (Redruth), B Hilton (Capt), B Jenkins (Cambridge), M Rawlings, T Rawlings, S Hocking (Plymouth Albion).

Replacements all used: R Brown (Redruth), P Joyce (Redruth), C Fuca (Redruth), T Duncan (Redruth), G Goodfellow (Redruth), S Parsons (Redruth), A Struminski .

North Midlands: M Farrington (Dudley Kingswinford); R Crane (Nottingham), W Richards (Luctonians), F Pierpont (Birmingham & Solihull), C Mitchell (Plymouth Albion); J Oliver (Camp Hill),  D Brazier (Moseley);  C Voisey (Moseley), D Osleton (Rugby Lions),  S Thorpe (Dudley Kingswinford), E Parry (Dudley Kingswinford  capt),  M Lee (Old Saltleians),  D Smith (Luctonians), N Roy-Smith (Luctonians),  R Hill (Camp Hill).

Replacements used: C Lea (Birmingham Civil Service), I Darkintis (Birmingham & Solihull), T Breakwell (Old Halesonians), T Hughes (Malvern), S Leach (Camp Hill), I Mustow (Malvern). Not used: D Protherough (unattatched).

Referee: Shane Lewis (RFU)

Cornwall Star man: Darren Jacques put in some big drives and as always solid at scrum time.

WESTREN RETURNS TO FACE NORTH MIDLANDS

By Bill Hooper TASC Press Officer, at Recreation Ground Camborne

London Scottish centre Ryan Westren has recovered from a groin injury to line up for Cornwall in the final pool match in this season’s Bill Beaumont Cup Southern Section against North Midlands at Camborne kick-off 3 p.m.

Westren’s selection sees Steve Johns (Plymouth Albion) revert back to the wing in place of Rhodri McAtee (Cornish Pirates) who is unavailable.

Jake Murphy (Cornish All Blacks) ever present in the squad this campaign comes in at fly-half for unavailable club-mate Lewis Webb.

The other change to the starting XV is at scrum-half where Dave Pascoe (Royal Navy)  starts with Greg Goodfellow (Redruth) reverting to the bench.

The replacements bench is made up of players from the Redruth club with centre Sam Parson being added as backs cover.

Cornwall coach Dave “Benji” Thomas was pleased with the attitude and commitment of the squad. He said. “Training went really well tonight, but it’s been really good all the way through. This has been an exceptional bunch of players who have really brought in to what we want to achieve”.

Benji confirmed that despite not training due the knock he received on Saturday that full back Brett Rule should be fit after treatment.

Cornwall (Cornish All Blacks unless otherwise): B Rule (Redruth), R Bright, R Westren  (London Scottish), L Paterson, S Johns (Plymouth Albion), J Murphy, D Pascoe (Penryn & Royal Navy); D Jacques (Redruth), J Salter, C Williams (Redruth), B Hilton (Capt), B Jenkins (Cambridge), M Rawlings, T Rawlings, S Hocking (Plymouth Albion).

Replacements: R Brown (Redruth), P Joyce (Redruth), C Fuca (Redruth), T Duncan (Redruth), G Goodfellow (Redruth), S Parsons (Redruth), T Notman (Redruth) .

North Midlands have included 12 newcomers in their squad for their final County Championship Bill Beaumont Cup Division One South group match against Cornwall at Camborne on Saturday May 19 (3pm), writes Paul Bolton.
Injuries and unavailability have forced North Midlands to field a much-changed sideto that which beat Gloucestershire 47-37 at Stourbridge last weekend.
Dudley Kingswinford full-back Matt Farrington, Nottingham wing Rhys Crane,  Camp Hill fly-half Jimmy Oliver, Moseley scrum-half Dave Brazier, Bournville lock Rob Griffin and Luctonians flanker Daniel Smith are the debutants in the starting XV.
Farrington and Oliver have impressed playing in the RLF North Midlands Championship this season and Brazier for North Midlands Under-20s and Midlands Under-20s.

The replacements’ bench includes six newcomers with Birmingham Civil Service hooker Craig Lea the only one who has played senior county rugby before.
North Midlands will secure their place in the top flight if they beat Cornwall but they could lose and still stay up if Gloucestershire fail to beat Hertfordshire in the other group match.

North Midlands v Cornwall 15 Matt Farrington (Dudley Kingswinford); 14 Rhys Crane (Nottingham), 13 Will Richards (Luctonians), 12 Fred Pierrepont (Birmingham & Solihull), 11 Cameron Mitchell (Plymouth Albion); 10 Jimmy Oliver (Camp Hill), 9 Dave Brazier (Moseley); 1 Craig Voisey (Moseley), 2 Dan Osleton (Rugby Lions), 3 Stef Thorpe (Dudley Kingswinford), 4 Ed Parry (Dudley Kingswinford – captain), 5 Rob Griffin (Bournville), 6 Daniel Smith (Luctonians), 7 Nathan Roy-Smith (Luctonians), 8 Rob Hill (Camp Hill).

Replacements: Craig Lea (Birmingham Civil Service), Ignas Darkintis (Birmingham & Solihull), Tim Breakwell (Old Halesonians), Mitch Lee (Old Saltleians), Tommi Hughes (Malvern), Steve Leach (Camp Hill), Ieuan Mustow (Malvern).

Cornwall’s skipper Ben Hilton has penned his thoughts on the defeat last Saturday at Hertford.

He and the rest of the squad also look forward to sharing a beer or two with all the supporters after the final whistle.

“First of all…Let me thank everyone who came up to Herts to support the boys. We gave it our best shot, certainly against a much stronger team on paper. For 70 minutes we absolutely crushed a very very capable team, unfortunately for us, they showed just how capable in a spell of about 6 minutes or so. That is a sign of a very good team – to play poorly and still end up with a W!

“For us I think we should be disappointed and it also highlights just how much focus is required throughout the entire game. They capitalised on our few mistakes and there really were, literally, just a few. We played the game perfectly but for a few minor minor events / decisions / mistakes.

“For me – to give a full penalty for an accidental offside from the kick off knock on is rather officous, Sam (Hocking) was unlucky and the ball bounced and hit Bryns’ leg. They ended up scoring from that penalty.
“Our kick off didn’t go 10, giving them possession immediately after they picked up the pace. This eventually swung the momentum and resulted in a second try in quick succession.

“Other than that I thought we managed the game perfectly up until that point. Yes I would have expected a penalty try considering we did have their scrum over their try-line on at least 7 occasions but only to be reset or be awarded only a full arm penalty. What was said before the game about aspects of the scrum were not upheld during the game, which is frustrating. I know there will be some out there who said I should have persevered with the scrum dominance but in my opinion for the Herts scrum half to dive on the ball – while we were walking over their try-line to score a pushover, is somewhat cynical – when I asked the referee if he felt that was a try scoring opportunity he said no and awarded us a penalty. Two minutes left to play – do I risk any number of things happening or going wrong in yet another scrum? Or do I take the relatively straight forward 3 point shot, we then get the ball back and see out the final minute? I chose the cup final approach that is county rugby and the percentages say take the shot to gain the lead. If you get a chance – take it. The wind kicked up and swirled the ball off the post. Very, very difficult pill to swallow for me and I am sure the rest of the boys and the supporters alike feel equally down.

“We would like to see everyone down at Camborne where we all will be signing off our rugby season. Please come down and have a beer with the guys – everyone is staying for a social after the North Midlands match. I think we will be in for a very tough match after a deflating week. We will need all the support we can get, especially after their result on Saturday.

“Let’s not forget – mathematically it is possible for us to still win the group….but likewise it is also possible that we could finish in last place which would be a travesty but the bonus point system could make life difficult for everyone. Let’s hope it is not us!!

“I have felt very honoured and privileged to captain such a great bunch of loyal Cornwall supporters – there is something special about the unity of the squad and that only makes yesterdays game even more painful. Thanks to everyone involved and i would love to see and hear you all on Saturday.

Kindest regards to you all

Ben and the rest of the Cornwall squad and management 2012