Cornish Pirates Amateurs vs Penryn : Match Report

Photo credit: Brian Tempest – ‘Pirate’ Harris Eddy puts the stoppers on Penryn scrum-half Sam Hewitt’s advance 

Match Report by Phil Westren

Pirates Amateurs Climb to Fifth

Pirates Amateurs 33   Penryn 23

On an increasingly wet afternoon, this bonus point win for the Pirates Amateurs at the Mennaye Field saw them move up to fifth in the league table. The contest also, between two spirited teams, provided a great advert for the rugby that is played in Counties 1 Tribute Western West, where the strong Plymstock Albion Oaks presently hold top spot.

Pirates’ captain Ben Taylor receives his Man of the Match award – Photo credit: Jack Nicholas

Playing towards the Penzance end of the ground, the men from the ‘Borough’ opened the scoring when wing Ross McKnight, who was making his first team debut for Penryn, celebrated with an unconverted try. However, after withstanding a little more pressure the Pirates would soon take general control with skipper and once again man of the match Ben Taylor notching up a hat-trick. Thanks in part was to his team’s acquired potent driving maul, whilst full-back Ben Wragg added two conversions. Penryn, though, had the last say in the half with centre James Salisbury reducing the deficit when slotting a penalty to make it 19-8.

As the weather worsened at the start of the second forty, it was Penryn who would again score next. Salisbury was proving a forceful midfield performer, and in converting his own justly rewarded try, and adding a penalty, at 19-18 the ‘Rynners’ were very much back in the game.

It is a bit of an arm wrestle between Pirates and Penryn players – Photo credit: Phil Westren

Thankfully, in front of a good-sized crowd the Pirates were spurred back into action, and in the process scored two excellent tries through wing Sam Coogan and centre Morgan Holman. Making light of the underfoot conditions, Wragg converted both to open up an important 15 points gap.

Penryn did manage one more try, scored by experienced number 8 Andrew Seviour, but this was a day when spoils went the way of a Pirates, for whom 16 of their 18 squad members were products of the Penzance & Newlyn RFC’s youth section, including 17-year-old Oscar Marr who on making his senior rugby debut impressed as a replacement fly-half.

17-year-old Oscar Marr is pictured on his senior debut for the Pirates – Photo credit: Brian Tempest

Commenting after the game, Pirates’ Amateurs head coach Murray Westren said:

“Returning to winning ways it was good to record this victory, and with a bonus point.

“The conditions made it difficult but there was credit to both sides for their performances. 

“We built a deserved lead at half-time and, after Penryn threatened in the second half, then got back on track to earn the pleasing final result.”

Pirates Amateurs:   15 Ben Wragg 14 Tom Nicholas 13 Morgan Holman 12 Josh Semmens 11 Sam Coogan 10 Harris Eddy 9 Sam Carter; 1 Dylan Arthur 2 Ben Taylor (captain) 3 Dave Penrose 4 Ben Martin 5 Stan Somers 6 Sam Carroll 7 Tom Hutton 8 Archie Pilcher.

Replacements:   16 James Lambourn 17 Jake Hole 18 Oscar Marr.

Penryn:   15 Ben Rosvear 14 Ross McKnight 13 Mike. Fittock 12 James Salisbury 11 Ayden Earnshaw 10 Kyle Johns 9 Sam Hewitt 8 Andrew Seviour 7 Freddie Trewin 6 Finn Lister 5 Matt Carlton 4 Will Drewett 3 Adam Strick (captain) 2 Chris Hellier 1 Connor Thurgood

Replacements: 16 Ryan Burley 17 Peter Cockerell 18 Dan Tripconey

Scorers:

Pirates Amateurs – tries: Taylor (3), Coogan, Holman; cons: Wragg (4).

Penryn – tries: McKnight, Salisbury, Seviour; con: Salisbury; pens: Salisbury (2).

Man of the Match:   Ben Taylor (Pirates Amateurs)

(The Pirates Amateurs are next in action away to Falmouth on Saturday 2^nd March)