GILL BURNS CUP DIVISION 2
CORNWALL WOMEN 31 – 27 DEVON WOMEN
By Bill Hooper at Polson Bridge.
On a glorious afternoon at Polson Bridge both sides served up a feast of attacking rugby for the four figure crowd.
For Cornwall the spoils of the game and with it the Tamar Cup that captain Amy Bunt proudly lifted in front of the grandstand.
Devon too had much to celebrate, two bonus points from the game enough to see them top the group and advance to the semi-finals.
Devon kicked off towards the Devon end and immediately put Cornwall under pressure.
Cornwall defended well but gave away too many penalties, eventually the Devon pressure told when the ball was worked wide to wing Charleigh Hopkin to dot down.
Having missed the conversion Devon’s Beth Plumpton kicked a routine penalty from in front of the posts to stretch their lead.
Cornwall needed to get into the game, Abi Smith sounded the charge with a good run, the first of many. Cornwall kicked a penalty to the corner from which scrum-half Amy Warman fed Michaella Roberts, the No.8 used her strength to power over for a try bettered by Georgia Hall.
Roberts was again involved when Cornwall took the lead, she linked with Smith who’s pass found Bunt who scored an unconverted try in the corner.
Smith then showed her defensive qualities with a crunching tackle on a Devon player that left her square on her back!
The threat from Devon on the wings was still there and when the ball reached Issy Edworthy the Okehampton wing showed her speed to outpace the cover and score under the sticks allowing Plumpton a simple conversion.
Despite losing No.8 Megan Heath to a yellow card Devon scored again before half-time through the impressive Edworthy, Plumpton’s extras giving the visitors a 22-12 lead at half-time.
The break allowed the Cornwall Women’s team from 1994 to parade around the ground, players that Cornwall head coach Jo Holden described as “true pioneers who laid the foundations for what we have now.”
Cornwall came out for the second half in determined mood. An early try-scoring chance just failed to go to hand with line beckoning.
The Cornish forwards through Roberts, Kim Upcott and Izzy Burrows were making ground.
A quick tap penalty from Warman near the Devon line led to Meg Okey charging over near the posts allowing Hall the conversion.
Just as Cornwall had Devon in their sights a moment of lapse concentration allowed Edworthy to escape the clutches to score her third try.
With both sides turning to their respective benches, it was Cornwall who finished the stronger. Leading by example Bunt shrugged off a tackle to score in the corner to bring Cornwall to within three points.
Devon then lost Plumpton to a yellow card as Cornwall now pressed hard.
The winning score came from another quick tap penalty from Warman who found Smith who scored near the posts, Hall’s conversion completed the scoring as Cornwall saw out the game.
Speaking after the match head coach Jo Holden said. “They put everything out there today I am so proud of each and every one of them.
“Winning the Tamar Cup is a huge milestone for us as we strive to improve each season, this is a very good Devon side we beat today. I can’t wait for next season and where it can take us as a group.”
Cornwall Women (Launceston unless mentioned): Amy Bunt (Ivybridge, Capt), Tia Larson (Bude), Abigail Smith, Georgia Hall (Penryn), Lisa Allin (Bude), Meg Okey (Ivybridge), Amy Warman; Libbie Cole, Teigan Aitkin (Penryn), Kim Upcott, Megan Arnold, Rhiannon Thomas, Rosie Ninnis (Penryn), Izzy Burrows (Truro), Michaella Roberts (Ivybridge).
Replacements: Janna Arnold, Jessica Varker (Helston), Josie Ninnis, Vinnie James (Bude), Nicole Rowland (Ivybridge), Faith Rowe (Camborne), Lydia Hawkins (Falmouth).
Cornwall scores: Tries Roberts 19, Bunt 24, 56, Okey 52, Smith 74, Cons, Hall 20, 53, 75
Referee: Rob Lowe (Plymouth RRS)
Crowd: 1,054
Cornwall Star Player: Michaella Roberts
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