Cornish Pirates push Saracens close in Penzance friendly

By Phil Westren

Cornish Pirates 14 Saracens 29

After two friendly match wins away to Camborne (50-28) and Plymouth Albion (35-21), for their third pre-season friendly the Cornish Pirates welcomed the might of ‘Prem’ side Saracens to Penzance on Friday night. Yes, the home team might have lost but there was much to savour and be proud of in their performance.

📷Credit: Brian Tempest

Staying in Cornwall and enjoying the hospitality afforded them in days leading up to the match, ‘Sarries’ had welcomed the opportunity to train at the Mennaye Field. Their first of several visits over the years was way back in 1952, which ended in a 3-all draw, whilst on their last visit during Covid in 2021 they lost 25-17 when briefly in the Championship. That was arguably the Pirates greatest ever result.

As for this 2026 encounter, despite the loss the Pirates, with Sir Richard Evans making a welcome visit, really could hold their heads high.

📷Credit: Brian Tempest

Succeeding Mark McCall, Saracens’ Director of Rugby and former South African international Brendan Venter, on returning to role he previously held in the past, selected a match day squad made up of experienced international performers, young stars, and certain new signings.

Following damage inflicted earlier in the year by ’Storm Goretti’, the main grandstand at the ‘Mennaye’ was not yet open. However, an otherwise inevitable sell-out crowd was present who made light of the occasional rain. Hey, we have all been crying out for it!

After skipper Alex Everett led the Cornish side out to the sound of ‘Sandstorm’, and with two highly respected guest players from Camborne named on the bench in former Fiji international Josh Matavesi and Jon Drew, fly-half Arwel Robson kicked the game off playing towards Newlyn.

📷Credit: Brian Tempest

It was not long though before the visitors took control inside the Pirates half, which culminated with six minutes on the clock for a try scored at the scoreboard corner by Saracens’ long serving winger Rotimi Segun. Former England international wing Max Malins, playing at fly-half, was luckless with his conversion attempt from out wide.

Maintaining pressure on their hosts, excellent slick handling led to a second unconverted try for ‘Sarries’, scored this time in the clubhouse corner by Segun’s fellow speedy winger Fraser Rawlins.

📷Credit: Brian Tempest

It was all a little worrying, but as the early stages of the game panned out the Pirates showed levels of response with a fine driving maul, whilst their scrum too was sound. The mood of supporters was lifted and soon considerably so. Scrum half Dan Hiscocks was busy, skipper Everett carried strongly, and when Robson nudged the ball right it was winger Arthur Relton who was identified as a try-scorer. Robson also added the extras.

📷Credit: Brian Tempest

The home side were showing what they were capable of, but two tries scored by Saracens before the break gave them a 22-7 lead. A first followed an outstanding run by full-back Jack Bracken, whose brother Charlie was at scrum half. Malins’ third conversion attempt rebounded off a post, but he was successful when converting a fourth try scored out right by replacement hooker James Hadfield.

When the second half got underway, following an on-field halftime interview by Nick Knowles with Jamie George, internationals including Owen Farrell and Elliot Daly were introduced to proceedings by Saracens.

📷Credit: Brian Tempest

There was every hope though that the Pirates would get on the scoresheet again, and they pleasing did when replacement hooker Matt Pritchard was identified as the scorer of a try well converted by Robson.

📷Credit: Brian Tempest

As for the final say, which made it 29-14 to Saracens, it was a second try scored by Rawlins and this time converted by Farrell that ultimately brought to an end such a fine contest in which both teams impressed.

📷Credit: Brian Tempest

There were many happy faces about the good old Mennaye, with supporters taking the opportunity to have photographs taken with players and getting autographs signed. To his credit Owen Farrell was the last man standing, giving his time to sportingly respond to ‘One & All’.

Speaking after the game, Cornish Pirates’ joint head coach Gavin Cattle said:

“It was a very pleasing workout. Yes, they are really good operators under the high ball, and we did struggle in the first half to get those scraps. It also just showed that if you give them boys a sniff of space and they’ll pick you off

“I was just glad we stayed in the fight following their two early scores and being little bit tentative in the first forty, because it would have been easy for us to slip away in the second half.

“We went for the line a bit harder and pressured that second lane harder, and by sticking to task and being physical we stayed in the fight, and I was chuffed with our performance.

“Our scrum went well and we were grateful to Redruth and Camborne for loaning us Tyler Gendall and Jon Drew, as we were Camborne’s Josh Matavesi in the backs.

“Some of the new boys have showed up well in training but we are still in the process of looking at the best combinations. We have a small squad, but it is an admirably competitive one.

“The pace of the Saracens was impressive, especially from full-back Jack Bracken. They certainly have a lot of athleticism and talent coming through which was good for us to face up against, but back to our boys I was proud and chuffed of the effort, especially in the second half after they brought on Owen Farrell and Elliot Daly.

Gavin also added:

“Considering the main stand is out of action at present I am just pleased people turned out to fill the ground. I hope they saw what we are trying to achieve and what we are about, and that they too were proud of our team and the fight they showed.”

Cornish Pirates:  15 Angus Mawson 14 Arthur Relton 13 Chester Ribbons 12 Harry Ascherl 11 Henry Palmer 10 Arwel ROBSON 9 Dan Hiscocks; 1 Jamie Clark 2 Morgan Nelson 3 Tyler Gendall 4 Milo Hallam 5 Steele Barker 6 Alex Everett (captain) 7 Jack Forsythe 8 Hugh Bokenham.

Replacements:  Matt Pritchard, Jon Drew (guest), Alfie Petch, Matt Cannon, Josh King, Luke Ratcliff, Barnaby Elderkin, Tomi Agbongbon, Will Becconsall, Josh Matavesi (guest), Josh Radcliffe, Joe Elderkin, Finn Love, Joe Cummins.

Saracens:  15 Jack Bracken 14 Fraser Rawlins 13 Angus Hall 12 Olly Hartley 11 Rotimi Segun 10 Max Malins 9 Charlie Bracken; 1 Vilikesa Nairau 2 Eoghan Clarke 3 Marcus Street 4 Olamide Sodeke 5 Hugh Tizard 6 Nick Isiekwe 7 Toby Knights 8 Alfie Barbeary.

Replacements:  Phil Brantingham, James Hadfield, Corne Weilbach, Mathis Dehauteur, Totoa Auvaa, Tayo Adegbemile, Reggie Hammick, Nathan Michelow, Tom James, Owen Farrell, Seva Kava, Sione Va’enuku, Nick Tomkins, Elliot Daly, Alex O’Driscoll, James Isaacs, Alec Clarey.

Scorers:
Cornish Pirates – tries: Relton, Pritchard; cons: Robson (2).
Saracens – tries: Rawlins (2), Segun, J. Bracken, Hadfield; cons: Malins, Farrell.

Referee:  Harry Walbaum
Assistants:  Emmerson Wood & Kevin Williams
Official 4:  Will Williams

Tribute ‘Man of the Match’:  Tyler Gendall
Thatchers ‘Try of the Match’:  Arthur Relton

📷Credit: Brian Tempest