Cornish Pirates

Cornish Pirates 13 Gwent Dragons 21
Saturday August 18th 2007
Report By Phil Westren

Newport Gwent Dragons, one of the four Welsh regional teams, have made made it a habit to travel to Cornwall for a pre-season 'friendly'. Last Saturday's was their fourth such visit in just five years, with the Pirates keen to record a first ever win against opponents who they had ran close in their last two contests.

The Dragons, though not a full strength selection, had scraped a win against the Cornish All Blacks at Polson Bridge earlier in the week, & there was no doubt that coach Paul Turner was expecting a much tougher examination against the Cornish Pirates who had impressed in their opener against Leicester Tigers.

A dull and occasionally wet August day

On a dull and occasionally wet August day, with conditions slippery underfoot, Camborne-born Welsh international lock Luke Charteris led the Dragons out, followed after by a Pirates side showing two changes in their line-up from the one that ran out against Leicester Tigers. Peter Cook took over from the injured Ala Paver at loose-head prop, and James Moore was a late call on the wing for Rhodri McAtee.

Applying early pressure at the top left corner of the ground, the Dragons opened the scoring in just the fourth minute, hooker Steve Jones burrowing over for a try converted by fly-half Aled Thomas.

The Cornish Pirates response from the restart was to take play purposefully to the clubhouse corner, lock Joe Beardshaw, not for the last time in the afternoon, providing slick line-out possession which led to centre Paul Devlin making a scything dash, but the threat was held. Fly-half Gareth Steenson, who had impressed many in his first outing against the Tigers, tried a deft cross-field kick, this time to Moore who, with support from Devlin and full-back Adryan Winnan, caused enough havoc to force the Dragons to infringe. Steenson easily slotted the penalty on offer. After a wobbly first few minutes the Pirates were now finding their feet, a collective pick-up in performance lifting the spirits of the home crowd who chanted 'Pirates, Pirates'. Control at the driving maul, with Cook giving release at just the right moment, enabled Moore to gain ground from where a second penalty chance was leisurely stroked over by Steenson to put the Pirates within a point of their opponents,.

Steenson easily slotted the penalty on offer

Further good play from the home side, this time with lock Bruce Cumming to the fore, supported by Steenson and his half-back partner Richard Bolt, gave hope that the Pirates could create a score that would given them a half-time lead, but their efforts were foiled, though not before Winnan was deserving of a 'star moment' award when he bravely cradled a lofted ball on the run and then slid along the slippery surface before somehow regaining his feet - to a spontaneous applause.

Bruce Cumming Attempts To Evade Joe Bearman

During the interval John Berry, Managing Director of Cornwall Enterprise, with Julia Goldsworthy, the Liberal Democrat MP for Falmouth and Camborne, presented a 'Cornwall Blaze Marque' award to the Cornish Pirates. It was accepted on the club's behalf by Aliinu'u Koko, the highly prestigious award given in recognition of a business that is pushing Cornwall forward to the rest of the UK in a positive manner.

Flanker Chris Cracknell replaced Sam Betty for the start of the second half, and soon made his mark with a break away that provided good midfield yardage. However, after the Pirates failed to take any advantage, the Dragons hit back in clinical fashion, wing Gareth Wyatt given too much space on the right which enabled him to blaze a trail for a try at the scoreboard corner which was converted by Thomas.

Chris Cracknell replaced Sam Betty, and soon made his mark

It was now time for the Cornish Pirates to satisfy their expectant supporters, talisman skipper Tim Cowley and his team seemingly happy to deliver, when a clever bout of passing and a fortuitous bounce of the ball ended with a try scored by Devlin and a conversion kicked by Steenson.

Back to just a single point in it, and with centre Nick Buckley and prop Johnny Williams making their debuts off the bench, there was hope that the Pirates could finish strongly to record their first ever win against the strong Welsh visitors, but it was not to be.

Former Pirate Joe Bearman, whose impact on the game got stronger and stronger, supported by his back-row colleague Jamie Ringer, turned up the heat, and after replacement hooker Ben Daly ran like a rampaging flanker to score a converted try on the right, there was no way back.

That the Dragons deserved their victory - there was no doubt - the Cornish Pirates though will have learnt much from the occasion. Losing Brian Tuohy with a hand injury in the first half was a set-back, and with no McAtee in the line-up the finishing fire-power had naturally been diminished.

With less than two weeks to go to the start of the league season, there are naturally areas to work on, but there is still no reason why the team should feel nothing less than confident when they take on the Cornish All Blacks at Polson Bridge on Saturday 1st. September.

Cornish Pirates
A. Winnan, B. Tuohy (S. Parsons 31, N. Buckley 65), P. Devlin (S. Parsons 76), S. Whatling, J. Moore
G. Steenson, R. Bolt, T. Cowley (capt, E. Gesinde 72), I. Motusaga, S. Betty (C. Cracknell ht),
J. Beardshaw, B. Cumming (S. Hobson 55), D. Seal (S. Heard 55), R. Elloway, P. Cook (J. Williams 65).

Gwent Dragons
M. Thomas, G. Wyatt, G. Chapman (P. Dolman 64), A. Smith, R. Fussell (R. Mustoe 55), A. Thomas
A, Williams (W. Evans 64), J. Bearman, J. Ringer, J. Harris, A. Jones (D. Lydiate 64), L. Charteris (capt)
R. Thomas (G. Robinson 53-63, 76), S. Jones (B. Daly 55), A. Black.

Scorers:-
Cornish Pirates
Try: Devlin
Con: Steenson
Pens: Steenson 2

Gwent Dragons
Tries: S. Jones, Wyatt, Daly
Cons: A. Thomas 3

Referee - Chris Sharp (RFU)