Cornish Pirates

Cornish Pirates 28 Leicester Tigers 57
Saturday August 4th 2007
Report By Phil Westren

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Four weeks away from the start of the league campaign, the Cornish Pirates played the first of their August month warm-up matches at a wonderfully fine and sunny Camborne Rec.

The 'Rec.' was buzzing in the build up to the game, a record crowd for a pre-season friendly in Cornwall coming as no surprise when the Pirate's opponents were Leicester Tigers.

Making their gladiatorial entry, the Guinness Premiership Champions and EDF Energy Cup winners were given a sportingly warm welcome to the Duchy, as the newly assembled Cornish Pirates looked forward to the challenge ahead of them.

With the new East Stand suitably christened by a large number of watching supporters and the pitch in immaculate condition, former Australian international Owen Finegan -making his debut for the Tigers - led his team onto the field, soon followed by Tim Cowley and the Cornish Pirates who were given a rousing reception.

Match underway, No. 8 Finegan made a charge on the right, his burst supported by second-row partners Greg Gillanders and South African Marco Wentzel. Early alarm bells were ringing, and from a position set near the posts, scrum half Ben Youngs snaffled his way over for a try converted by Ireland's Paul Burke.

The Pirates response was swift & positive - Cowley leading by example with Adryan Winnan, backed up by new boys Gareth Steenson, Simon Whatling and Bruce Cumming - took play to the right. Swiftly controlled possession from a line-out saw the ball reach the hands of former Ireland U21s fly-half Steenson, who's instantly decisive move was a delight to witness. Caressing the ball cross-field, his perfectly judged kick was caught on the burst by left wing Rhodri McAtee who blazed a line to score a fabulous try. Instigated by Steenson, the young man deserved to crown the effort with a conversion, and he duly obliged.

With the scores level at 7-all, the play which followed was equally well matched, the Cornish Pirates admirably competitive in all areas until they received a set-back when prop Alan Paver had to depart with a leg injury. There were 26 minutes on the clock when Leicester suddenly regained their lead with a converted try scored by wing Vavae Tuilagi.

From the restart, the Cornish Pirates again showed a high level of confidence to drive the Tigers deep into their half. Cowley was again the inspiration, with good support by wing Brian Tuohy and scrum-half Richard Bolt who probed to with just a few metres of the Leicester line, but the threat was held.

As the half came to a close a try for Wentzel, converted by Burke, made the scoreline 7-21which was an unfair reflection of the first period. However, with just seconds left before international referee Tony Spreadbury was to blow the half-time whistle, Steenson was try creator once more, his well weighted grub kick directed behind Leicester's defensive line to enable an alert Whatling to follow and score a try at the posts to which Steenson again added the extras.

During a busy half-time period Camborne U10s and their counterparts from the Pirates provided a mini-rugby exhibition.

The EDF Energy Cup, and the EDF Energy National Trophy won by the respective teams, were paraded around the ground. There was a terrific reception given to Leicester's former England and British Lions player 'Dusty' Hare, who kindly stepped down from the grandstand to make the 50/50 draw.

EDF Energy Cup & EDF Energy National Trophy	Dusty Hare

The Cornish Pirates made a number of changes to start the second half, whilst their opponents fielded a stronger and completely different XV for the second period, this time led by Louis Deacon, and including British Lions Julian White and Ollie Smith. It would be fair to surmise, even at this stage, that the Cornish Pirates would understandably feel the pressure in the last quarter.

Fresh faces were soon on the score-sheet, France 'A' hooker, Benjamin Kayser, identified as having applied the pressure for a try this time converted by Andy Goode.

Still in no way overawed, The Cornish Pirates hit back strongly at the clubhouse corner, and after Leicester defenders got themselves into a mess and spilled the ball just to the left of the posts, now acting skipper, centre Steve Winn, pounced to score a converted try.

The Cornish Pirates had shown tremendous resolve as a new outfit, and although unable to prevent the visitors extending their lead with a try scored by Smith and converted by Goode, they did manage one more effort themselves. Wing James Moore, on loan 'Falcon' Ed Williamson, and hooker Darren Dawidiuk, who has great potential and displayed admirable confidence, were influential in setting up their fourth and last try scored by Tuohy. Steenson, who had clearly outshone international opponents Paul Burke and Andy Goode, was again on target with the conversion.

As expected, in the last quarter the now tearaway Tigers found more space to finish off a thoroughly entertaining afternoon. Wing Tom Varndell, their top try-scorer last season, crossed for two tries, the first of which he strode in for from half-way for Goode to convert, with their others scored by No. 8 Jordan Crane and wing Ollie Dodge.

Game over, it had been a memorable afternoon, Leicester visitors enjoying the Cornish hospitality and singing, and respective coaches Jim McKay and Richard Cockerill also, importantly, surely pleased with much of what they had seen.

Cornish Pirates

A. Winnan, R. McAtee, P. Devlin, S. Whatling, B. Tuohy, G. Steenson, R. Bolt, T. Cowley Capt
I. Motusaga, S. Betty, B. Cumming, J. Beardshaw, D. Seal, R. Elloway, A. Paver.

Replacements (all used)
S. Parsons, S. Winn, J. Moore, E. Williamson, E. Gisende, S. Hobson, S. Heard, D. Dawidiuk, P. Cook.

Leicester Tigers

1st half XV
J. Murphy, W. Hurrell, M. Smith, M. Cornwell, V. Tuilagi, P. Burke, B. Youngs, O. Finegan Capt, L. Abraham, T. Croft, M. Wentzel, G. Gillanders, D. Young, M. Davies, B. Stankovich.

2nd. Half XV
M. Culpin, T. Varndell, T. Youngs, O. Smith, O. Dodge, A. Goode, F. Murphy, J. Crane, B. Herring, B. Pienaar, L. Deacon Capt, R. Blaze, J. White, B. Kayser, A. Moreno.

Scorers:

Cornish Pirates
Tries: McAtee, Whatling, Winn, Tuohy
Cons: Steenson 4

Leicester Tigers
Tries: Varndell 2, Youngs, Tuilagi, Wentzel, Kayser, O. Smith, Crane, Dodge
Cons: Burke 3 Goode 3

Referee - Tony Spreadbury (RFU)

Attendance - 4,238.

Match mascots - Ellie Angove (Cornish Pirates) & Willi

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