Having selected a much-changed squad for this first versus sixth Round 24 contest in Elior Champ Rugby, with certain alterations necessary because a trio comprising backrower Tomi Agbongbon, lock Matt Cannon, and centre/wing Harry Yates are dual registered with the Trailfinders and were not permitted to play in the match, the Cornish Pirates pushed unbeaten league leaders Ealing Trailfinders genuinely close. Also, nearing the end, they secured a satisfying four try bonus point which might, ultimately, prove of real importance.

In the backs, Harry Ascherl on loan from Exeter Chiefs, and who made his debut for the Pirates off the bench against Chinnor the previous weekend, partnered Chester Ribbons in the centre, and Matty Ward was named on the wing.

As for the forwards, Rory Suttor and Jack Forsythe were the selected wing forward pairing, whilst in the second row former Penzance & Newlyn RFC youth team product Oscar Beckerleg, who has played for England under 20s, and is on loan from Exeter Chiefs, was named to make his debut.

On the bench, two backs on loan from the Chiefs were included. One was Welsh scrum-half Orson James who has already made two appearances as a replacement for the Pirates this season, whilst the other was fly-half Ben Coen. Ready to make his debut, as per Oscar Beckerleg he is another who has represented England at under 20s level.

On a fine April afternoon in leafy West London, after Ealing prop George Davis was first out of the changing rooms in readiness for his 100^th appearance, it was his fly-half colleague Rory Scannell who kicked the game off to the right on the main stand side at the Trailfinders’ Sports Ground.

Early exchanges ended, it was the home side who opened the scoring in the fourth minute. From a scrum the ball was moved swiftly right to enable explosive winger Toby Cousins to dive and score in the corner.

Former Northampton Saints winger Tom Collins also tested the Pirates with his mazey running, as in a more direct manner did prop Lefty Zigiriadis, who was a favourite at the Pirates a couple of years back and is apparently off to Northampton at the end of this season.

Both sides made errors, but the Pirates were sound defensively, with hooker Morgan Nelson making a stand-out thumper of a tackle.

When an opening score for the Cornish side came, it followed a penalty award and a kick to the left corner by fly-half Arwel Robson. The obvious choice was a catch and drive which concluded when lock Milo Hallam scored a try that was converted by Robson.

Another Pirates’ player standing out at this stage was flanker Rory Suttor, who was doing much good work as he and his colleagues comfortably matched their opponents. 5-7 is how it remained at the break.

Into the second half the Trailfinders were still not looking like table toppers, and they soon lost the services for 10 minutes of their South African hooker Mike Willemse. It was a chance for the Pirates to extend their lead, and after replacement hooker Matt Pritchard directed his line-out throw to Oscar Beckerleg, and backs then joined forwards on a speedy advance to the line, it was Pritchard who scored an unconverted try.

There was a set-back for the Pirates when Robson was shown a yellow card, and on the hour mark Collins scored wide out on the left. It was as if the home side had lit a spark to brighten up their play.

Further tries followed for Irishman Conor Oliver, lock Sean Lonsdale and Willemse, the second of which Scannell converted, before Pirates’ replacement Sol Moody registered his fifteenth try of the season. Fellow replacement Ben Coen added the extras.

Cousins next scored his second try of the afternoon for the Trailfinders, which was converted by replacement George Worboys, and this was followed then by the potentially important fourth try for the Pirates, scored by wing Matty Ward after he made an interception some 70 metres out. Coen once again landed the conversion.

With time all but run out it was Trailfinders’ backrower David Douglas Bridge, who made two appearances for the Pirates a couple of years back, who scored the game’s final try at the posts, with the conversion by Worboys making it 41-26.

A thought again at the final whistle was much-changed Pirates? ‘Yes’, but also much to admire.

Speaking at the end of the game, Cornish Pirates’ joint head coach Gavin Cattle said:

“Against an Ealing side that had just a bit too much quality, we are really proud of the effort put in by the boys.

“To go in at halftime ahead we were naturally pretty buoyant, but there was always the possibility of a reaction, though I felt that the yellow card for Arwel (Robson) was perhaps a bit harsh.

“To our credit we kept going though and our task, whether winning or losing, was to strive to at least score four tries, which we pleasingly managed to achieve and to come away with what could prove an important bonus point.

“Making their debuts at shortish notice and playing against the most physical and best drilled side in the league, both Oscar Beckerleg and Ben Coen, who have only been with us for a few days, deserve mention, as they did well.”

Looking at their final two league fixtures the Cornish Pirates, who have now slipped a place to seventh in the table, are still focused on making it into the top six and the play-offs. Gavin has further commented:

“First and foremost, the focus must be to win our remaining two games against Coventry and Hartpury, who have both won well this weekend. First up is Coventry at the Mennaye on Saturday week when we hope a big home crowd will get behind us, and then it’s an away game the week after against Hartpury.”

Ealing Trailfinders:   15 Patrick Campbell 14 Toby Cousins 13 Francis Moore 12 Jordan Holgate 11 Tom Collins 10 Rory Scannell 9 Craig Hampson;1 Lefty Zigiriadis 2 Scott Buckley 3 George Davis 4 Matas Jurevicius 5 Sean Lonsdale 6 Kyle Hatherell 7 Josh Taylor (captain) 8 David Douglas Bridge.

Replacements:   16 Mike Willemse 17 Elliot Chilvers 18 Adam Nicol 19 Geordie Irvine 20 Will Montgomery 21 Conor Oliver 22 Miachel Stronge 23 George Worboys.

Yellow card:   Willemse.

Cornish Pirates:   15 Iwan Price-Thomas 14 Arthur Relton 13 Chester Ribbons 12 Harry Ascherl 11 Matty Ward 10 Arwel Robson 9 Will Becconsall; 1 Billy Young 2 Morgan Nelson 3 Alfie Petch 4 Milo Hallam 5 Oscar Beckerleg 6 Rory Suttor 7 Jack Forsythe 8 Alex Everett (captain).

Replacements:   16 Matt Pritchard 17 Ollie Andrews 18 Ben Woodmansey 19 John Stevens 20 Sol Moody 21 Orson James 22 Ben Coen 23 Angus Mawson.

Yellow cards:   Robson, Andrews.

Scorers:

Ealing Trailfinders – tries: Cousins (2), Collins, Oliver, Lonsdale, Willemse, Bridge; cons: Scannell, Worboys (2).

Cornish Pirates – tries: Hallam, Pritchard, Moody, Ward; cons: Robson, Coen (2).

Referee:   Ben Wood

Attendance:   N/A.