COUNTDOWN TO LEAGUE SEASON CONTINUES

By tea time on Sunday we will have an idea on how the last few weeks preperations have gone, as all our sides will have completed their opening league encounters, except of course for Cornwall league teams who start their campaign the following weekend along with London Cornish.

Last Saturday saw the Cornish Pirates travel to the Twickenham Stoop to take on troubled Harlequins from the Guinness Premiership, the result an encouraging 47-17 defeat, which bodes well for the forthcomming Championship campaign and the opening day fixture next Sunday at Nottingham. It looks like the Pirates have at long last un-earthed a playmaker at 10, which was cruelly lacking at times last season. Kiwi Jonny Bentley looks to the answer to the Pirates’ prayers. It’s also good to see winger Aisea Havili playing with renewed confidence after the torrid time he endured last season under the old regime. Outscored by 7 tries to 2, Bentley and Havili scoring their tries, the Pirates also have one or two injury doubts as they prepare to travel to Nottingham as centre Steve Winn and lock Ben Guillver suffered injuries during the game.

The Cornish All Blacks played on Friday night up at Taunton winning 20-3. A tough league opening for the Cornish All Blacks as they travel to Cinderford on Saturday.

Redruth had Development fixtures over the weekend against Penryn and Bude as they look to finalise their preparations for Saturday’s opening day fixture against Cambridge, with the trip to the Cornish All blacks the following Saturday and the visit of Esher the weekend after that Redruth’s opening program is challenging to say the least!!! There should be a big crowd on Saturday at the Rec as Redruth look to overturn the result in Cornwall last season when these two sides met. A 1 point win for the Reds will do nicely!

St. Ives have an intersting fixture at Clevedon in Tribute south West 1 West, whilst it’s Cornish derby time already in Tribute Western Counties West as Camborne host Wadebridge Camels and Newquay Hornets take on Penryn with Truro and Bude also in the league there will be no shortage on Cornish derbies to savour in this division this season!

So the waiting is nearly over……..Let battle commence…Good luck to all Cornish clubs this season.

Posted in Bill's Blog

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