CORNISH PIRATES 62 – 47 ROTHERHAM TITANS
This game was a defence coach’s nightmare but for the spectator an absolute feast of try-scoring, and there were some very good ones too, scored by both sides reports Bill Hooper from the Mennaye Field.
“Who’d want to be coach?” Alan Paver post Titans
For those who love to watch entertaining rugby then this was the game to be at.
People were barely settled in their seats before Phil Westren’s busy day on the tannoy started as centre Pete Laverick dashed in for the opening score.
Further tries from wings Alex O’Meara and Kyle Moyle, either side of an opening reply from Titan’s scrum-half Rhodri Davies, who had a stellar performance for the visitors, had the Pirates 21-7 up and sniffing a bonus point after just 15 minutes.
It was then ding-dong all the way up to half-time. The thorn in the Pirates’ side Davies then drew a penalty try when high-tackled heading for the Newlyn Gate corner by his opposite number Alex Day.
Not to be outdone hooker Tom Cowan-Dickie notched a score for the front row union but Titan’s Luke Peters try kept them in the hunt.
Laurence May then added a penalty to his four conversions soon making it five as Moyle completed his brace with a beauty of a try and a 38-21 lead.
In keeping with the nature of the game, back came the Titans before half-time when prop Tom Williams was driven over, Lee Miller’s fourth conversion making it 38-28 whilst we all drew breath over the half-time cuppa.
Could both sides keep it up during the second forty? The answer proved to be a resounding yes! Cowan-Dickie completed his brace of tries following great work by prop Marlen Walker.
Rotherham just didn’t lie down, with almost an immediate riposte coming from the rapier like dart of Davies for his second try of the game.
Pirates’ Argentinian centre and skipper Nicolas De Battista got in amongst the forwards as the pack drove over in the Newlyn Gate corner.
Davies then completed his hat-trick of tries before replacement prop Luke Cole bagged a 7th try for the visitors, in a blink Titans were back to within five points!
Nerves were calmed as the Pirates managed to get a penalty-try award, with the final points of the game coming from a Will Cargill penalty with the final kick of the game.
After the game coach Alan Paver quipped. “Who would want to be a coach? We had issues around the ruck area which Titans exposed effectively and some of our discipline fell short. Both areas will be addressed this week going forward.
“On the positive side our attacking play has been our brightest star today when we have the ball in hand we look electric and we can open sides up. From a technical point of view, the set-piece went well, we have put in a lot of work over the past few weeks and it’s beginning to show.”
Cornish Pirates scores: Tries: Laverick (2), O’Meara (5), Moyle (12, 38), Cowan-Dickie (21, 43), De Battista (53), Penalty (71), Cons: L. May (3,6,13,22,39,44), Pens: L. May (33), Cargill (80)
Rotherham Titans scores: Tries: Davies (7, 47, 54), Penalty (18), Peters (24), Tom Williams (40), Cole (62), Cons: Millar (8, 25, 40, 48), Ryan (63)
