Cornish Pirates

Rain cleared, pitch looking resplendently green, and with both sides showing off new playing strips, the Pirates and Reds went head to head in their first pre-season 'friendly' played last Saturday at the Recreation Ground, Camborne.

The Cornish Pirates side, officially led for the first time by full-back Adryan Winnan, had five new faces making their debuts in the starting line-up. One of them, Tongan international winger Aisea Havili, wasting no time in providing a fine example of his known clinical finishing ability. His first try for the Pirates at the clubhouse corner of the ground came after just five minutes, it following a fine midfield break by scrum-half Ed Fairhurst. The conversion attempt by young fly-half Rhys Jones went just wide.

Aisea Havili

Redruth responded by going close to scoring themselves in the opposite left hand corner when full-back Rob Thirlby, who was one of eight former Pirates in the Redruth squad, unluckily knocked the ball forward after following up a grub kick that split the Pirates defence. However, by maintaining the pressure a penalty chance soon came their way which fly-half Mark Scrivener, a close season signing from the Cornish All Blacks, had little difficulty in slotting.

Approaching the quarter of an hour mark, the Cornish Pirates put together as smooth a passage of play as they would manage throughout the whole game, forwards and backs in total control, their upfield momentum towards their opponents' line ending with Havili cantering over the line in the left hand corner for another unconverted score.

Not deterred, the Reds came back into the match and played some attractive rugby, but were ultimately unable to finish off a number of promising moves, and also missed out on adding to their points tally when Scrivener missed two penalty chances on offer.

For the Pirates, Canada captain Fairhurst continued to be lively and alert, him setting the play once more from where the home side next took play threateningly to the right. It looked likely that a try was scored, but the match officials were unable to positively confirm it, as indicated when referee Nick Williams, as inimitable a character as ever, amused the crowd by signalling lightheartedly for the video ref. In the circumstance, however, it mattered not, as from another immediate assault to the line, French No 8 Bertrand Bedes scored the Pirates third try of the match.

Ed Fairhurst Supports Bertrand Bedes

In all honesty, the Cornish Pirates would have hoped to have shown themselves to be more dominant in this first half, there a level of relief almost when flanker Sam Betty showed athletic power and pace to cross the line just before the break. The conversion attempt from Jones looked this time to be successful, but it bounced back off the right post for the half-time score to remain at 20 points to 3.

The Pirates came out for the second period with a much changed XV, the half one when the rest of their fit and available squad would be given a run out.

By the very fact that so many changes were being made it was perhaps unlikely that the Pirates would have things their own way, which many in the excellent crowd of 2,498 might have expected. Indeed, it was Redruth who started purposefully, centre Simon Peters spotting space to run and break clear to the scoreboard corner, it a position from where visiting skipper Darren Jacques scored a try that his team fully deserved.

If Redruth could hit back and score quickly again then it might just have been awkward for the Pirates, but it did not happen. Flanker Iva Motusaga was in rampaging mode, utility back Marika Vakacegu looked an exciting acquisition in the Pirates colours, and replacement scrum-half continued in Fairhurst-like mode. Wing Rhodri McAtee also took every opportunity to get involved in proceedings, and it was him who showed that he is as potent a finisher as ever when darting in for a try at the posts which Ollie Thomas converted.

Marika Vakacegu

The Pirates proceeded to generally dominate play in match where the ELVs (Experimental Law Variations) were used for the first time. It is perhaps too early to be too judgemental, but Redruth took full advantage to legally defend the danger posed from a Pirates driving maul by being able to pull it down short of the line, before a sixth and final try of the game for the Pirates was eventually scored when flanker Chris Morgan lent support to a break made by centre Steve Winn.

Come the final whistle, supporters understandably had mixed feelings about what they had just witnessed, but at the same time realised the importance of playing these pre-season friendly games.

The chance of getting some real match action can only be of benefit for all involved, with the Cornish Pirates now looking forward to their next opportunity to show more of themselves when they play Italian 'Super 10' side Almaviva Capitolina at Camborne this coming Saturday at 5pm.

The Rome-based opponents will offer a much sterner test, and it one not to be missed. Their squad is littered with internationals who have played for either Italy or Argentina at various levels, this a match offering the Pirates an ideal step up in preparation ahead of their first league match of the season at home to Newbury on Sunday 31st August.

Cornish Pirates:
A Winnan (capt - M. Vakacegu h/t), A. Havili (R. Bright 59), P. Devlin (M. Ireland h/t),
T. Luke (S. Winn h/t), J. Moore (R. McAtee h/t), R. Jones (O. Thomas h/t), B. Bedes (M. Evans h/t)
S. Betty (I. Motusaga h/t), B. Cumming, B. Gulliver (C. Morgan 40), H. Senekal (M. Burak 50),
S. Heard (D. Seal h/t), R. Elloway ((D. Dawidiuk h/t), A. Paver (P. Cook 40).

Redruth: Starting XV -
R. Thirlby (T. McBride 40 + 8) , L. Vinnicombe (R. Thirlby 49), C. Bonds, S. Peters (S. Kenward 53)
N. Pedley (P. Texeira 78), M. Scrivener (B. Rule 69), M. Richards (N. Simmons 75)
J. Mann (D. Roberts 27, B. Fox 59), N. Corin (N. Pascoe 78), N. Pascoe (J. Mann 40 + 8)
L. Collins (R. Carroll 29), D. Cook (L. Collins 63), P. Joyce (A. Morcom 40 + 4), C. Hale 75)
O. Hambly (40 + 8, B. Priddey 69), D. Jacques (P. Joyce 69).

Scorers:-

Cornish Pirates - tries: Havili (2), Bedes, Betty, McAtee, Morgan; cons: Thomas (2).

Redruth - try: Jacques; pen: Scrivener.

Referee: Nick Williams (RFU)

Attendance: 2,498