Cornwall Under 20 side to face Gloucestershire

Cornwall Rugby Football Union (CRFU) Under 20 County Championship campaign 2024 concludes the pool stage with an away fixture to Gloucestershire in the Jason Leonard Cup. The team travel to Stow in the Wold RFC Sunday 5^th May with a 1400 kick off time.

CRFU President Andy Reed said “This final pool stage game means a trek for the young Black and Golds as we are travelling to Stow on the Wold. The result against Somerset was a boost for the guys and well deserved on a hot and sunny day at Taunton RFC. The errors and nerves from the first game seem to dwindle away and the team began to grow in confidence, and the result followed”.

Cornwall lost their first game away to Devon 7 – 41, so Sunday’s win v Somerset this result sees them move up the table. In the other pool game Devon beat Gloucestershire 36 – 21 to go top of the table.

Coach Rich Kevern said – “We know that any Gloucestershire side will be a strong test, they always have a big pack that will try and bully us. We need to play to our strengths and have some fast and exciting backs as well as an established pack. Playing any Gloucestershire side at home is never an easy task and this will be the first exposure to that element for some of these guys”.

Cornwall Captain Will Perkin said, – “After the Devon game we came away and did a lot of soul searching! That was not the way we had trained, or been expected to play, and we owed the Somerset result to the travelling supporters of Trelawny’s Army, and our families to put that right. The players know what is expected, what is needed, and we must as a group perform against what will be a strong Gloucestershire side. For some guys including myself this is their second year and last year playing for the U20’s, for others this is their first and only year of being eligible and we need to put in a performance”.

The CRFU Chair Dave Saunter said, -” The team needed to learn from their performance and move forward following the Devon game. The performance against Somerset was much improved, although not perfect, and I am sure the coaches will be working on those areas before they face Gloucestershire. We as a county know that they have trained hard and like Cornwall players at all levels can and will give 110% to wear that Black and Gold shirt, this year’s set of players are no different.”.

There will be marketing and sponsorship opportunities with the Under 20’s team and matches, any individuals or companies that may be interested are asked to contact Tanya Thomas of the CRFU in the first instance. 

29/04/2024
                            Gloucestershire U20 v Cornwall U20

Sunday 5^th May @ Stow on the Wold RFC 1400 kick off.

Coaches – Rich Kevern, Steele Barker, Jago Sheppard, David Mankee

Team Manager Colin Hatch, Assistant Terry Williams

Medical cover – Hen Gard + Sam West

Kit – Paul Hurrell, Photographer Simon Bryant, Match Day filming David Burrows, Multimedia – Kevin Bishop