SIX WINS out of six for the Cornish Pirates as they top Pool B of the RFU Championship play-offs to earn a home semi-final against the runners up in Pool A London Welsh.

That game will take place at the Mennaye on Sunday 1st May with a 5-45pm kick-off.

The match is bound to be a sell out with the limited capacity at the Mennaye. Once again as the Pirates continue to ride the wave of success the lack of a proper modern facility that is a stadium appears more acute with each passing week.

The Pirates’ continued successes on the field can only enhance their position and decry their detractors.

In two days time it will be 20 years since Cornwall triumphed at Twickenham against Yorkshire in front of some 40,000 Cornish folk in the County Championship. That was a great triumph, but in another era, rugby has moved on but sadly some Cornish thinking with regards to rugby has not in certain quarters. For the good of One & All that needs to change. It is changing, but not as quickly as some more visionary people would like.

The Cornish Pirates are today’s heros, they are today’s chance of glory for Cornwall in a sport that has become professional and no manner of wishful thinking by some can ever hope of turning the tide against it’s irresistable flow. Wake up, smell the coffee and live with it.

On the field success and failure for the season is now coming to a head.

In National League 1, the Cornish All Blacks’ fate has now been sealed following their loss on Saturday at home to Blackheath. They will now look the re-build next season in National League 2 South.

It was always going to be a tall order following their 20 point deduction earlier in the season when the club was forced into administration. In a season when National League 1 has produced some of the most exciting rugby in country and the most even, there were no easy points to pick up. The Cornish All Blacks ably led by skipper Tom Rawlings battled to the last and never let their heads drop. Ryan Westren at centre was once again an outstanding player for them and will no doubt be courted by sides from the Championship or even the Premiership as his stock continues to rise.

It could well be a Duchy au-revoir to National League 1 as Redruth are also still in the relegation zone with just two more matches to play, their fate is still to be played out, they did their prospects a power of good last Saturday with a great win at Coventry with Aaron Penberthy kicking an injury time drop-goal to secure five much needed points.

With RFU funding being cut to clubs in level 3 it makes competing at a National level that much harder for all clubs especially those at the extremities such as Redruth or Blaydon. What a pity when the fare and competitiveness served up at this level this season has been excellent arguably the best in the country!

Further down the league structure there are promotions this season for Penryn, champions of Tribute Western Counties West. Next season they will be in Tribute South West 1 West with Camborne, Wadebridge Camels and possibly St. Ives if they can keep their place.

Newquay Hornets drop down from Tribute Western Counties West to the Tribute Cornwall & Devon League with St. Austell taking their place.

Veor are Champions of the Tribute Cornwall League and will play in the Tribute Cornwall & Devon League next season. Pirates Amateurs are in the play-off for the remaining spot against the runners up from the Tribute Devon League 1, Wessex RFC, that game takes place at the Mennaye on Easter Saturday kick-off 3pm.

Roseland, Stithians and Saltash all drop down to the Cornwall League next season.

To those who have achieved success this season- Congratulations and well done. To those that didn’t – There is always next season!

Having thrashed Rotherham 67-14 at the Mennaye Field on Sunday, the Cornish Pirates, who will need no reminding that they lost 19-18 away to the Titans in January, know they can expect a totally different encounter when they travel to the Yorkshire team’s Clifton Lane ground this Saturday (ko 3pm).

At the midway point after three games played in the RFU Championship play-offs, the Pirates sit proudly at the top of the Pool B table on 16 points. Bedford Blues are second on 12, Doncaster Knights third on 7, and Rotherham Titans are fourth on 1.

Worcester Warriors are presently top of Pool A on 17 points, followed by London Welsh (12), Nottingham (8) and Bristol (1).

After six pool matches have been completed the top two teams from Pools A and B will progress to the semi-final and then the winners to the final. The semi-finals are to be played on the weekend 30th April/1st May, involving 1st Pool A versus 2nd Pool B and 1st Pool B versus 2nd Pool A. This year’s two-legged final is scheduled for Wednesdays 11th and 18th May.

In the relegation play-offs (Pool C) Esher are on 16 points, Plymouth Albion have 15, Moseley are on 12, and the Bees of Birmingham & Solihull have 9. In Pool C, after each team has played their six pool matches, the lowest ranked team will be relegated to National Division One.

Besides this Saturday’s clash at Clifton Lane, the Pirates are at home to Bedford on Sunday week (ko 3pm) and away to Doncaster on Saturday 16th April (ko 3pm). All three games present tough challenges.

The 20th April 1991 is a date indelibly lodged in the minds of every Cornish rugby supporter – the day 40,000 Cornwall supporters descended on Twickenham to witness their team secure the County Championship for the first time in over 80 years. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this historic event Redruth RFC are issuing invitations to the living members of that Cornwall squad (sadly Tony Mead is no longer with us) to join us at the home of Cornish rugby. The 1991 squad are being invited to attend a buffet lunch after which they will be introduced to the crowd, prior to the Reds’ match with Blaydon. Before the match a DVD of the historic 1991 game at Twickenham will be shown in the Clubhouse.

You too, could attend this prestigious event, tickets are now on sale at £25 each, the cost includes, buffet lunch at 1pm, ground, grandstand and car parking for Redruth’s National League 1 match against Blaydon, kick-off 3pm on Saturday 23rd April, Easter Saturday. You could even get to sit at the same table as some of your heroes from that fantastic day.

For further information please contact Redruth Rugby’s General Manager, Gerry Reilly, at geraldreilly31@btinternet.com or on 07748 695971.

Of the two hastily assembled squads for this annual fixture played this season at Brixham’s Astley Park ground Devon gelled the better to run out comfortable winners against Cornwall by 59-8.

Despite being under the cosh from the start Cornwall were still in the game as they trailed by just 3-0 after 20 minutes. However shortly after Devon pressure finally told as Exmouth’s Jack Downie crossed for the hosts’ opening try.

Cornwall did immediately pull back three points thanks to a penalty from Redruth’s Grant Thirlby, but when Cornwall next troubled the scoreboard thanks to a try from Reds’ Tom Duncan, Devon were out of sight having already notched up thirty-thee points.

Cullompton’s Marcus Bushe went on the score three tries, with other scores coming from fellow Cully team-mate Jemba Bull, Barnstaple’s Josh Squire and Ivybridge’s Cam Setter (2). Ross Toms (Cullompton) kept the scoreboard ticking with his boot as did Squire later in the game.

For Cornwall Tom Duncan had a good game and there were also some good runs from Truro’s Mark Lea. But it was St. Austell’s scrum-half Matt Shepherd a late call up on Saturday night to the squad who though only on the field for the last 15 minutes made such an impact when he came on that he was named man-of-the-match by the Army and picked up the inaugural Paul Bawden Memorial Trophy.

It capped a fine weekend for the scrum-half as St. Austell had secured promotion to Tribute Western Counties West after defeating Teignmouth 40-6 at Tregorrick Park.

Obviously not the result Cornwall were looking for and with the County Championship matches fast approaching it’s back to the drawing board!

Cornwall: J Parma (Camborne), M Lea (Truro), R Kevern (Camborne), S Kenward (Redruth), S Rhodes (St Austell), G Thirlby (Redruth), D Mankee (Camborne); N Endean (Camborne), S Milliner (Worcester Univ), S MacDonald (Camborne), W Penney (Redruth), C Bailey (Redruth), M Woolcock (Camborne, capt), S Matavesi (Plymouth Albion), T Duncan (Redruth).

Replacements: Nicholas (St Ives),M Williams (Penryn), D Bramwell (St Ives), A Lewarne (Redruth), J Wilson (Bude),H Noott (St Ives), M Shepherd (St Austell).

Devon: Tries: Downie, Bushe (3), Squire, Bull, Setter (2); Cons: Toms (2), Squire (3); Pens: Toms (3).

Cornwall: Try: Duncan; Pen: Thirlby.

Cornwall Man-of-the-Match: Matt Shepherd (St. Austell)

TOMORROW,Sunday sees Cornwall take on old rivals Devon in the St. Austell Brewery sponsored Tamar Cup at Brixham kick-off 3pm.

Squads for tomorrow’s match;

Cornwall (squad): J Parma (Camborne), M Lea (Truro), R Kevern (Camborne), S Kenward (Redruth), G Thirlby (Redruth), D Mankee (Camborrne), N Endean (Camborne), S Milliner (Worcester Uni), S MacDonald (Camborne), A Skiner (St Ives), W Penny (Redruth), S Matavesi (unattached), T Duncan (Redruth), K Martin (Truro), M Williams (Penryn), D Bramwell (St Ives), A Lewarne (Redruth), J Wilson (Bude), B Jenkins (St Ives).

Devon: S Cooper (Exmouth), D Avery, D Flashman, V Chirita (all Brixham), J Westlake, J Downie (both Exmouth), S Persey (Cullompton), R Morshead (Exmouth), P Mortimore (Paignton), C Setter (Ivybridge), N Giddy (Barnstaple), M Bushe (Cullompton), J Squires (Barnstaple), J Bull (Cullompton), R Toms (Cullompton).

Replacements (from): S Roberts (Barnstaple), A Isaac (Cullompton), S Richardson (Sidmouth), O Mulberry (Plymouth), A Goldman (Crediton), M Galliford (Barnstaple), T Channon (Newton Abbot), P Creek (Tavistock) A Thomas, S Thomas (both Brixham), A Sandercock, M Jackson (both Paignton).

The Cornish Pirates will extend a warm welcome to Rotherham Titans on Sunday for a vitally important Pool B game in the RFU Championship. Kick-off at the Mennaye Field is at 4.05pm.

It will be Rotherham’s second visit to Penzance this season, where they were beaten 40-15 points back in October. However, the Titans got their revenge with a 19-18 win at Clifton Lane in January.

To date in Pool B of the RFU Championship play-offs, the Pirates have beaten Doncaster Knights 33-25 at home, and Bedford Blues 31-18 away, whilst Sunday’s Yorkshire visitors have lost 58-15 at home to Bedford and 41-26 away to Doncaster.

The Pirates win at Bedford’s Goldington Road ground last Sunday, where they went for glory and got their reward, was just fabulous to witness, besides also being another great advert for the RFU Championship. Both teams emerged with credit and and it’s hoped that Sunday’s line-ups will make a similar impression. One thing for certain, however, is that the Pirates won’t take the challenge from the Titans lightly. Yes, they have lost two games, but look closer at each match and it is perhaps not so surprisingly obvious that the results could be deemed misleading. Bedford might have won by a comfortable margin at Rotherham, but the Blues toiled for most of the first hour, with there only one score separating the sides approaching the last quarter. Also, from their game at Doncaster last weekend it needs remembering that they still scored four tries against the Knights to register a deserved bonus point.

Rotherham’s Argentine fly-half/centre, Juan Pablo Socino, who ended Stage One of the Championship as the competition’s fifth top scorer on 240 points, has added 21 more to his tally in Stage Two, including two tries. Of interest, Cornish ‘Pirate’ Rob Cook ended Stage One in first place on 262 points, which has now risen to an impressive 295 – taking into account the 33 (two tries and 23 points with the boot) he has scored in the last two games.

BEDFORD TICKETS – BE WARNED, BUY THEM EARLY!

Rugby supporters need to be aware that the Cornish Pirates versus Bedford Blues game scheduled to be played at the Mennaye Field on Sunday 10th April (ko 3pm) will surely be a sell out.

The advice, naturally, is obvious – ‘please purchase your ticket needs early to avoid disappointment’, as following the Cornish Pirates superb 31-18 win at Bedford, Blues supporters will be booking a spring weekend in Cornwall in their hordes, hopeful that their side will exact revenge.

The Cornish Pirates Ticket Office at the clubhouse in Alexandra Road, Penzance (Tel: 01736-331961), is open on Mondays & Tuesdays and Thursdays & Fridays from 9am – 12 noon, or alternatively tickets can also be purchased on-line at www.cornish-pirates.com/tickets and from certain ‘Warrens’ Bakers outlets about the county.

Cornish Pirates will travel to Bedford this Sunday keen to achieve glory by toppling respected opponents. The match at Goldington Road, which is being shown live on Sky TV, kicks off at 1.05pm.

In games played between the two teams in Stage One of the RFU Championship, the Pirates lost 32-25 at Bedford in October but won 23-13 at home in January.

At the end of Stage One the clubs who finished in the top eight were placed into two promotion pools of four, the teams in each pool to play six matches (three home and three away). The teams who finished 1st (Worcester), 4th (London Welsh) 5th (Nottingham) and 8th (Bristol) have formed Pool A, and those that finished 2nd (Bedford Blues), 3rd (Cornish Pirates), 6th (Doncaster Knights), and 7th (Rotherham Titans) have formed Pool B. The teams in each pool are ranked one to four, the 1st ranked team in each pool starting the Stage Two play-offs with three points, the 2nd two, the 3rd one and the 4th none.

The Pirates won their Pool B opener 33-25 against Doncaster Knights on Sunday, whilst Bedford Blues underlined their credentials the day before with a superb 58-15 points win away to Rotherham Titans. Both Bedford and the Pirates registered bonus point wins, but it is the Blues who head the table with eight points (the extra ranking point being the difference). The Pirates are on seven, Doncaster Knights have one, and Rotherham none.

In the opening matches played in Pool A, Worcester Warriors won 55-15 at Bristol and London Welsh emerged 48-26 victors at home to Nottingham.

After six pool matches the top two teams from Pools A and B will progress to the semi-final and then the winners to the final. The semi-finals are to be played on the weekend 30th April/1st May, involving 1st Pool A versus 2nd Pool B and 1st Pool B versus 2nd Pool A. This year’s two-legged final is scheduled for Wednesdays 11th and 18th May.

In the relegation play-offs (Pool C) each team carries forward a point for every game won in Stage One, and in the opening round of matches Plymouth Albion beat Moseley 37-17 and Birmingham & Solihull lost 22-30 to Esher. Albion and Esher presently head Pool C with 11 points each, followed by Moseley on five and the Bees on four. After each team has played their six pool matches, the lowest ranked team will be relegated to National Division One.

Cornwall U.20’s ended their campaign for this season with a 41-3 loss to Gloucestershire at Lydney on Sunday. I am sure the boys can build on this season for next year, hopefully they can keep their young coaching duo of Tom Rawlings and Ryan Westren who have brought much enthusiasm to the role this season. Some of the lads will now go on for trials for the England Counties U.20 side.

Redruth Rugby launches its Hall of Fame on 25 & 26 March. 30 ‘Hall of Famers’ will be inducted at a ceremony in the Redruth Clubhouse on the evening of 25 March and all living Hall of Famers have been invited to a formal luncheon in the Club’s Hospitality Suite prior to the Redruth v Cinderford match on 26 March. Redruth’s Hall of Fame reads like a ‘who’s who’ of Cornish Rugby.

Asked what playing for the Reds meant to them, a number of the Redruth Rugby Hall of Famers responded as follows:

“Growing up in Redruth as a boy in the 1940s and early 1950s my great wish was to play for Redruth one day.” Richard Sharp, OBE (British Lions, England, Barbarians, Oxford University, Cornwall).

“Being born 250 yards from Hellfire Corner into a rugby family it was always the ultimate aim to play for the Reds first team. I was a ball boy at 6 and played for the Colts at 11. It was such an honour to make my first team debut. I was 16 and had played for the school in the morning and the Colts at Hayle at lunchtime. The first team were playing Hayle in the afternoon and the No 8 had not turned up. Terry Pryor said, ‘You’re playing’, and that was that!” Graham Still (Barbarians, Combined Services, England Colts, Cornwall).

“I always watched the Reds as a boy but never thought that I would be good enough to play for the team”, Ken Abrahams (England Trialist, Barbarians, Cornwall/Devon, Cornwall).

Paddy McGovan had England Trials and represented Combined Services, RAF, Cornwall/Devon & Cornwall. “It was an honour to have been involved in all the teams mentioned above but the greatest honour of all was to have been a playing member of Redruth RFC.”

“To play for Redruth in front of a large, passionate and very vocal crowd, gave me a huge sense of pride. Playing towards the famous Hellfire Corner, is there any greater feeling in club rugby? The friendships I have made at the club are also very special. As a player sitting down in the No 1 changing room where so many famous players had sat before me, where famous Redruth teams had got ready, putting on the Red shirt, going through the darkness of the tunnel., then running out to bright sunlight and the noise that greets the players was spine tingling. As a Cornishman playing for Redruth meant everything and I’ll cherish that forever.” Andy Hawken (Barbarians, 400 Reds appearances, 15 county caps, 5 as skipper.)

Full list of the Redruth Rugby Hall of Fame: William Grylls, Bert Solomon, Maffer Davey, William Rich, Fred Rule, Roy Jennings, Harry Faviell, Bill Phillips, Les Semmens, Keith Scott, Bill Bishop, Bonzo Johns, Richard Sharp, John Phillips, Derek Collins, Ken Abrahams, Paddy McGovan, Harold Stevens, Derek Prout, Terry Pryor, Graham Still, Tony Cook, Richard Keast, Alan Buzza, Colin Laity, Andy Hawken, Phil Vickery, Alifereti Doviverata, Rob Thirlby, Darren Jacques.

Tickets for the Redruth Rugby Hall of Fame Induction Evening and Buffet Supper on 25 March are available, price £10, from the Club’s General Manager, Gerry Reilly, on 07748 695971 or at geraldreilly31@btinternet.com

This is what we’ve been waiting for, with due respect to the other sides in the Championship, the play-offs for promotion to the Aviva Premiership.

After the thrills of last season and Exeter Chiefs dramatic winning of the Play-offs at the expense of favourites Bristol, many wonder if it could happen again? Well it could, but I suspect that Worcester Warriors have enough fire-power to prevail, but I am sure they will be given a torrid time and that it will not be plain sailing.

The opening round of fixtures sees our Cornish Pirates at home against Doncaster Knights on Sunday with a 3pm kick-off. Real progress for the Pirates will be to top Pool B and meet the runner-up of Pool A in the semi-final, probably London Welsh but who knows if Nottingham or even Bristol can pull out a surprise.

Getting to the final will send out a big statement of intent of the Pirates’ vision to get to the Aviva Premiership and will further boost their plans for the new, much needed, stadium in Cornwall.

With no British & Irish cup to distract, their focus is on the play-offs and they really do mean buisness this time around. It promises to be an enthralling few weeks as the Cornish Pirates’ supporters ride on a wave of optimisim going forward on all fronts.

Pretty much the same can be said for our National League 1 clubs the Cornish All Blacks and Redruth, while the former look already set for relegation, Redruth are still battling away with the next three Saturday’s set to be “season defining” in the words of their Director of Rugby Dave Penberthy. With two away trips to Sedgley Park and Blaydon before receiving Cinderford on March 26th Redruth know that they really need maximum points from all these games, it’s going to be a tall order but not an impossible one.

Further down the league structure Penryn are battling hard to win promotion out of Tribute Western Counties West, whilst St. Austell and Hayle are fighting out the second promotion spot out of Tribute Cornwall & Devon League behind leaders Bideford.

Veor and Pirates Amateurs are disputing the automatic promotion place out of the Tribute Cornwall league with the unlucky team going into the play-off with the runner up from Tribute Devon 1 currently Wessex.

Commiserations to the Cornwall U.20’s squad who lost last Sunday at Ivybridge against a strong Devon side. Cornwall’s final match in their pool will be at Lydney against Gloucestershire who thrashed Somerset 78-7 at Yatton.

Finally lets hope that our own Cornish lad Olly Barkley makes a swift recovery from his broken leg suffered playing for Bath at Gloucester last week end. I am sure all Cornish rugby supporters will wish to send him good luck on his road to recovery and we shall look forward to seeing him back in action next season.

ST PIRAN’S DAY – 05 March

It is many years since we have had a home fixture on St Piran’s Day so, when we welcome our friends from Stourbridge, it will be to a substantial St Piran’s Day celebration. Redruth Rugby have come together with Redruth Town to stage an event to remember. There will be street entertainment and events going on in the town in the morning then, at 11.45, a procession from the town to the Recreation Ground, arriving at 12 noon. The procession will be made up of civic dignitaries, Cornish bards and societies, schools and performers. On arrival at the ground the procession will be met by a funfair, entertainment, stalls, an array of catering outlets – even a firewalk! RAF Culdrose will be conducting a fly past at 2.00 pm. So, it’s all the fun of the fair – with a rugby match thrown in!

HALL OF FAME LAUNCH – 25&26 March

Redruth Rugby is a Club with 135 years of history and tradition. As a means of celebrating that history and tradition, the Club has decided to launch a Hall of Fame to recognise and honour a number of outstanding individuals who, over many years, have added lustre to the name of Redruth Rugby. 29 members will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at a ceremony in the Clubhouse on the evening of Friday 25 March. On the following day, Saturday 26 March, prior to our match with Cinderford, the living Hall of Famers will be honoured at a formal luncheon in the Club’s Hospitality Suite. The Hall of Fame reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of Cornish Rugby and, among others, we hope to have Phil Vickery, Richard Sharp and Bonzo Johns present.

Other Hall of Famers: William Grylls, Bert Solomon, Maffer Davey, Fred Rule, Roy Jennings, Harry Faviel, Bill Phillips, Les Semmens, Keith Scott, Bill Bishop, John Phillips, Derek Collins, Ken Abrahams, Paddy McGovern, Harold Stevens, Derek Prout, Terry Pryor, Graham Still, Tony Cook, Richard Keast, Alan Buzza, Colin Laity, Andy Hawken, Alifereti Doviverata, Rob Thirlby, Darren Jacques.

20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF CORNWALL WINNING THE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1991 – 23 April

20 April 1991 is a date indelibly lodged in the minds of every Cornish rugby supporter – the day 40,000 Cornwall supporters descended on Twickenham to witness their team secure the County Championship for the first time in over 80 years. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this historic event we are issuing invitations to the living members of that Cornwall squad (sadly Tony Mead is no longer with us) to join us at the home of Cornish rugby. The 1991 squad are being invited to attend a buffet lunch after which they will be introduced to the crowd, prior to our match with Blaydon. Prior to the match a DVD of the historic 1991 match at Twickenham will be shown in the Clubhouse.

For further information please contact Redruth Rugby’s General Manager, Gerry Reilly, at geraldreilly31@btinternet.com or on 07748 695971