Cornwall defeated Devon 15-0 in the annual Tamar Cup match on Sunday 23rd November at Penryn. This match, coming just one week before the start of the county championship, was a vital build-up for that tournament.
The team included 7 Launceston players, 2 from Redruth, 2 from Penzance/Newlyn, and one each from St Ives, Hayle, Truro, and Penryn. There would have been 8 Launceston players, but unfortunately No. 8 Dean Shipton dislocated his shoulder in the game against Bracknell on 15th November, and is ruled out. Let's hope he recovers in time for at least some of the county championship games!
Team:
(Launceston unless otherwise
stated):
D. Sloman, S. Larkins (Pz/Newlyn), K.Thomas (Truro), E.
Nancekivell, R. Thirlby (Redruth), J.Tucker, C. Whitworth (Redruth), P.Risdon,
B. Lucas, R. Tonkin, L. Mruk (Pz/Newlyn), A. Cook (Hayle), J.J. Willcocks, M.
Addinall (Penryn), J. Atkinson (St Ives) capt.
Replacements:
S. Rush, S. Oates (Camborne), D. Sibson (Redruth), S.
Whitworth (Redruth), C. Monk, M. Goldsmith (Pz/Newlyn).
Following the comprehensive defeat of Sussex in the first of their County Championship group games, Cornwall prepared for the decisive match against Eastern Counties by overwhelming the Australian Navy at Penzance on 6th December. The Cornish forwards were dominant throughout. In atrocious conditions, the outsides were slightly less impressive. In all, Cornwall scored eight tries, with full back Danny Sloman kicking a penalty and three conversions.
The team was the same as for the Sussex and Devon games (see below), except that Mark Goldsmith of Penzance replaced Martin Addinall,who was unavailable. Addinall returns for the Eastern Counties game.
Make no mistake, this was a storming performance by Cornwall, arguably their best for a couple of seasons. OK, so Eastern Counties are not the strongest county side, but they had beaten Sussex (whom Cornwall defeated 25-5) by 17-9, and they'd taken their preparations seriously -- the previous week they'd defeated the Belgian national side 35-16 in Brussels. The Cornish forwards were dominant throughout, frequently stealing lineout ball and shunting Counties backwards in the scrums. Most encouragingly, though, this was a team performance, with forwards and backs combining and scrum-half Chris Whitworth spinning the ball wide at every opportunity. It would be unfair to pick out individuals, because the whole team was on top form. However, what a joy it is to see Cornwall field two penetrative wingers, in Thirlby and Larkins; at times, Thirlby's pace was electric. Pirates' Welshman Lee Mruk was full of power and controlled aggression. Veteran Kevin Thomas at centre was a human battering-ram. Fly-half Jimmy Tucker's running was elusive. Whitworth was as nippy as ever. Danny Sloman's kicking was as cool as ever.
If one had to make a criticism (and it would be churlish to do so) it would be that at times Cornwall were almost too ambitious; for example, in the first half, before they had the game sewn up, rather than opting for the simple clearance they sometimes tried to run the ball from their own 22. But how wonderful to see a Cornwall side so confident!
Counties never seriously threatened the Cornwall line, their only score coming from a penalty. By half-time, Cornwall were ahead 20-3, and after that it was just a question of how big the final score would be. In the second half, Cornish confidence was so high they were prepared to build attacks from their own goal-line. Coach Phil Angove made full use of his substitutes; Mark Goldsmith at flanker caught the eye.
To give Counties their due, they never gave up, and tried to run the ball at every opportunity. Their star was Tiger Carroll from the Barking club, a strong-running forward and their chief ball-carrier. The game was played in good spirit throughout. A crowd of young Counties supporters, though outnumbered by Trelawny's Army, continued to give their side good support even when the situation was hopeless, and at times matched the Cornish chants.
Afterwards, Trelawny's Army repaired to the bar, where a good time was had by all. We look forward to the quarter-final with anticipation. One thought: if Dean Shipton recovers in time, will he get back into this Cornwall side? This looks like a strong, well-motivated, and skilful Cornwall squad -- Phil Angove may have some tough decisions to make.
Team:
(Launceston unless otherwise
stated):
D. Sloman, S. Larkins (Pz/Newlyn), K.Thomas (Truro), E.
Nancekivell, R. Thirlby (Redruth), J.Tucker, C. Whitworth (Redruth), P.Risdon,
B. Lucas, R. Tonkin, L. Mruk (Pz/Newlyn), A. Cook (Hayle), J.J. Willcocks, M.
Addinall (Penryn), J. Atkinson (St Ives) capt.
Replacements:
S. Rush, D. Sibson (Redruth), N. Douch (Redruth), C.
Monk, M. Goldsmith (Pz/Newlyn), Ian Veale (Bridgwater)
The following extract is from the report of the Eastern Counties match that appeared in the Ipswich Evening Star. It was kindly sent to us by John Stevens, an exile living in Suffolk.
Eastern Counties' dreams of progressing into the quarter finals of the County Championship were savagely ended at Grange Road. A relentless tide of black and gold jerseys swept aside the Counties' best with a near faultless display of aggressive, attacking rugby. It was not that Counties' played badly -- it was just that they were not allowed to play at all as the kings of the County Championship moved smoothly onwards towards another Twickenham appearance.
This match is an annual event for the Ginsters Cup. In damp and slippery conditions which made ball handling difficult it was the Navy's powerful back row that made the crucial difference. Cornwall, lacking both first-choice second row players, struggled to hold the super-fit well drilled servicemen in the set pieces. Good mid-field defence, however, and strong counter-attacks meant that Cornwall were able to stay in touch and push the Navy all the way.
Cornwall scored first through a penalty kick by Danny Sloman but two tries, one unconverted just before the interval and one converted early in the second half, were enough to see the Navy home. Cornwall finished the match the stronger side and in an attacking last fifteen minutes came very near to scoring a consolation try when Danny Sloman just failed to hold the ball as he burst through the heart of the Navy's defence.
Tony Cook, who was destined to receive a record-breaking 100th cap for Cornwall, had to pull out of the match after suffering a rib cartilage injury while playing for Hayle the previous weekend. Hopes are high that he will be fully fit in time for the County Championship quarter-final match against Hampshire at Redruth on 28th February.
Watched for the first time on home soil by the CRFU's Patron the Duke of Edinburgh, Cornwall stunned Hampshire at Redruth with a storming opening fifteen minutes which saw them pile on seventeen points without reply. After only 6 minutes of play, Hampshire were caught napping when Cornwall were awarded a penalty in front of the posts. Quick-thinking Chris Whitworth took a tap penalty to put Jimmy Tucker through to score and Danny Sloman to convert. Five minutes later, Sloman scooped a long pass up off his boots and put Rocky Newton in under the posts. Two more points came with Sloman's conversion. Sloman followed that with three more points when Cornwall were awarded a penalty after 15 minutes.
Hampshire rallied and scored a converted try before another successful penalty kick from Sloman gave Cornwall a 20 - 7 half-time lead.
In the 15th minute of the second half a powerful hand-off by Rocky Newton and a well timed inside pass saw Rob Thirlby in for Cornwall's third try. Danny Sloman converted. Then, with 5 minutes left on the clock, came the biggest cheer of the day as Tony Cook, playing in his 100th game for Cornwall, dived over in the corner. Danny Sloman's conversion attempt just slipped the wrong side of the uprights. In injury time Hampshire scored a converted consolation try.
Team:
D. Sloman (Launceston), R. Thirlby (Redruth),
J. Tucker (Launceston), K. Thomas (Truro), R. Newton, S. Whitworth, C.
Whitworth (all Redruth), P. Risdon, B. Lucas, S. Rush, G. Hutchings (all
Launceston), T. Cook (Hayle), J.J. Wilcocks (Launceston), M. Addinall (Penryn),
D. Shipton (Launceston, Capt.).
Substitutes: N. Douch, A. Rutter, A. Hawken,
J. Navin (all Redruth), R. Nancekivell, E. Nancekivell (both Launceston).
In a pulsating second half Cornwall shattered Gloucestershire with three wonderful tries to book a trip to Twickenham and a County Championship final against Cheshire on 18th April.
Gloucestershire, with a pack strengthened by players two divisions above the Cornish forwards, started strongly and gave the Cornwall defence a testing time. But Cornwall were up to it and defended resolutely, and by half time had restricted Gloucestershire to just two successful penalty kicks and a 6 - 0 lead.
Then came a great fight back. For the first part of the second half Cornwall gradually got the upper hand up front. Two Danny Sloman penalties made it 6 - 6 after 50 minutes of play. Gloucestershire briefly regained the lead with a penalty kick but by then were becoming a spent force.
Cornwall, with the forwards gaining more and more possession, now started to move the ball wide. Three tries followed. First Jimmy Tucker raced in for a try in the 66th minute. Then Rocky Newton intercepted a pass to put himself clear for Cornwall's second try after 70 minutes. Finally, in injury time, good forward pressure resulted in a Martin Addinall touch-down.
Gloucestershire may well claim to have the better players but what was beyond doubt was that Cornwall had the better team.
Cornwall team:
D. Sloman (Launceston), R. Thirlby
(Redruth), J. Tucker (Launceston), K. Thomas (Truro) (sub. E. Nancekivell, 15),
R. Newton, S. Whitworth, C. Whitworth (all Redruth), P. Risdon, B. Lucas, S.
Rush, G. Hutchings (all Launceston), T. Cook (Hayle) (sub. J. Atkinson, 73),
J.J. Wilcocks (Launceston), M. Addinall (Penryn), D. Shipton (Launceston,
Capt.).
Substitutes: J. Atkinson (St Ives), N. Douch, J. Navin (both
Redruth), N. Grigg, R. Nancekivell, E. Nancekivell (all Launceston).
Gloucestershire team:
J. Reid (Lydney), K. Thompson
(Matson), D. Edwards (Cinderford), L. Osborne (Berry Hill), D. Morgan
(Cheltenham), R. Mills (Lydney), J. Davis (Lydney), P. Price (Lydney), N.
Nelmes (Lydney), G. Williams (Lydney), N. Cuthbert (Spartans), N. Kilby
(Lydney), A. Knox (Cinderford, Capt.), C. Dunn (Gloucester Old Boys), M.
Nicholls (Lydney).
Substitutes: M. Foyle (Gloucester Old Boys), L. Beck
(Gloucester), Steve Baldwin (Gloucester Old Boys), Simon Baldwin (Gloucester
Old Boys), M. Graham (Berry Hill), N. Evans (Spartans).
Cheshire won this encounter by 2 tries to 1 and by 21 points to 14 but it was the Cornish team who did the lap of honour after the final whistle. The team were cheered and applauded all the way around the ground after just failing to stage a "Twickenham 91" comeback.
Going from 9-6 down to 21-6 down in the space of three minutes in the third quarter of the match would have sunk a lesser team. But Cornwall fought back and swarmed all over their opponents to reduce the deficit to 7 points; but in a pulsating last fifteen minutes the one final score needed to draw level eluded them.
Cornwall's captain, Dean Shipton, at Number 8 led by example with a towering performance that caused all sorts of mayhem each time he had the ball. Danny Sloman at full back made some telling tackles, some good runs into the line and, although twice shaving the wrong side of the post, some reliable kicking. The backs tackled like furies and, but for one telling moment that led to Cheshire's second try, contained their talented opposite numbers. Cornwall's lighter but more mobile forwards threw everything at the Cheshire pack and often threatened to break through, but the experience of playing at league levels way above that of the Cornish forwards meant that the Cheshire defence never panicked even under extreme pressure and managed -- just -- to stay firm.
Cheshire, described by their coach as a "local" side despite having three southern hemisphere players in their squad, went into a 9 point lead with two penalties from the boot of Steve Swindells, the National leagues' leading points scorer, and a drop goal from stand-off Alex Guest. A successful Danny Sloman penalty kick just before the break gave a half-time score of 9-3 to Cheshire.
Almost from the restart, Danny Sloman kicked a second penalty to narrow the gap to 9-6 and Cornwall mounted a sustained attack on the Cheshire line. Then, 15 minutes into the second half , Cheshire had their "purple patch" and in the space of three minutes had scored twice. First, a scrambled touch down by London Irish scrum-half Nick Briers following a good Cheshire forward drive and a conversion from Swindells made the score 16-6. Then a slick passing movement by the backs put winger Mike Blood in for a touchdown to make it 21-6.
A lesser team would have folded, but the Cornish players refused to let their heads drop and their efforts were rewarded with a try by Ed Nancekivell and a penalty kick by Danny Sloman. The score now stood at 21-14 and that tantalising 7 points - one converted try - difference. The stage was set for a frantic and thrilling last 15 minutes as Cornwall threw everything they could muster into attack and at times almost broke through; but Cheshire tenaciously clung on to their lead until the final whistle.
It was a great rugby occasion and all credit to both teams for making it an enthralling and hard-fought encounter. Congratulations to Cheshire, but watch out -- we will be back. KERNOW BYS VYKEN!
Cornwall team:
D. Sloman (Launceston), R. Thirlby
(Redruth), J. Tucker (Launceston), K. Thomas (Truro), R. Newton, S. Whitworth,
C. Whitworth (all Redruth), P. Risdon, B. Lucas, S. Rush, G. Hutchings (all
Launceston), T. Cook (Hayle), J.J. Wilcocks (Launceston), M. Addinall (Penryn),
D. Shipton (Launceston, Capt.).
Substitutes: J. Atkinson (St Ives), N. Douch
(Redruth), Lee Mruk (Penzance-Newlyn), Richard Tonkin, R. Nancekivell, E.
Nancekivell (all Launceston).
Cornwall Under 21s came agonisingly close to pulling off a win against a fancied Berkshire Under 21 team. Berkshire, with six players from National League clubs and several more from the highly placed divisional leagues, took an early lead with a converted try, but Cornwall fought hard for every scrap of possession to haul themselves back into the game. First a penalty goal by Chris Trace of Newquay Hornets, then a try by Ross Polkinghorne of Hayle, converted by Trace; and then another penalty goal, again by Trace, took them into a 13 - 7 lead. This they held on to until the 64th minute, when the Cornish defence was breached with a touch down under the posts by Jeremy Flynn of Rosslyn Park. The conversion gave Berkshire a slender one point lead but it was sufficient to see them into the next round. In the dying minutes Cornwall had a chance to snatch victory when awarded a penalty but Chris Trace's kick from the left side of the field drifted just to the wrong side of the right-hand post.
Team:
Dobson (Bude), Trace (Newquay), Doyle (Redruth),
Polkinghorne (Hayle), Smith (Penryn), Roberts (Truro), Dunkin (St. Austell),
Risdon (Bude), Lear (Truro), Kevern (Penryn), Wilce (Wadebridge), Wallis
(Penryn), Durant (Camborne), Lock (Wadebridge, Capt.), Arnold (Liskeard/Looe).
Substitutes: Grendall (Hayle), Smith (Camborne), Worden (Camborne), Angove
(Penryn), Short (Penryn), Hicks (Wadebridge), Jones (Penryn).