It was a big day at Redruth on Saturday, the final home game of the season, safety from relegation still not ensured, Craig Bonds final home game, head-coach Ashley Morcom’s final time in charge at the Rec, Tom Notman and Craig Williams both running out for 100th appearance and Hon.Sec Roger Watson’s final home game before relinquishing his post in the summer.
Would it all prove too much for the boys? Well for 60 minutes the game ebbed and flowed one way then the other. The Redruth faithful, not for the first time this season, were on a roller-coaster ride of emotions.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man or men on this occasion, the Redruth pack conjured up three driving mauls that would have had the watching Cornwall Coach Graham Dawe purring with delight to finally put away a dogged Clifton side 34-15!
Five league points puts the Reds almost safe. They will hope that the results of the games between Launceston v London Irish Wild Geese and Bishop’s Stortford v Chinnor go their way on Easter Saturday so that they will not need to go to Cambridge in need of a point or two on Saturday week!
Bill Sobey’s match report from the WMN in the link
Talking of Launceston, they have two home games to get themselves out of jail, as mentioned against the Wild Geese on Saturday and then Shelford on the final Saturday of the season.
Saturday they travelled up to Ding’s Crusaders and came away with nothing as they lost 36-24 and find themselves still occupying the third from bottom position that will mean the drop if they stay there.
Nigel Walrond’s match report via WMN
I am sure every Cornish rugby fan will hope and pray that BOTH our Cornish sides can stay in National League 2 next season. It is vital for Cornish rugby.
In the Tribute South West 1 West league, Hornets are virtually confirmed as Champions after defeating Cleve 33-17 and will be so as their next game is against bottom of the table Sidmouth. Congratulations to them.
St. Austell completed their league program with a 43-27 home win over North Petherton and currently sit in the play-off spot, however with Camborne (one game) and Chard (two games) to play and just three points behind know that they are unlikely to contest the play-off this season.
Tries for the Saints were scored by Adam Kellow (2), Darren Pellow, Paul Winterbottom, Ben Chenoweth, Matt Shepherd and Konno Edudze. Shepherd added four conversions.
Last Wednesday evening St. Austell qualified for the final of this season Tribute Cornwall Knock Out Cup defeating a brave Saltash side 53-16, but had to dig deep when they turned around at half-time trailing the Ashes 13-11!
The second semi-final will take place this Wednesday evening at 6-30 pm when Camborne host Penryn at the Rec.
Camborne travelled to the Molesworth field on Saturday for a vital Cornish derby for both sides. Camborne’s 34-19 win keeps their play-off hopes alive but sadly sees Wadebridge Camels relegated back to Western Counties West next season. Sam Bartle (2) Alex Ducker (2) and Dave Roberts scored tries for the Cherry and Whites with Grant Thirlby kicking three conversions and a penalty.
For the Camels, James Grubb, Matt Ballard and Will Pengelly scored tries with Grubb adding two conversions.
In Tribute Western Counties West, a depleted Truro finished their season with defeat against champions Ivybridge 31-12 at St. Clements Hill.
With Kingsbridge five points behind but with still three games to play it’s likely that Truro will finish in fifth place, which should please the coaching set-up of Josh Lord and Mark Richards for their first season.
Tom Hatfield and Dan Marsh scored tries for Truro with Chevvy Reed adding a conversion.
Penryn won the derby game at St. Ives 29-20. Dan Booth(2), Mitch Vague, George Jones and Ethan Pattison scored tries for the Borough with Rob Banks adding a couple of conversions.
For the Hakes, Tyler Gendall, Neil Corin and Ben Jenkins scored tries with Kelvin James adding a penalty and conversion.
Despite the defeat for St. Ives they stay up at the expense of Bude who lost 62-10 at Burnham and will play in the Cornwall & Devon League next season. Paul Cholwill and Ben Hancock scored the North Cornwall side’s tries.
In London 2 SW, London Cornish’s great 7 match winning run was brought to a halt by Champions Guildford 48-21, despite the exiles being 21-0 up at the turn!
Ben Levers, Mark Osei-Tutu and Joe Skinnard scored the tries for Cornish with Luke Spells bagging all three conversions.
As DoR Dickon Moon concluded in his match report; “Cornish can use this game both as a blueprint of the level they need to reach to challenge at this level, and as a means of establishing where they need to improve in the close season. The team have made giant strides since the 8th placed finish of last season, and have one more hurdle to overcome to ensure this set of players makes a small piece of LCRFC history by nailing the highest ever finish the club has made in the league hierarchy in a couple of weeks time.”
In Tribute Cornwall and Devon League; Newquay Hornets fulfilled their fixture at Honiton going down 105-0 ensuring they start next season with a clean sheet in Cornwall 1.
Veor also completed their final fixture at this level going down at Exeter Saracens 57-19.
Pirates Amateurs still have one more game to play following their 76-7 loss at Champions Exeter University, whilst Hayle who lost 51-6 at Tiverton also have one more game to play.
Saltash completed their league program with a 33-26 defeat at Moorlands against OPM’s.
In the Tribute Cornwall Clubs Cup the semi-finals for this Saturday are Illogan Park v Liskeard-Looe and Helston v Perranporth.
Runners-up in Cornwall 1 Bodmin will play Devon 1 runners-up Totnes for a place in the Cornwall Devon League next season this Saturday at Clifden Park.
On Sunday the Cornish Pirates brought the curtain down on their home Championship program losing 40-20 to play-off contenders Rotherham Titans.
After defeat the previous Sunday to Pontypridd in the British and Irish Cup, it was difficult to see how the boys would lift themselves having suffered huge disappointment, however they stared encouragingly with first half tries from Tom Riley and a great effort from the pack for a penalty-try. Pirates led 20-7 at the break.
In the second half the little maestro Juan-Pablo Socino pulled the strings and Titans showed their running skills most notably from centre Jack Roberts to run in a further five tries and secure the play-off spot.
Head coach Ian Davies’ post match thoughts in the WMN link
Match report from Bill Sobey in this link
Pirates will finish their season with two away games at Bedford this Saturday and then Leeds the following Friday night.
Congratulations to Jack Stanley currently in Poland with England Under 18’s where England are defending their FIRA-AER European Under 18 title. Jack came off the bench and scored a try in England’s opening win against Portugal.
Tomorrow, Tuesday Jack is in the starting XV as England take on Wales for a place in the final.
Also to Locryn Williams who is with England Schools & Clubs Under 18’s at the French Rugby Federation’s Marcoussis headquarters just outside of Paris to take part in a triangular tournament against Ireland and France.
