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After a 3-week break and having ended 2024 on a high after recording a worthy 33-17 victory away against Ampthill, which made it a pleasing five league wins on the trot, for their opening game in 2025 the previously fifth-placed Cornish Pirates were well beaten at the 4ED Hartpury Stadium.
For this Round 11 encounter, the Cornish Pirates side showed several changes to last time out, including the selection of Irish lock Fintan Coleman. Signing for the club this week on a presently short-term deal, he partnered Josh King in the second row. Also, there were two other new faces in the squad, namely towering replacement lock Alfie Bell who is dual registered with Exeter Chiefs, and replacement backrower Chris Mills who has played for the Royal Navy and for Redruth.
Flanker Alex Everett was making a welcome return to the starting line-up following injury and fit again centre Joe Elderkin took a place on the bench, as did prop Ollie Andrews. Matt McNab is still unavailable with a lower leg injury, so Robin Wedlake was given the nod for a starting role on the wing, and among other changes James French was named at tight-head prop and Tomiwa Agbongbon at openside wing forward.
After former ‘Pirate’ Harry Bazalgette kicked the game off on a cold and still afternoon, the home side proceeded to take advantage of early errors by the visitors which led to hooker Ethan Hunt scoring the opening try of the afternoon, which was converted by Bazalgette.
Keen to make his mark, Everett carried strongly for the Pirates on his return, and after hooker Harry Hocking had found the hands of lock Josh King at lineout time, a penalty kick opportunity shortly after was duly slotted by fly-half Bruce Houston.
Midway through the half Hartpury earned themselves a second score. Taking play to the blindside it was wing Brad Denty who crossed in the corner for an unconverted try, and then, after the Pirates gave another penalty away, it was not long before that Hartpury scored similarly again, this time through flanker Harry Short. Bazalgette was back on target with the boot, his conversion approaching the half hour mark making it 19-3.
Soon after the restart the Pirates were put under pressure once more. Play was a little frantic, with a kick from Hartpury’s busy scrum half Mike Austin sending out danger signals, but when another driving lineout opportunity arose, they scored their fourth try via a potent driving line-out. It was hooker Hunt who got on the scoresheet once again, and although Bazalgette was luckless with his conversion attempt,
the home team’s bonus point was comfortably in the bag.
The Pirates were always aware that the Hartpury pack posed a physical threat, which had proven to be the case, as it had been when they lost to Hartpury 41-26 away in the Premiership Cup last November. Skipper Hugh Bokenham had strived to rally his troops, and full back Will Trewin threatened late in the half, as did flanker Tomiwa Agbongbon, but the final whistle came with Hartpury holding a comfortable 24-3 lead.
The Pirates introduced a fresh propping pair for the start of the second half in Oisin Michell and Ollie Andrews, whilst an injured Josh King was replaced by debutant Alfie Bell. Further changes would follow as the half developed, but with Hartpury still dominant and very much in the driving seat. Another former ‘Pirate’, in Royal Marine Jarrard Hayler, regularly caught the eye
There were rare opportunities for the Pirates to add to their three points, and a try would eventually come. Centre Charlie McCaig initially threatened, and after Agbongbon ran and passed it was the returning Everett who, like juggernaut with pace, ran in from 30 metres out. McCaig then added the conversion.
Bazalgette extended Hartpury’s lead with a penalty to all but scupper Pirates’ hopes, and at the end a comfortable win was confirmed following a converted final try of the afternoon scored by Hayler. In the process, their victory saw them leapfrog the Cornish Pirates into fifth place.
Speaking after the game, realistic Cornish Pirates’ joint head coach Gavin Cattle said:
“Anyone looking at the team sheet saw that we had to make several changes this week. Also, their maul was very strong, and we misfired structurally on a few things. Having said that, you must hand it to Hartpury whose scrum was strong, which made it difficult for us to get into the game.
“Positives were having Alex Everett back, who is a shining light, and I thought Oisin (Michel) and the boys off the bench did well to steady the scrum.”
Gavin added:
“As coaches we travelled with hope, although Hartpury are a very good team who have a sturdy pack and who have been together for a long time. We, of course, had those changes, and I think that was the difference, although that’s not taking anything at all away from the new lads because they have had simply little, or no time, to bed in. It’s just about time in the saddle and the benefits that, as we have seen before, can bring.”
Hartpury: 15 Alex Morgan 14 Brad Denty 13 Josiah Edwards-Giraud 12 Robbie Smith (23 Wilf McCarthy, 70) 11 Ollie Holliday (22 Alex Forrester, 77) 10 Harry Bazalgette 9 Mike Austin (21 Rhys Price); 1 Aristot Benz-Solomon (17 J Gibbons, 77) 2 Ethan Hunt (16 Will Crane) 3 Joe Rees (18 A Gibson, 52) 4 Dale Lemon (19 Cameron Cobbett, 68) 5 Jack Davies (captain) 6 Sam Lewis 7 Harry Short (20 Ellis Hart, 77) 8 Jarrard Hayler.
Cornish Pirates: 15 Will Trewin 14 Arthur Relton 13 Charlie McCaig 12 Harry Yates (22 Joe Elderkin, 58) 11 Robin Wedlake 10 Bruce Houston (23 Iwan Price-Thomas, 57) 9 Dan Hiscocks (21 Cam Jones, 46); 1 Billy Young (17 Oisin Michel, 40) 2 Harry Hocking (16 Sol Moody, 52) 3 James French (18 Ollie Andrews, 40) 4 Josh King (19 Alfie Bell, 40) 5 Fintan Coleman 6 Alex Everett 7 Tomiwa Agbongbon (20 Chris Mills, 77) 8 Hugh Bokenham (captain).
Scorers:
Hartpury – tries: 2 Ethan Hunt (03, 34) 14 Brad Denty (21) 7 Harry Short (27) 8 Jarrard Hayler (76); cons: 10 Harry Bazalgette (04, 29, 77): pen: 10 Harry Bazalgette (72)
Cornish Pirates – tries: 6 Alex Everett (63); con: 13 Charlie McCaig (64) pen: 10 Bruce Houston (12)
Referee: Jamie Parr
Assistants: James Pidding & Daryl Chapman
Attendance: 1120
Referee:
Jamie Parr
AR1:
James Pidding
AR2:
Daryl Chapman