Darren
Dawidiuk Darren joined the Cornish Pirates as an 'Academy'
player in 2006, proving himself since to have the potential to play at a high
level. His youth rugby had been played at Truro, joining
the city club at the age of 12, and making progress through the juniors and colts
before he made a 1st team debut as a blind-side flanker in a league match against
St. Ives. When at Richard Lander School he played for Cornwall
at 16 group level, following the path of his brother Daniel who was also a hooker.
Other members in a strong county side were Scott Hobson, Sam Parsons, Mike Provis,
Mike Rawlings and Gareth Tedstone. Darren became a member
of the South West of England Rugby Academy (SWERA) based at Truro, and he also
gained selection to the England Colleges team in 2005. He played for England Colleges
again in 2006, and also captained the Truro College team that beat Filton in the
final of the British Colleges Cup competition played at Castlecroft. During
his first season with the Cornish Pirates, Darren had a loan spell playing for
Redruth in National Two, not letting either them or us down. Showing strength
and mobility, he notched up an impressive five tries in nine games for the 'Reds',
and was proudly named 'Man of the Match' when playing Cambridge. It was one of
the highlights in his brief rugby career to date, as was selection the same season
for the England U20s Development squad, him the only player not associated with
a Premiership club. He made four appearances for the Cornish
Pirates in his first season with us, and followed this with 14 in 2007-08. He
was a deserved winner of the 'Most Improved Player' award, with his focus now
to keep developing and earn still more game time in 2008-09. And
the name 'Dawidiuk'? Well, it is Ukrainian, his grandfather having arrived in
Cornwall at the end of World War 2 and having sensibly married a Cornish lass! | 
