Cornish Pirates 57 Moseley 24
Sunday 13th September 2009
Watch Match Highlights On Pirates TV
Opening Start - A Sample To Savour
On a gloriously sunny afternoon at Camborne the Cornish Pirates emerged comfortable winners from their first 'Championship' match played on home soil, the 9 to 4 try-count in their favour providing more than ample evidence that it was an entertaining contest.
However, it was the opening to the game that really provided something to savour, as quick out of the blocks the Pirates comfortably secured their bonus point with less than a quarter of the match gone.
It really was a period that was as clinical and correct as you could get, and surely offers the promise of more to come when injured members of the squad return to fitness.
The first try was scored in just the second minute when No. 8 Chris Morgan crossed for a try converted by fly-half Jonny Bentley.
Two minutes later a super pass of the ground by man of the match flanker Tyrone Holmes got the Pirates underway again, allowing centre Mark Ireland to run and time his pass perfectly for wing Jimmy Moore to sprint in from 30 metres for another converted score.
Maintaining the tempo with hooker Dave Ward rampaging like a back-rower and Holmes an important link once more, the ball was again moved at pace, this time from right to left to enable full-back Wes Davies to canter to the line for an unconverted try.
The visitors suffered a further set back when hooker Adam Caves had to be helped off the field in just the thirteenth minute, but the Pirates showed no mercy as they immediately set about creating their bonus point providing fourth try which was scored by centre Rhys Jones. Bentley comfortably added the extras.
Moseley's half-back pairing of Andy Williams and Tristan Roberts did their best to bring Moseley to the party, with scrum-half Williams, a former Welsh international, especially keen to impress for his new club. The Pirates, however, continued to be miserly, and after being put under pressure for the first time they successfully booted the ball clear, enabling wing Aisea Havili to chase, gather and cross for a converted try at the posts.
When Davies scored his second try of the afternoon, finishing off a flowing passage of play, Moseley at last managed to respond. Spurning chances of kicks at goal when penalties came their way came their way, they pushed close to the line from a catch and drive option, and then created better still off a scrum for flanker Neil Mason to carry the ball with power and purpose. Aware of a genuine scoring opportunity full-back Nathan Bressington offered support on the right and duly breezed over the line to add to the two tries he had scored against Exeter the previous week. Roberts missed the conversion.
As the half drew to a close Moseley played with new found confidence and soon created a further scoring opportunity. Thankfully, however, Havili recovered from a mishap to chase back determinedly to save the day, and followed this with an important tackle to keep the scoreline 38-5 at the break.
Rugby supporters about the globe who were watching the game on 'Pirates TV' must have been both delighted and mightily impressed with what they had seen, whilst injured player Tom Luke, who was assisting Dick Straughan with the commentary, admitted he was understandably struggling to add to the list of superlatives used to describe the scintillating performance thus witnessed.
Moseley, with Andy Williams again a motivator, endeavoured to start the second period in the manner they had ended the first, but when a next score came, seven minutes into the half, it was the Pirates who would again trouble the scoreboard operator, as to finish off another passage of sublime handling Jones scored his second try of the afternoon.
Everything about the afternoon had been bright, but the Pirates were to now suffer a blow, as their skipper Gavin Cattle had to be helped off the field with an apparent knee injury. There was considerable concern about the ground, although at the same time it gave the crowd an opportunity to warmly welcome replacement Rhodri McAtee back to match action.
A second converted try of the match for Morgan took the Pirates to 50 points, it the second match on the trot that 'Mose' had leaked the half century figure. To their credit though, they again showed character and kept their heads held high by actually scoring three more tries through centre Andrew Borgen, No. 8 Ryan Wilson, and Canadian international wing Justin Mensah-Coker.
Sandwiched between Borgen and Wilson's try was a final try of the afternoon for the Pirates, it scored by replacement prop Carl Rimmer who showed a fair turn of speed to take advantage of a
Moseley error to storm his way to the line. Offered the kicking duty, Jones obliged to add the conversion.
Cornish Pirates:
W. Davies, J. Moore (R. Cook 70), M. Ireland, R. Jones, A. Havili (R. Bright 65), J. Bentley
G. Cattle (capt, R. McAtee 54), C. Morgan, T. Holmes, S. Betty, L. Collins,
L. McGlone, A. Paver (C. Rimmer h/t), D. Ward (R. Elloway 62), P. Andrew (R. Storer 70).
Replacement (not used): B. Cowan.
Moseley :
N. Bressington, M. Gillick, B. Keys, A. Borgen, J. Mensah-Coker, T. Roberts, A. Williams
R. Wilson, H. Rowland, N. Mason (D. Lyons 48), A. Hall (capt, R. Stott 48), A. Muldowney
T. Sigley (R. Harden h/t, T. Sigley 80),A. Caves (D. Oselton 13), N. Williams.
Replacements (not used): G. Taylor, E. Read.
Scorers:-
Cornish Pirates –
Tries: Davies 2, Jones 2, Morgan 2, Moore 1, Havili 1 , Rimmer 1
Con: Bentley 5, Jones .
Moseley
Tries: Bressington, Borgen, Wilson, Mensah-Coker
Cons: Roberts 2
Referee: David Rose
Attendance: 2,632
Man of the match: Tyrone Holmes
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