Pirates Academy v Bath U21s

Cornish Pirates Academy 13 - 17 Bath U21s
23/10/06

Having recently beating their counterparts from Leicester Tigers, the Cornish Pirates Academy side took on the might of an older and physically bigger Bath U21s team at the Mennaye Field on Monday evening.

Camborne's Frank Butler, who is the Academy Manager at Bath, was in charge of the welcome visitors, him assisted by former Bath and England player John Palmer. A good-sized crowd turned out on the night, these matches proving a popular addition to the Pirates fixture list, with the home supporters given plenty to cheer about in the first quarter. Fly-half Mike Provis once again the points provider, with the pack in front of him also impressive at the driving maul. However, when Bath started to find their feet, making their first visit into the Pirates '22', they were awarded a penalty try converted by fly-half Luke Cozens. It was advantage taken after home flanker Sam Betty had been yellow-carded, and just after the half-hour the visitors went further ahead with a try scored at the clubhouse corner by flanker Adam Clayton. The effort was again converted by the impressive boot of skipper Cozens, who also added a penalty to put Bath 17-6 up at the break.

Fly-half Mike Provis

It was felt that Bath would add more points to their tally in the second half, but the Cornish side were having none of it, and when Clayton was also shown yellow by referee Adam Pearce they seized the opportunity to create a super try of their own.

Provis handled beautifully before weighting a kick perfectly to touch on the right, his half-back partner Rhodri Wells then making the telling break which supporting skipper Adam Nicholls finished off. Provis added the conversion and there now just four points in it.

Rhodri Wells

In the last five minutes the Pirates strived hard to record an unlikely victory, their efforts no doubt applauded by watching President Dicky Evans, a passionate supporter of the Pirates Academy system. That they failed to deliver was no disgrace, the whole squad performed with considerable merit.

Adam Nicholls

Scorers:-
Cornish Pirates - try: Nicholls; con: Provis; Pens: Provis (2).
Bath - tries: Clayton, pen. try; cons: Cozens (2); pen: Cozens.

Cornish Pirates - L. Webb, A. Waller, B. Rule, S. Parsons, J. Morrison, M. Provis, R. Wells, A. Nicholls ©, S. Betty, M. Rawlings, S. McLean, S. Hobson, L. Varney, O. Hambly, G. Tedstone.
Replacements (all used) - D. Semmens, D. Dawiduik, S. Black, S. Bryant, K. Martin, M. Bowden, J. Eddy.

Referee: Luke Pearce.

Photos Simon Bryant/Iktis Photo