Exeter Chiefs 43 Cornish Pirates 07

Journeying up the A30 and onto the M5 to play Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park, the Cornish Pirates knew they were in for a tough Premiership Cup encounter, and so it proved. Facing the Pool E leaders in this Round 5 and penultimate pool match it was certainly no surprise that the Pirates were well beaten, but they were not entirely overwhelmed and played with considerable spirit throughout.

The Chiefs had emerged with a comfortable 7-68 result against the Pirates in the tie played at the Mennaye Field back in November, and as previously mentioned the Pirates have been well and truly hampered with unavailability for various reasons. Indeed, 14 players were unavailable for this latest encounter.

Changes in this week’s starting line-up revealed Bruce Houston selected at full-back and Harry Yates in the centre. Props Oisin Michel and James French were also given starting roles, as was hooker Harry Hocking. Hugh Bokenham was unavailable because of injury, so Tomi Agbongbon got the nod at number 8, whilst the skipper’s armband was worn by Josh King. For this match he was named at ‘5’ and Matt Cannon at ‘6’.

In breezy but otherwise fine conditions, after Pirates’ fly-half Iwan Jenkins had kicked the game off playing towards the South Stand end of the ground, it was following a penalty award to the Chiefs, and after their fly-half Will Haydon-Wood stroked a well-judged cross field kick, that wing Paul Brown-Bampoe gathered the ball and put on the burners to score an unconverted try wide out.

From the restart, the Pirates sought to record their first score by applying considerable pressure on their Premiership opponents. Pick and go attempts were the order of the day to concentrate the home defence and, as the penalty count against the Chiefs mounted, the Pirates commendably maintained their effort. Jenkins kicked well out of hand and the play of number 8 Tomi Agbongbon and scrum half Dan Hiscocks helped keep the Chiefs in or about their ‘22’

Wing Arthur Relton also looked sharp with ball in hand, with a reward for the Pirates surely forthcoming. It did not happen right away, but when

referee Alex Thomas suddenly pulled a yellow card from his pocket and showed it to Exeter’s Argentina international lock forward Franco Molina, the Pirates took all but immediate advantage. With continued persistence, the opportunity arose for centre Tom Georgiou to take space and score close to the posts. Jenkins’ conversion edged the Pirates deservedly in front.

How would the Chiefs respond? Well, play was created that saw full-back Tommy Wyatt threaten, He was one of 10 players in Exeter’s selected squad to have played for the Pirates, but it was former England under 20s flanker Richard Capstick who ultimately powered over the line from close range to put the home side back in front. Haydon-Wood’s second conversion attempt was this time charged down.

In first half time that remained, Jenkins kicked well from hand and wing Will Trewin was unlucky not to pluck a cross field kick out of the air. Also, to arrive at halftime with the score reading 10-7 to the Chiefs, was commendable, and nothing like most aficionados would have predicted.

The Chiefs, with wind advantage, were though quick to get on the scoresheet again in the second half when Wyatt sped to the posts to score a try that was this time converted by Haydon-Wood.

Both sides were starting to empty their bench, with Pirates’ replacement prop forward Billy Young among them, who was unfortunately all but immediately soon sent to the sin bin.

The Pirates were now being further stretched both in personnel numbers and the on-field action, as the play of Hammersley and Wyatt enabled Brown-Bampoe to again score an unconverted try. He was also influential in helping register the Exeter team’s next points, which came after centre Joe Hawkins took the ball to the line from where their Kiwi-born England international flanker Ethan Roots touched down for a converted score.

Now into the last quarter, the Chiefs looked to have extended their lead when Hammersley appeared to have gone over in the corner, only to be pulled back because of a forward pass. No worries, as Brown-Bampoe got a converted hat-trick score (his third in three games against the Pirates this season), and then notched his fourth try of the match to which Haydon-Wood also added the extras to make the final score 43-7. Winners of the competition two years ago, the Chiefs will now progress to this year’s quarter finals.

Several Pirates had picked up knocks during the match with Jenkins and Agbongbon, who had both impressed, unfortunately failing head injury assessments. To their credit overall, however, the Pirates not once dropped their heads or effort in the match against their superior hosts.

And hey, what with Plymouth Argyle winning 1-0 against Liverpool in the 4^th round of the FA Cup, two major upsets in Devon on one afternoon was simply expecting too much.

Commenting at the end of the game, Cornish Pirates’ skipper for the day Josh King was proud of the team’s effort, saying:

“In the first half we were ready for the fight and flew off the line, and we have got boys like Matt Cannon who as probably my stand-out player for going out and putting his body on the line, which was fantastic to see.

“Our maul is continuously developing, and we do have a few issues still with our scrum, and it’s just when we get to the ‘22’ that we have to take those chances and capitalise to get those points.

“Exeter were a strong side today and we knew what we were up against, but I thought that in that first forty minutes we had them physically and we executed. It was just that second half, when you have got to stay on top and you can’t shy away, because teams like Exeter will tear you open.

“Ultimately, though, playing such Premiership quality naturally provides a great experience from which we can all learn and benefit from, which I am sure will be the case.”  

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Tommy Wyatt (22 Dan John, 59) 14 Ben Hammersley (23 Charlie McCaig, 75) 13 Joe Hawkins 12 Tamati Tua 11 Paul Brown-Bampoe 10 Will Haydon-Wood 9 Tom Cairns (21 Stu Townsend, 54); 1 Kwenzo Blose (17 Billy Keast, 45) 2 Jack Yeandle (captain; Dan Frost, 45) 3 Jimmy Roots (18 Marcus Street, 45) 4 Rusi Tuima (19 Lewis Pearson, 30) 5 Franco Molina (20 Martin Moloney, 54) 6 Ethan Roots 7 Richard Capstick 8 Jacques Vermeulen.

Yellow card:   5 Franco Molina (23).

Cornish Pirates:   15 Bruce Houston (23 Iwan Price-Thomas, 54) 14 Arthur Relton 13 Tom Georgiou 12 Harry Yates 11 Will Trewin 10 Iwan Jenkins (22 Joe Elderkin, 56) 9 Dan Hiscocks (21 Cam Jones, 54); 1 Oisin Michel (17 Billy Young, 51) 2 Harry Hocking (16 Sol Moody, 41) 3 James French (18 Tom Connolly, 39) 4 Alfie Bell 5 Josh King (captain) 6 Matt Cannon 7 Lucas Dorrell (20 Chris Mills, 61) 8 Tomi Agbongbon (19 Fintan Coleman, 60).

Yellow card:   17 Billy Young (52).

Scorers:

Exeter Chiefs – tries:  11 Paul Brown-Bampoe (4, 53, 69, 73) 7 Richard Capstick (34) 15 Tommy Wyatt (42) 6 Ethan Roots (58); cons: (10 Will Haydon-Wood 42, 58, 70, 74).

Cornish Pirates – try: 13 Tom Georgiou (26); con: 10 Iwan Jenkins (26),                   cons:

Referee:   Alex Thomas

Assistants:   Jonathan Healy & Kevin Williams

Attendance:   10212