For
their last, and only game at home in November, the Cornish Pirates hosted Rotherham
Titans at the Recreation Ground, Camborne, on Sunday, recording a most welcome
bonus point victory - one which also notched them up a place to fourth in the
league. Previously known as the Earth Titans, last
season's runners-up in National One arrived in Cornwall eighth in the league and
on the the back of a disappointing 17-3 home defeat to London Welsh, them also
perhaps unsettled by the fact that their Kiwi head coach, Phil Werahiko, had departed
the Yorkshire club by mutual consent. As for the Cornish
Pirates, they approached the game in buoyant mood, deservedly delighted to have
won at Doncaster the previous weekend, but also making a number of changes in
their starting line-up. In the forwards, hooker Nathan
Kemp and flanker Iva Motusaga replaced Rob Elloway and Chris Cracknell, who were
both side-lined with injuries, while in the outsides Richard Bolt was given a
run at scrum-half ahead of Ed Fairhurst, and wing Brian Tuohy replaced James Moore
out wide.
 | |
In the forwards, hooker Nathan Kemp replaced Rob Elloway |
On
an occasionally wet and blustery afternoon the Pirates started brightly enough,
looking purposeful, but ultimately let down through handling error and poor decision-making. For
a side seemingly disrupted off the field, the visitors response was positive on
it, settling now into the game with dangerman wing Stephen Grissing almost sneaking
in at the scoreboard corner. Now applying the pressure, the Titans efforts were
rewarded when wing Jamie Blackwood kicked a simple penalty on offer to put his
side 3-0 up in the tenth minute. As the half developed ,
Rotherham were still having the best of it, deserving of their lead, and it one
increased early into the second quarter of the match when former 'Pirate' Neil
Chivers, playing at scrum-half, darted into gifted space for a try at the clubhouse
corner which was magnificently converted by Blackwood. It
was important that the Pirates should now lift their performance, which they ultimately
did with skipper Tim Cowley, lock Joe Beardshaw and hooker Nathan Kemp to the
fore. Tongan centre Vunga Lilo, making his home debut, made a couple of threatening
runs, but gaps , open one moment, were quickly closed down.
 | |
Tongan centre Vunga Lilo, making his home debut |
Approaching
half-time it was vital that the Pirates should trouble the scoreboard operator,
which they thankfully managed to do. The bald-headed , lookalike duo of centre
Nick Buckley and Kemp powered their way down the right, recycled quick ball and
two phases of play to the left then finished off at the corner by Beardshaw. It
was just what the Cornish team needed, with the added bonus that fly-half Gareth
Steenson added the difficult conversion to make it 7-10 at the break. During
the interval Pirate players made a collection for Children's Hospice South West,
the whole squad growing moustaches throughout the month of Mo-vember, to raise
awareness for and support the worthy charity, supporters kindly donating the sum
of £757 on the day. Back to the on-field action, the
Pirates started as they had finished the first period - on the front foot, forcing
Rotherham to defend desperately once more. Their cause was also helped when a
wayward Titans pass enabled them to up the ante close to the line, with Kemp then
soon over the whitewash for a converted try at the posts which now gave the Pirates
a lead. From the restart, however, Rotherham were awarded
a penalty, the difficult chance on offer kicked by Blackwood to bring them back
to within a point of their hosts. Of replacements now being
introduced, it was Canadian international scrum-half Ed Fairhurst who made a noted
impact, him also next on the scoresheet, his try at the posts converted by Steenson.
 | |
It was Canadian international scrum-half Ed Fairhurst who made a noted impact |
The
Pirates were now in the ascendancy, in search of a bonus point providing fourth
try, their mission though delayed when visiting flanker Neil Cochrane was injured
and had to be stretchered off the field. When play resumed, bleakly black
clouds cleared briefly from above, and the Pirates looked to raise their efforts
with full-back Ollie Thomas, Steenson and Lilo all lively.  | |
Skipper Tim Cowley Charges Into The Driving Rain |
Into
the Rotherham '22', Buckley and replacement hooker Darren Dawidiuk drove to the
line, forward momentum maintained and ending when flanker Iva Motusaga scored
the team's important fourth try of the afternoon, to which Steenson again added
the extras. As the light faded again, the last few minutes were feistily
fought out, it a match that finally drew to a close with a consolation second
try scored by the visitors, an unconverted effort awarded to Jamie Sutton. Cornish
Pirates head coach Jim McKay commented:
"A five point win is good,
but I was not too happy with the performance, there still a lot more to come from
us."
Cornish Pirates:
O. Thomas, A. Koko, V.
Lilo, N. Buckley, B. Tuohy (R. McAtee 57), G. Steenson, R. Bolt (E. Fairhurst
48)
M. Evans (S. Hobson 66), I. Motusaga, T. Cowley (capt), B. Cumming, J.
Beardshaw (H. Senekal 60)
D. Seal, N. Kemp (D. Dawidiuk 60), P. Cook (A. Paver
51). Replacements (not used) -J. Moore Yellow card: R. McAtee. Scorers:- Cornish
Pirates -
Tries: Beardshaw, Kemp, Fairhurst, Motusaga
Con: Steenson 4
Rotherham
Titans:
E. Claassens, J. Blackwood, M. Lawson (G. Griffiths 33), R. Connolly,
S. Grissing, T. Allen
N. Chivers (C. Hallam 57), M. McComish (capt - B. Wade
67-70, 78), N. Cochrane (J. Sutton 60)
A. Dunlop, L. McGowan, J. Waterhouse
(C. O'Connor 66), P. Boulton (K. Corrigan 75)
N. Conroy (J. Kilbane 57), A.
O.Donnell Scorers:-
Doncaster
Tries:
Chivers, Sutton
Con: Blackwood
Pens: Blackwood 2
Referee:
Mr. J.P. Doyle (RFU)
Attendance: 2815 Man
of the Match: Joe Beardshaw | 
