Cornwall Women’s interest in this season’s Gill Burns Cup came to an end on Sunday as they lost their second and final group game, reports Bill Hooper.
The Cornish side will be pleased to have picked up a try-scoring
bonus point as some consolation for the hard work they have put in for the
campaign.
Team Manager Lorri Osman was full of praise for the side. She said. “Off the back of last week’s performance the ladies were ready for the second round of Gill Burns cup. Despite a very strong Somerset side with players from Tyrrells Premier 15 and Championship clubs on their team sheet, the score did not reflect the 80 minute battle that was to take place. “With one try disallowed for Cornwall I think the ladies heads dropped slightly but they never gave up. They have a lot to be proud of from yesterday considering the quality players they are up against.
Cornwall Women under the Taunton posts – photo Barbara Hocking
“Three eligible U.18 girls featured in the squad with Leona
Hughes hard work being rewarded with forward of the match alongside Jo Roberts
as back of the match.
“These ladies have a lot to be proud of this season despite score- lines. They have reduced the deficit against Dorset and Wilts and took it to a very strong Somerset side.
“We continue to build on the past two seasons with training planned to start even earlier next season and getting to play as a team earlier. Special mention to Kev Luke and Gav Mountjoy who stood in at short notice as coaches and have bought a very different dynamic to the squad.Also to Rob Durant who has been tirelessly working with the ladies monitoring injuries and getting them back on the pitch.
Cornwall on the attack – photo Barbara Hocking
“Special mention for Trelawny’s Army who supported us so
magnificently throughout the game and made the match day experience special for
the girls.”
By Bill Hooper, at Medway with photos by Simon Bryant
Fraser Honey’s
penalty three minutes from time sealed an important opening day win for
Cornwall in this season’s Bill Beaumont Cup.
As is often the case when Cornwall face a side with “higher league” players in it, the black and golds roared on by Trelawny’s Army lifted their game to more than match their opponents.
The forwards had a
towering game, typified by prop Dan Job from Lanner who went the full eighty, the
tackle count put in was huge as the Cornish lads put their bodies on the line,
ably led as you would expect by skipper Ben Hilton.
In weather more akin to March rather than May Cornwall began strongly playing into a strong breeze.
Following a string of
penalties and some good drives from the forwards, notably Tony Whittle, Sam
Stevens, on his Cornwall debut, crashed over for Cornwall’s opening try on
seven minutes, which Honey converted.
Kent came back at
Cornwall with determination putting in some big forward drives notably through
their locks Mark Davey and Dave Irvine, but Cornwall matched them.
Cornwall’s back row was working hard with Grant Randlesome, Stevens and Brad Howe all prominent.
However, the pressure finally told when the hosts finished off a catch and drive near the Cornwall line flanker Freddie Owen getting the try. Frank Reynolds tied the scores with his successful conversion.
Both sides had half
chances before half-time with the dangerous Kent wing Kwaku Asiedu having to be
closely watched at all times by Dean Bonds, however it remained 7-all up to the
break.
Cornwall again began the second half well with Honey kicking a penalty as Kent were caught offside.
Jon Dawe and Jack
Simmons provided a cutting partnership in the centre, whilst also defending
like terriers.
Livewire scrum-half Charlie Edwards was proving to be a thorn in Cornwall’s side with his snipping breaks, and as Kent piled on the pressure near the Cornwall line, the visitors gave away a string of penalties that tried the patience of the referee resulting in a yellow card for Jack Oulton.
A couple of phases
later and Cornwall still being adjudged of being the culprits referee Wigley
awarded Kent a penalty-try.
Cornwall began to
look to the bench for some fresh legs as they used the wind well to kick for
position.
The Cornish response
was clinical when Kent went down to fourteen men with Irvine sent to the bin from
a powerful drive the forwards went over the line with Rob Elloway sneaking in
under a pile of bodies for an unconverted try.
Moments later with Kent pressing in the Cornwall half, a stray pass from Kieran Moffat was snaffled by Alex Ducker who was in the clear and made no mistake going in under the posts to the joy of Trelawny’s Army.
Cornwall had a good
advantage going into the final ten but the game was far from safe and when
replacement scrum-half Jack Daly taped in the Cornwall twenty-two his pass to Asiedu
put the winger in. Reynolds’ conversion brought Kent back to within a point.
George Jones put in a big shift off the bench as did Rupert Edwards with the forwards earning Cornwall a penalty on the Kent twenty-two, Honey calmly slotted the kick to put Cornwall four points up in time added on.
Following the game
Cornwall’s head coach was satisfied with the win. He said. “It was tough
conditions out there against a very good side, I thought we managed the
conditions well. We did well to go in at half-time level and then have the wind
second half. It was a little bit frustrating at times trying to understand the
referee’s interpretation of the ruck. I thought our back row was outstanding
today, work rate was high and they defended well.
“Our props Dan Job
and Jess Tompsett stood up well, the forwards work rate was top draw, now we
have to back it up against Hertfordshire next week.”
Kent (Blackheath
unless stated): Bryan Hotston (O.Elthamians), Elliot Simmons, Kieran Moffat (O
Elthamians), M Cooke (Capt), Kwaku Asiedu (Cambridge), Frank Reynolds
(Tunbridge Wells), Charlie Edwards (Tonbridge Juddians), Tom Williams, Nathan
Morris (O Elthamians), Danny Herriott, Mark Davey, Dave Irvine (both Tonbridge
Juddians), Freddie Owen, Mike Hathaway (Tunbridge Wells), Tom Stradwick.
Replacements: Ryan
Jackson (Tonbridge Juddians), Billy Young, Stefan North, Nathan Thomas (both O.
Elthamians), Tom Beaumont (Medway), Jack Daly, Alfie Orris (Medway)
Kent scores: Tries
Owen, Penalty, Asiedu, Cons Reynolds 2
Yellow Card: Irvine
(60)
Cornwall (Redruth
unless stated): Rhys Brownfield (Camborne), Dean Bonds, Jack Simmons, Jon Dawe
(Plymouth Albion), Alex Ducker (Camborne), Fraser Honey (Plymouth Albion), Jack
Oulton; Dan Job (Lanner), Rob Elloway (St. Ives), Jess Tompsett, Tony Whittle
(Camborne), Ben Hilton (Barnstaple, Capt), Grant Randlesome (Penryn), Sam Stevens,
Brad Howe.
Replacements: Matt
Ballard (Wadebridge Camels), Charlie Nicholson (St. Austell), Rupert Edwards (Wadebridge
Camels), George Jones (Penryn), Kyle Speare (Bude), Richie Kevern, Taron
Peacock (Camborne).
The second TASC sponsored 2 Counties Colts finals took place at Exeter Saracens RFC yesterday. Disappointingly a few sides have dropped out for one reason or another, so the program was a little truncated.
The results are as follows;
Bowl: Exeter Saracens v Okehampton no score known, but Exeter Saracens won
Plate: Saltash 40 – 7 Brixham
Cup & Shield : Launceston 17 – 45 Topsham
Huge thanks to everyone who has had to work doubly hard to get this on, especially Lee Maher.
Devon Bennett-Murray is awarded the Ewart White Memorial trophy as Cornish Player of the tournament
Congratulations to Devon Bennett-Murray from Saltash Colts, who was awarded the Ewart White Memorial Trophy as the best Cornish Player on the day.
As another season has passed, we have more girls playing more rugby in Schools, we have more players looking for more playing opportunities and whilst I have an insight as to how the County looks now, we have no forum currently for the clubs to look into the future, this needs to be addressed urgently and for that reason we are calling a meeting at Bodmin RFC – May 15th, 7pm Start for anyone currently involved or that would like to get involved in the W&G’s game in the County…
On the agenda will be;
County WAGS Committee – New Competitive Rugby for Clubs County Rugby Coach Development Safeguarding RFU Plans for the Future
plus anything else we need to discuss, our County Chairman has kindly offered to chair the meeting, which reiterates how important the management board take the current set up.
Please share far and wide, we have a growing game on our hands and we need to make sure we have control of it! #TeamCornwall
As expected there is a strong representation from Redruth in the Cornwall side to face Kent on Saturday with no less than seven players is the match day squad.
Dan Job, who did so well in the Tamar Cup, retains his place in the side marking the first ever County Championship cap for a player from Lanner.
The Cornish backline looks very tasty with Alex Ducker and Dean Bonds on the wing whilst the mid-field duo of Jon Dawe and Jack Simmons looks promising.
Cornwall Ladies following their game against Dorset & Wilts
CORNWALL WOMEN TRAVEL TO SOMERSET THIS SUNDAY
By Bill Hooper
Cornwall Women resume
their Gill Burns Cup campaign this Sunday at the Commspluss Stadium Hyde Park,
Taunton against Somerset Women, kick-off 2:30 pm.
Cornwall Women lost
their opening fixture at Launceston last Sunday to group favourites Dorset
& Wilts in a tight game with the visitors only pulling away on the
scoreboard in the final ten minutes to end up 27-10 winners.
The coaches have made a few changes to the side that lost to Dorset & Wilts, both youngsters from Liskeard-Looe, Megan Stroff (wing) and Leona Hughes (No.8) come into the starting XV, whilst Elizabeth Stacey is set for a first cap off the bench. Verity Waters also comes onto the bench.
Cornish Pirates’ co-coach Alan Paver had said
pre-match “Our team will be chomping on the bit to
get out onto the pitch and aim for a win”, and so it proved. In the process the
result also cemented a fifth-place finish in the league.
The Pirates side showed a number of changes in
their starting line-up from the side that six days earlier defeated Yorkshire
Carnegie at home. Will Cargill returned at fly-half, whilst in the forwards
Jack Andrew was named at prop and Dan Lee partnered skipper Brett Beukeboom in
the second-row.
On a cool and blustery afternoon at Castle Park the
Knights started well, two penalty awards enabling them to acquire territory
from where in the sixth minute wing Curtis Wilson was gifted a try that was
converted by fly-half Kurt Morath.
Wasting little time to hit back the Pirates soon
registered their opening score, wing Robin Wedlake following up a nudge ahead
from full-back AJ Cant to dot down his eleventh Championship try of the season.
On a less than easy day for kicking, fly-half Will Cargill was unable to add
the extra two points.
After ‘Donny’ lost the services of two personnel
through injury, midway through the first half Jack Andrew scored from close
range to give the Pirates a lead.
Showing a real focus and determination to kick on,
a third try for the Pirates was scored by No. 8 Tom Duncan, a fourth bonus
point try then followed from Dan Frost, and the energetic hooker scored again
just before the break. All three tries were converted by Cargill to give the Pirates
a 31-7 half-time lead.
Into the second period, as per the first half it
was the home side who scored first, this time with a spectacular counter
effort. It was started by Wilson and finished off by full-back Cameron Cowell,
with Morath again converting.
After Doncaster conjured up one more try, hooker
Ben Hunter emerging from a mass of bodies to stretch over the whitewash, the
Pirates added pressure on the throttle to finish strongly. A penalty kicked by
Cargill provided settle, wing Alex O’Meara
crossed for try number six and there was a last-minute converted score
for replacement Maliq Holden.
Thrilled overall with
the performance, Alan Paver commented post-match:
“After a couple of
rough months, we are absolutely over the moon. To have finished as strong as we
have with a good win at home against Yorkshire Carnegie last week and then
topping the season off with a show like today is just great. In the process we
also played some outstanding rugby.
“Our game plan in the
first half worked well, so it was important that we strived to stick to task in
the second forty. Doncaster are a good side and they managed a couple of
scores, however credit to our guys for finishing the game so well.
“For us, the campaign
had been in danger of petering out for various reasons, so it was extra
important that we finished with a flourish to lead us into next season, which
is going to be super-exciting for the club.”
‘Paves’
was speaking from the heart, and he is probably right. In the meantime,
supporters should sit back and relax, as summer will pass in a flash.
Doncaster Knights: 15 Cameron Cowell, Curtis Wilson (19 Tom
Hicks, 54) 13 Jack Roberts, 12 Mat Clark (22 Lloyd Hayes, 12), 11 Paul Jarvis,
10 Kurt Morath, 9 Tom James (21 Dwayne Polataivao, 45); 1 Richard List (17 Robin
Hislop, 46), 2 Ben Hunter (16 James Malcolm, 62), 3 Colin Quigley (18 Joe
Sproston, 62), 4 Matt Challinor, 5 Nick Civetta, 6 Ryan Burrows, 7 Michael
Hills (c), 8 Rory Pitman (20 Sam Jones, 19).
Cornish Pirates: 15 AJ Cant, 14 Robin
Wedlake (21 Maliq Holden, 49), 13 Rory Parata (22 Dan Koster, 49), 12 Callum
Patterson, 11 Alex O’Meara, 10 Will Cargill, 9 Alex Day (20 Alex Schwarz, 61);
1 Jack Andrew (17 Marlen Walker, 59), 2 Dan Frost, 3 Jack Owlett (16 Tom Concu,
59), 4 Dan Lee, 5 Brett Beukeboom (c, 18 Nodar Cheishvili, 73), 6 Matt Bolwell,
7 John Stevens, 8 Tom Duncan (19 Jake Clemson, 41).
Scorers:
Doncaster Knights – tries: 14 Curtis Wilson (6), 15 Cameron Cowell
(48), 2 Ben Hunter (60); cons: 10 Kurt Morath (6, 48).
Cornish Pirates – tries: 14 Robin Wedlake (10), 3 Jack Andrew
(19), 8 Tom Duncan (25), 2 Dan Frost (32, 38), 11 Alex O’Meara (72), 21 Maliq
Holden (80); cons: 10 Will Cargill (25, 32, 38, 80); pen: 10 Will Cargill (65).
Referee: Ian
Tempest (RFU)
Attendance: 1065
‘Stirlo’ To Return to The Pirates
The
Cornish Pirates last week confirmed the appointment of Chris Stirling as their
Director of Rugby for a three-year term, commencing on the 1st May.
Kiwi Chris joins from Yorkshire Carnegie, where he
became their Director of Rugby in March last year.
Now aged 56, Chris first visited Cornwall for a seven weeks spell in the
autumn of 2008, giving the Pirates advice on how the game had changed and was
being played in the southern hemisphere under the ELVs.
His time
in the Duchy was a positive one and having impressed many it was perhaps no
surprise to hear in January 2009 that he had been appointed in the new role of
High Performance Manager for the start of the following season.
With
Chris at the helm the Pirates became the first ever winners of the British
& Irish Cup in 2010, whilst he also in 2011 led them to a two-legged RFU
Championship final against Worcester Warriors, which was lost by an aggregate
score of 46-32.
Reluctantly
departing the Pirates in April 2012, due to there being a lack of clarity at
that time reference plans for the Stadium for Cornwall, Chris returned to New
Zealand to take up a role as High Performance Talent Identification Manager for
the New Zealand RFU. He later became General Manager High Performance
at the Hurricanes before his move to Yorkshire Carnegie.
Commenting
on Chris’s appointment, Dicky Evans has said:
“When it became
clear that Chris would become available the coaches and myself agreed that, as
a matter of priority, we should look at Chris to become our new Director of
Rugby – a position we have been looking at for some time.
“As many of our
supporters know, when Chris was with us before we enjoyed a brilliant period of
success, so he now returns to the Pirates with unfinished business.
“We now have the
opportunity to play at our new Stadium within a couple of years and
consequently Chris is on board to participate in a three-year programme to
hopefully win our league and who knows where that will take us. It will take an
immense amount of effort and planning to get into that position we all
have wanted for many years, to play for a place in the Premiership.
“Our new Stadium
will be fully equipped to help support our financial requirements, the actual
developments of which are in the final planning stage. It’s a huge ask for all
of us to get this right but we believe that we are taking the right approach
with our on-field planning by employing such a well-respected individual as
Chris Stirling.
“I do hope you will
all join me in welcoming Chris back into the fold.”
Chris is looking forward to his return to Cornwall, saying:
“My prior time in
Cornwall, with the Cornish Pirates, was a key factor in both my coaching and
personal development, and it is with great excitement that I return to the
Mennaye to rekindle my working relationship with Gavin, Alan and all involved
at the Pirates.
“All involved in
the rugby programme have achieved outstanding results over the last period and
the future is extremely exciting. As Director of Rugby my objective is to
assist with taking the Cornish Pirates to the next level of performance.”
Camborne Rugby Club has gone live with a Crowdfunder
campaign under the slogan “Trying together for Camborne” which aims to raise
vital funds to improve the changing facilities under the grandstand at the
iconic “Recreation Ground”.
‘Two years ago, in an incredible show of support, more
than 4,000 local people signed our petition to Keep Rugby at the Rec’ explained
Cherry & Whites Chairman Andy Gill.
‘This petition was successful and has safeguarded the Recreation
Ground for 99 years as a sporting facility for the town’ he added.
The facilities at the Recreation are in need of major
investment and the Club set about a three phased project under the banner
‘Project 2018’ to deliver the necessary improvements.
Phase 1, the West Bank spectator improvement was completed
last year. Phase 2 beginning later this month will see new entrance gates, the
laying of a new water main and improvements in the boiler room.
Funds to plan ahead for Phase 3, the refurbishment of the
changing rooms are now the subject of the Crowdfunder appeal. Plans have been
drawn up and passed and the project is fully supported by the Town Council.
The Club are delighted to have
the backing of Newcastle Falcons Premiership star and Fiji International Josh
Matavesi.
Matavesi was a guest at the last South West Premier home
game and on hand to launch the £20,000 appeal.
‘Now is the time to improve and modernise these areas
which are vital for the current and future players to prosper.’ commented
Matavesi who began his rugby in the Cherry & Whites mini/junior section.
Picture caption: (Front L-R) Denis Preece and Marc Bishop are joined by CRFU Representative rugby Chair, Chris Lea (back left) and Cornwall Rugby player, Rhys Brownfield.
Tribute extends ‘vital’ sponsorship deal with Cornwall Rugby
Cornwall Rugby Football Union (CRFU) has announced a three-year
sponsorship agreement with Tribute Cornish Pale Ale, renewing a successful
relationship between the two organisations that has run for more than seven
years.
The new deal starts with immediate effect and covers sponsorship of both
the men’s and women’s County Championship teams, and the annual Tribute
Cornwall Cup and Tribute Cornwall Clubs Cup, which have recently been won by
Wadebridge Camels RFC and Newquay Hornets RFC.
Denis Preece, Chairman of the Cornwall Rugby Football Union (CRFU) said:
“The CRFU is delighted with the continued support that St Austell Brewery
provides through Tribute. It’s vital to the progress of the county teams.
“We are also excited with the generous inclusion of a bonus payment if
the team reaches the County Championship final in Twickenham. It’s a great
incentive for the boys.”
Marc Bishop, Trade Marketing Manager at St Austell Brewery, said: “St
Austell Brewery is really pleased to continue its support of Cornish Rugby. Our
long-term partnership with the CRFU has been a key component in the growth of
Tribute, which is now one of the UK’s leading premium ales.
“We are very proud to work so closely with our friends at the CRFU, and
the wider rugby family in the county, to help them develop the game at all
levels.”
For more than twelve years Tribute Cornish Pale Ale has been a key
sponsor of the South West Rugby Football Union and the local leagues across
Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.
With the conclusion of the play-offs last Saturday we now know our Cornish clubs that have secured promotion for next season.
Congratulations to Launceston RC on their fine win against Old Centralians on Saturday fighting back from 0-19 down to win 33-22, with player coach Ryan Westren scoring three tries!
Launceston are now back in the South West Premier next season and can look forward to some fine Cornish derbies against Camborne.
Good to see Penryn finally getting back to Western Counties West next season having won the Cornwall & Devon League, well deserved for all at the Borough, with some good derbies against near neighbours Falmouth to look forward to.
Well done also to Veor, who dominated Cornwall 1 this season and are back in the Cornwall & Devon League next season.
Congratulations to St. Agnes who took Cornwall 2 as well as winning the Tribute Clubs Plate.
They are joined by St. Just as runners-up in Cornwall 2.
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