Phil Westren's Programme Notes

Phil's Programme Notes

Today’s welcome visitors from Newbury arrived at National 1 level last season, many thinking they would be the whipping boys in the league. In the event, they finished eleventh, all but found their feet, and certainly played some entertaining rugby along the way.

Their 52-41 victory at Plymouth Albion was a particularly stunning result, a skilful and daredevil performance, but as the season wore on it was inevitable that other teams would suss out and combat their free-flowing style of play.

As most sides experience coming up into the division for the first time, it acts as a learning curve, a point no doubt appreciated by Ben Ryan, their admirable young coach. Kiwi fly-half Blair Feeney, who has since left the ‘Blues’, ended up the club’s top points scorer with 225, whilst flanker Chris Cracknell, who has since joined us, topped their try-scoring list with 10.

Our first game against Newbury in National 1 took place at their Monks Lane ground last September, when on a hot and humid afternoon they showed us anything but pastoral compassion on the field of play. It was an occasion when we squeezed through by the narrowest of margins, 26-25. Duncan Bell scored a try for Newbury that day, but it was the second of two tries scored in the dying seconds by outstanding Fijian flanker Isoa Damudamu that gave the Berkshire team a chance of victory. However, Feeney’s conversion attempt narrowly missed, providing enormous relief to the Pirates travelling throng.

In the return, played at Kenwyn last January, conditions were about the worst experienced at home during all of last season, but the Pirates won comfortably enough, 30-10, with Chris Cracknell crossing for one of their two tries scored in the match.

Newbury, though losing the services of a number of very able players, have actually recruited well. Former England winger David Rees heads the list, whilst fly-half Tim Walsh, a former Queensland ‘Reds’ and Aussie 7s player, has joined after a couple of seasons with Pertemps Bees. Other names with whom we will associate are Chris Morgan, who did well for us on loan from Bristol last season, and Cornishmen Adam Harris from Hayle and Mal Roberts of Illogan.

Ben Ryan’s side lost their two opening matches of this campaign, going down 27-11 at Doncaster and 24-10 at home to Leeds, before then recording a fine 21-13 victory at London Welsh, a result which will remind us of the threat they can always pose.

Anyway, kick-off beckons, there’s another rugby match story about to unfold, let’s enjoy it!

Phil Westren