BILL HOOPER’S CORNISH ROUND UP
Here we go again, the season is up and running as most clubs return to the their league programs, with the Cornwall 1 & 2 clubs battling it out for places in the RFU Junior Vase competition proper.
I took in the games at Camborne and the Cornish Pirates this weekend, plenty of talking points from both games, more of that later.
Top of the bill has to be Redruth’s great start to their National League 2 South campaign with a good win 36 – 31 and five league points at Southend, never an easy place to get a result.
Despite leading 15-6 at half-time and then 22-9 early in the second half, the Reds found themselves behind 28-22 with just 10 minutes to go.
Tries from Rhodri McAtee and Tom Simmons both converted by Ashley Hosking swung the game back finally in the Reds’ favour.
You can read Ed Bawden’s match report from Sunday’s Western Morning News in the link.
The Cornish All Blacks could only salvage a losing bonus point at Polson Bridge losing 18-19 against a Bishop’s Stortford side that many pundits are tipping to be there or thereabouts come April in the promotion stakes.
Trailing 15-6 at the break the All Blacks stormed back during the second half but the visitors managed to score a third try to put the game safe.
Pale Nonu scored a try on his return to Polson as did debutant Matt Shepherd.
Match report by Suzanne Cleve from Sunday’s Western Morning News in the link.
All roads will lead to the Recreation Ground next Saturday when Redruth take on the Cornish All Blacks in the first of this season’s Cornish Derbies.
On Sunday at the Mennaye the Cornish Pirates got their season off to a disappointing start going down to Yorkshire Carnegie by 29-18.
Head coach Ian Davies was disappointed with the result and more than a little perplexed that his side were penalised so often by the referee especially at scrum time. In a game of some 41 penalties it was surprising that no yellow cards were shown!
He also felt that a missed penalty by Kieran Hallett just before half-time coupled with Yorkshire Carnegie scoring an early second half try through flanker Chris Jones effectively took the game away from the Pirates.
Former International Jones had a big game for the Yorkshire side showing his class throughout.
On the plus side the Pirates showed plenty of endeavour and worked hard playing to the end to score a couple of tries through their Canadian Internationals Matt Evans and Aaron Carpenter, also a lot of the boys were playing their first Championship game having made some big steps up from lower levels, it is inevitable that it will be a learning curve for many as the season progresses. Flanker Alex Cheesman again showed his undoubted class in the Pirate’s back row, though they did miss club skipper Chris Morgan out following his injury against the Reds.
For a full report you can read Bill Sobey’s from today’s Western Morning News in the link.
In the regional leagues; Tribute South West 1 West, there were winning starts for both Cornish clubs. Camborne needed a last gasp penalty-try to defeat North Petherton 40-34, in a roller-coaster of game that Camborne at one stage looked set to run away with.
You can read my report from the West Briton site in the link.
Post match reaction from Head Coach Liam Chapple will be in this Thursday’s West Briton.
St. Austell defeated Bridgwater & Albion 25-17 at Tregorrick Park. Saints pulled away in the final ten minutes to secure the win thanks to a Jack Grigg try. Other tries came from Paul Winterbottom and Sam Tank with Andy Ashwin kicking the points.
In Tribute Western Counties West Truro got the better of Kingsbridge 29-21 at St Clements. Truro scored tries through Ieuan Boon, Jake Champion, Will Booth and Ollie Dell with Champion adding three conversions and a penalty.
Penryn also had an opening day win against Sidmouth 25-10.
Wadebridge Camels had an opening day loss to the much-fancied Exeter University side 23-21. It was a last gasp drop-goal that gave the students the spoils at the Molesworth Field.
Camels fought back with tries from Dom Hawkey and Ben Miskey with their other points coming from the boot of Sam Fox and Dan Thomas but were pipped at the death.
St. Ives lost at home to Devonport Services 27-17.
In the Tribute Cornwall & Devon League; there were good wins for Bude 49-36 at South Molton and Pirates Amateurs 50-0 at the Mennaye against Exeter Saracens. Saltash lost at Moorlands 27-24 to Crediton, Bodmin, their first game at this level, 26-15 to Withycombe, Falmouth at Paignton 34-5 and Liskeard-Looe at Lux Park to Honiton 8-37. Hayle’s game against OPM’s was postponed due to a wedding.
Good report from the North Devon Journal on Bude’s win in the link
In the quarter-finals of the qualifying competition for the RFU Junior Vase, Veor beat Lanner 19-8, St.Agnes defeated Lankelly-Fowey 68-12, Roseland beat Camelford 31-0 and Illogan Park won at St. Just 69-7.
