Cornish Pirates

Cornish Pirates Academy 14 - Leicester Tigers Academy 10

Following their two openers against the Westcountry Warriors and a Launceston Development XV, the Cornish Pirates Academy side took on the challenge of Leicester Academy on Friday evening.

Played under the Mennaye Field's recently boosted floodlights, the two U19 representative teams were expected to provide a good level of rugby entertainment, and they did not disappoint.

Leicester Tigers have a significant history of providing quality home-grown talent, producing legends of the game in Martin Johnson and Graham Rowntree, and more recently younger England players such as Ollie Smith, Louis Deacon and Harry Ellis, the latter three who have all come up through their Academy system.

In charge of them for this game was Neil Back, another legendary figure, his presence confirming that a genuinely serious contest was to be expected between the two sides.

Playing towards Newlyn the young Pirates had the best of the early exchanges, the boot of fly-half Mike Provis keeping the Tigers deep in their half. Winger Johnny Morrison almost scored to the left of the posts following good work by No. 8 Adam Nicholls and scrum-half Karl Martin, with Martin then involved once more to send a determined Provis in for a try at the Newlyn gate corner, to which he also added the extras. If the vistors had looked sudued in the first quarter of an hour, then they quickly made amends to immediately draw back level, centre Will Lawson cutting a fine line to sprint in from thirty metres. Full-back Rickie Aley added the extras and then proceeded to put his side ahead with a simple penalty from in front of the posts.

Mike Provis Adding The Extras

It was certainly a fascinating contest, a buzz in the crowd was made even more apparent when the Cornish pack bullied their way over for a try on the right. And the scorer? Well it took a while to identify, but it was no surprise when dynamic young flanker Duke Seymour was duly named - the number seven's effort one out of Mr. Back's own textbook.

The conversion from out wide was not easy, but Provis, who has been in superb kicking form while on loan to Camborne, made light of it, his effort making it 14-10 at the break.

Seafares & miners well represented in a contented half time crowd

In a scoreless second half the Cornish Pirates showed superb technique with their ruck and maul game, frustrating physically bigger opponents, and there was also much to commend in their defensive effort. Yes, Leicester had their chances, but surprisingly poor handling let them down, there being absolutely no argument about the final result.

Coach Robin Cowling, an ex Leicester and England man himself, and assistant Ricky Pellow must have been delighted, they and all supporters present now ready for the challenge to be posed by Bath U20s at the same venue on Monday week - kick-off at 6.30p.m.

Scorers:

Cornish Pirates - tries: Provis, Seymour; cons: Provis (2).
Leicester Tigers - try: Lawson, con: Aley; pen: Aley.

Cornish Pirates
L. Webb, B. Harriss, B. Rule, S. Parsons, J. Morrison, M. Provis, K. Martin, A. Nicholls (c), D. Seymour, M. Rawlings, C. Armstriong, S. McLean, L. Varney, B. Taylor, G. Tedstone.
Replacements (all used) - A. Knight, M. Tarby, B. Fox, N. Simmons, S. Bryant, N. Hitchens, A. Waller.

Referee:- - Mr. Adam Friend.