Cornwall Games 2000


Tamar Cup 2000, Cornwall v Devon

Cornwall 13 : Devon 29

Hayle, Sunday 2nd April 2000

Cornwall were without county players from Penzance/Newlyn, Launceston, and Truro, while Devon were without players from Barnstaple and Brixton for this match, all these clubs having been in important cup or league matches the previous day. The result, particularly for Cornwall, was a disappointing match. Playing in rainy conditions, Devon made far fewer mistakes and were deserved winners. Cornish supporters can take heart from the fact that last season, with similar player unavailability, Cornwall lost this match but then went on to win the County Championship.

By half-time Cornwall were 15-0 down to 2 tries, a conversion and a penalty, and never looked like recovering. Then Cornish hopes were raised as the gap was closed to within 5 points with a try, conversion and a penalty all by Steve Larkins of Redruth. However, 4 minutes later Devon had pulled away again with a converted try before Larkins put over his second penalty. With 10 minutes to go Devon made the game safe with another converted try to give a final score of 29-13 in Devon's favour.

Cornwall team:

Tom Sincock (Clifton), Wesley Robinson (Penzance & Newlyn), Steve Larkins (Redruth), Andy Hymans (Redruth), Mark Rose (Exeter Chiefs), Kingsley Harding (Redruth), Stuart Turnbull (Redruth), Neil Douch (Redruth), Peter Bush (Redruth), Nick Croker (Redruth), Cullum Osborne (Camborne), Ian Goldsmith (Plymouth Albion), Andrew Joint (Ruislip and Redruth), Ian Boase (Redruth), Jon Polglase (Camborne).

Replacements: Danny Sloman (Launceston), Chris Mann (Penryn), Ricky Pellow (Bath), Barry Lucas (Launceston), Barry Sobey (Launceston), Julian Wilce (Launceston), Kevin Hughes (Penryn).


County Championship 2000

Group Games

Buckinghamshire 17 Cornwall 36

Marlow, Saturday 29th April , 2000. Report by John Prowse

In front of a large crowd of travelling Cornish supporters, Cornwall successfully came through their first game of this season's County Championship. In warm sunshine beside the Thames, the beer flowed freely while on the pitch both sides played some attractive running rugby.

The final try count was 6 to 2 in Cornwall's favour, which just about reflects the balance of play. The game was certainly no walkover for Cornwall. The scrummages were evenly matched. Cornwall had the better of the loose play and their backs looked the more dangerous. However, at times Buckinghamshire, playing with zest and determination, had Cornwall on the back foot.

Cornwall scored first after nine minutes, centre Paul Gadson going over following sustained pressure on the Buckinghamshire line and good interaction between the forwards and backs. Much of the first half was spent in the Buckinghamshire half as Cornwall, playing with the advantage of a slight slope, continued to dominate. Coming up to half time, the score was 24-0 to Cornwall, winger Steve Larkins having converted two of Cornwall's four tries. Then, on the stroke of half time, on one of their rare forays into Cornwall's half, Buckinghamshire scored. Following good combination play, a converted try made it 20-7 at half time.

Immediately after the restart, Buckinghamshire kicked a penalty and suddenly Cornwall's lead looked less secure. Buckinghamshire enjoyed their best period of the game. They started to play as if they believed they could win, and now it was Cornwall's turn to be pinned back in their own half. Luckily, the Cornish defence held. Realizing they had a match on their hands, Cornwall raised their game to score two more converted tries. Jimmy Tucker capped a fine display by completing his hat trick on 78 minutes. Right at the end, Buckinghamshire scored a breakaway try to make the final score 36-17 to Cornwall.

Cornwall try scorers: Paul Gadsdon (9), Jimmy Tucker (16), Andy Birkett (21), Jimmy Tucker (39), Steve Rush (67), Jimmy Tucker (78). Steve Larkins converted 3 of the 6 tries (all 3 after tries scored by Jimmy Tucker).

Team:
Andy Birkett (Penzance & Newlyn), Tom O'Donnell (Launceston), Paul Gadsdon (Penzance & Newlyn), Ed. Nancekivell (Launceston), Steve Larkins (Redruth), Jimmy Tucker (Launceston), Mark Roderick (Captain, Penzance & Newlyn), Richard Siveter (Bristol), Neil Grigg (Launceston), Steve Rush (Launceston), Glyn Hutchings (Launceston), Richard Carroll (Penzance & Newlyn), JJ Willcocks (Launceston), Adrian Bick (Penzance & Newlyn), Jason Atkinson (Penzance & Newlyn)

Replacements:
Ricky Pellow (Bath), Richard Hambly (Penryn), Simon Griffiths (Redruth), Andy Joint (Ruislip), Peter Risdon (Launceston), Barry Lucas (Launceston)

Cornwall 54 Middlesex 20

Camborne, Saturday 6th May, 2000. Report by Tom Prout

Cornwall gained their place in the quarter-final of the County Championship with a fine display of running rugby in which Launceston's Eddy Nancekivell, playing on the left wing, ran in four tries. To put the icing on the cake, Cornwall Colts beat Middlesex Colts 22-8 in a pre- match warm-up game.

Cornwall got the match off to a good start when in the second minute Steve Larkins put over a long-range penalty. Two more penalties soon followed and from then on Cornwall never looked back. Jason Atkinson scored the first try following some good forward play, with other first half tries coming from Nancekivell and Andy Birkett. Neil Grigg opened the scoring in the second half before Nancekivell capped a splendid individual performance by running in three successive tries. Two of the Cornwall tries were converted by Larkins and three by Steve Evans.

Team:
Andy Birkett (Penzance & Newlyn), Steve Larkins (Redruth), Paul Gadsdon (Penzance & Newlyn), Steve Evans (Penzance & Newlyn), Ed. Nancekivell (Launceston), Jimmy Tucker (Launceston), Mark Roderick (Captain, Penzance & Newlyn), Neil Douch (Redruth), Neil Grigg (Launceston), Steve Rush (Launceston), Glyn Hutchings (Launceston), Richard Carroll (Penzance & Newlyn), JJ Willcocks (Launceston), Adrian Bick (Penzance & Newlyn), Jason Atkinson (Penzance & Newlyn)

Replacements:
Ricky Pellow (Bath), Tom O'Donnell (Launceston), Simon Griffiths (Redruth), Julian Wilce (Launceston), Barry Sobey (Launceston), Barry Lucas (Launceston)

Quarter-final

Cornwall 27 Oxfordshire 16

Redruth, Saturday 13th May, 2000. Report by Tom Prout

Oxfordshire, made up almost entirely from Premiership club Henley Hawks, started clear favourites among the pundits and had Cornwall on the back foot for long periods of the match. Cornwall withstood wave after wave of attacks from Oxfordshire as forwards and backs combined to find a way through the resolute Cornish defence. But Cornwall held the ace card - the black and gold shirt and the pride that goes with it. Helped by Oxfordshire conceding penalties at crucial times, they took their chances well and sealed victory with two brilliant tries from stand-off Jimmy Tucker.

As early as the third minute the Oxfordshire centres were caught offside in front of the posts and Steve Larkins made no mistake with the penalty attempt. A second successful penalty kick followed. In the 20th minute scrum-half Ricky Pellow combined well with Tucker, who wrong-footed the defence to touch down the first of his two tries. Larkins converted to put Cornwall 16 points to the good. Oxfordshire scored in the 40th minute with a penalty, only for Larkins to reciprocate in injury time to make the score 19-3 in Cornwall's favour.

Oxfordshire, now with the wind at their backs, started the second-half strongly and regularly switched lines of attack. Their all-out effort was rewarded with an unconverted try. Yet another Larkin's penalty followed before Oxfordshire narrowed the gap to a nail-biting 6 points with an unconverted try in the scoreboard corner. Sensing victory, Oxfordshire piled into the attack but Cornwall were not to be denied and gradually pushed the visitors back up field. Then, with seven minutes of the second-half remaining, Cornwall fought their way in to hell-fire corner, where Tucker mesmerised the Oxfordshire defence with a darting run that took him clean through the cover for his second try and victory for Cornwall.

Cornwall team:
Andy Birkett (Penzance & Newlyn), Steve Larkins (Redruth), Paul Gadsdon (Penzance & Newlyn), Steve Evans (Penzance & Newlyn), Eddie Nancekivell (Launceston), Jimmy Tucker (Launceston), Ricky Pellow (Bath), Neil Douch (Redruth), Neil Grigg (Launceston), Richard Siveter (Bristol), Glyn Hutchings (Launceston), Adam Harris (Exeter), JJ Willcocks (Launceston), Adrian Bick (Penzance & Newlyn), Jason Atkinson (Captain, Penzance & Newlyn)

Replacements:
Tom O'Donnell (Launceston), Ian Boase (Redruth), Simon Griffiths (Redruth), Steve Rush (Launceston), Richard Carroll (Penzance & Newlyn)

Cornwall scorers: Jimmy Tucker 2 tries, Steve Larkins 5 penalties, 1 conversion

Semi-final

Yorkshire 46 Cornwall 15

Otley, Saturday 20th May 2000.

Following their heroic efforts in defeating an Oxfordshire side of Premiership players, this was a game too far for Cornwall. It's easy to make excuses: captain Mark Roderick and classy full-back Andy Birkett were both out injured; unlike last year, there was no Saumi, no Shipton, no Addinall; maybe the players found it difficult to raise their game twice in just seven days. The truth is Cornwall were outplayed in all departments by a very talented Yorkshire side who will undoubtedly go on to win the Championship. There's no disgrace in that: the Yorkshire team consisted almost entirely of Premiership and National League One players and the Cornish side tried their best to bridge the gap in class with passion and commitment.

Cornwall scored first after eleven minutes -- an unconverted try by winger Rocky Newton after good pressure from the forwards. It was the only time in the match they were to be ahead.

Three Cornwall players suffered facial injuries in the first fifteen minutes, and there were mutterings among the crowd that Cornwall were being "softened up" by cynical and dirty play, though the referee didn't see anything worthy of a booking. The worst injury was to winger Eddie Nancekivell, who had to go off for stitches to a badly cut lip, though he came back later.

The game was controlled by the Yorkshire fly-half Colin Stephens, formerly of Llanelli and Wales, who showed some delightful touches. Playing behind a powerful set of forwards, who regularly had Cornwall on the back foot, he prompted a string of tries from his fast and incisive backs. By half-time Yorkshire were already twenty points to the good and it was apparent that it wasn't going to be Cornwall's day. In the second half, Cornwall kicked a penalty and got a consolation converted try, in between further tries by Yorkshire.

About 500 Cornish supporters made the long trek to Yorkshire and outnumbered the Yorkshire supporters by maybe three to one. It wasn't all gloom. Although we lost the match, we won the singsong in the bar! Though, having gone through all the Cornish songs and started on Ilkley Moor Bar T' at, we had to rely on the locals for the words of the later verses! Seriously, we enjoyed some excellent Yorkshire hospitality, organized at short notice by the Otley club. We look forward to returning and reversing the result!

Cornwall team:
Steve Larkins (Redruth), Rocky Newton (Penzance & Newlyn), Paul Gadsdon (Penzance & Newlyn), Steve Evans (Penzance & Newlyn), Eddie Nancekivell (Launceston), Jimmy Tucker (Launceston), Ricky Pellow (Bath), Neil Douch (Redruth), Neil Grigg (Launceston), Steve Rush (Launceston), Glyn Hutchings (Launceston), Adam Harris (Exeter), JJ Willcocks (Launceston), Adrian Bick (Penzance & Newlyn), Jason Atkinson (Captain, Penzance & Newlyn)

Replacements:
Mark Chudleigh (Moseley), Tom O'Donnell (Launceston), B. Lucas (Launceston), Ian Boase (Redruth), Simon Griffiths (Redruth), Richard Siveter (Bristol), Julian Wilce (Launceston)

Cornwall scorers: Rocky Newton 1 try, Jason Atkinson 1 try, Steve Larkins 1 penalty, 1 conversion