'Super
Cup' Final Cancelled 2nd April 2009 The
Cornwall RFU Competitions Standing Committee has decided to cancel the Final of
this season's CRFU Skinners Brewery Cornwall Super Cup, which was to have been
played at St. Austell on Easter Monday. A statement from the CRFU reads: "It
is with great regret that the Cornwall RFU Competitions Standing Committee has
had to cancel the Final of this season's Cornwall Rugby Football Union Skinners
Brewery Cornwall Super Cup, which was to have been played at Tregorrick Parc St
Austell on Easter Bank Holiday Monday, 13th April. Unfortunately,
due to a variety of reasons, the group stage matches of the competition which
were to be have been played by Sunday 22nd March, have not been completed in time.
Therefore, it has not been possible to ascertain with any degree of certainty
which of the competing clubs have qualified for the final of the competition and
in consequence that final will not now take place. The CRFU
Competitions Standing Committee is extremely sorry that it has proved necessary
to take this decision, but feels that it has been left with no other option. It
wishes to express its sadness that the players, officials and supporters of the
clubs, the competition sponsors Skinners Brewery and all supporters of Cornish
rugby will be denied the final of the Duchy's premier cup competition, as well
as all Cornish clubs a share of the gate. Clearly, if the Super Cup competition
is to continue next season and in subsequent years, the rules will have to be
tightened to ensure that this situation does not arise again. It
wishes to place on record its thanks to Skinners Brewery and Mr Steve Skinner
in particular for their continued support of the Cornwall Cup competitions and
Cornish rugby in general and to confirm that the other Finals between St Ives
and Camborne in the Knock-out Cup and Bodmin and Stithians in the Clubs Cup will
go ahead as planned on the same day and at the same venue." Paul
Cottle
Hon Secretary
CRFU Competitions Standing Committee In
reply to the CRFU's announcement, Cornish Pirates CEO Rod Coward said; "If
there is to be a common will amongst Clubs for this competition to continue in
future years there has to be a much clearer acknowledgement on the part of the
CRFU that League and National fixtures must always take precedence. I think
it's unfortunate that the CRFU have seen fit to publish a statement in the terms
that it has, when it has been patently clear for many months that the competition
was foundering through what amounts to lack of opportunity to play games on the
part of those Clubs involved. To now, less than two weeks before the scheduled
Final, suggest that it is not possible to ascertain who the finalists are is as
much a measure of the CRFU as the Clubs themselves. The suggestion that
rules will be tightened will, in my view, be counter-productive and simply mean
the CRFU has failed to recognise the importance of fixtures that have greater
priority. What is necessary is greater co-operation between Clubs and the CRFU,
not less." With reference to the now cancelled Final,
it is remembered that the Pirates announced in March that they intended to fulfil
the fixture, despite the fact that they would have played a tough local 'derby'
encounter at home to Plymouth Albion just the day before. | 
