All the Latest News & Fixtures...
League / Cup
Stadium
Attendance
Fifty weeks without a ruck take it’s toll. Thirteen more days, without so much as a kick & chase at The Mennaye, doesn’t help matters either. A year like no other in living memory therefore, has come at a price. Several if we’re honest and most that humbly puts sport – rugby included – into stark perspective.
Today’s visit of Harvey’s Jersey Reds therefore is of some relief – albeit behind closed doors. The bright sunny conditions did though add a certain something to cheer up proceedings. Proceedings that began only after tribute was paid to a true gentleman, Dave Muirhead, who sadly passed on Wednesday.
Fitting it was then, that both sides’ approach to this friendly didn’t follow the sort of pattern often found in such a fixture – and were ‘at it’ properly from Mr Foley’s first whistle – if a little rusty at first. More so the Pirates it has to be said as the visitors outing v Coventry a couple of weeks showed them as a little more switched on.
That being so – there were only two penalties chalked up on the scoreboard in the opening quarter, from Reds’ fly half, Cope, to show for their sound start.
This though seemed to be the catalyst to spark the Pirates into life – a shift in balance, that never really altered for the remainder of a satisfying work out for the hosts.
The turning tide began the moment prop Tyack, finally found the measure of his opposite number, Richardson – who hitherto had had Jay in all sorts of trouble at scrum time. Some wise words from Paves seemed to be the magic.
Attacking probes from Cornish forwards – Stevens & Frost – gave hope. Dan in particular going onto to prove to be a real menace to the blue clad Reds. But the final penetrating phase eluded until JB finally crossed the line just into the second quarter. Eventual Man of the Match – loanee Luke Scully – crisply slotted the first of his tally of 9 points from out wide. The Welsh lad well worth his accolade.
The hosts were now in control – their second try from No 8, Duncan emphasising this perfectly – which rounded off the half at 14-6, once Luke had added the extras.
At the turnaround the Pirates seamlessly picked from where they left off and were quickly onto the offensive. Replacement forward, Kiri Kiri, announced his presence immediately, launching Frosty into Jersey territory at the Newlyn End.
Pressure mounted and the Reds could do little more than concede penalties in reply. Antonio’s quick tap and go provided the platform for Scully to round off an excellent debut, for the fly half to run diagonally into the Old Western National Corner for a try of his own – barely two minutes in. The Pirates weren’t to look back from here.
Cue the expected raft of changes from both sides – which unusually perhaps didn’t upset the flow of the game. Not so for those covering the game whose job thus became ‘interesting’.
This mattered little to those watching on stream – or listening on the wireless – as a fourth score was surely imminent. Step up Kiri Kiri for another tap & go – and another sequence of phases involving Caulfield amongst others – finally concluded with prop Andrew emerging with his arms in the air, to the right of the posts. Replacement fly half Bazalgette, easily slotted the two extras to make it a 20 point game, with less than fifteen minutes left.
Harvey’s charges did however respond immediately – albeit from some more Pirates attacking play breaking down in the Reds’ 22. Centre, Dan Barnes enjoying a 70 odd metre gallop to dot down at The Penzance End unopposed.
Bader Pretorius’s conversion was good and the visitors sniffed perhaps something more. Unfortunately for them – the Pirates’ Purple Defensive Wall had other ideas.
Referee:
Tom Foley
AR1:
Nick Marshall
AR2:
James Milliner
15
Maliq Holden
14
Robin Wedlake
13
Callum Patterson
12
Nico De Battista
11
Alex O'Meara
10
Luke Scully
9
JB Bruzulier
1
Marlen Walker
2
Dan Frost
3
Jay Tyack
4
Fa'atiga Lemalu
5
Danny Cutmore
6
Josh Caulfield
7
John Stevens
8
Tom Duncan
16
Jack Andrew
18
Sam Rodman
20
Tom Channon
21
Cory Teague
22
Matt Bolwell
23
Charlie Wright
24
Antonio Kiri Kiri
25
Paddy Ryan
26
Rhodri Davies
27
Alex Schwarz
28
Harry Bazalgette
29
Shae Tucker
30
Rory Parata
31
Tommy Wyatt
32
Harry Davey
JB Bruzulier
22
Tom Duncan
35
Luke Scully
41
Jack Andrew
61
Luke Scully
23
Luke Scully
36
Harry Bazalgette
62
15
Tom Williams
14
Ryan Hutler
13
Brendan Owen
12
Dan Barnes
11
Lesley Klim
10
Brendan Cope
9
James Elliot
1
Dan Richardson
2
TJ Harris
3
Ciaran Parker
4
Zak Farrance
5
Sean O'Connor (c)
6
Max Argyle
7
Kyle Hatherall
8
Tim Grey
16
Jack Macfarlane
17
Ollie Dawe
18
Zei Alexis
19
Rory Bartle
20
Josh Bainbridge
21
Cam Nordli Kelemeti
22
Bader Pretorius
23
Apakuki Ma'afu
24
George Spencer
25
Jack Roberts
George Spencer
65
Bader Pretorius
66
Brendan Cope
13
Brendan Cope
18