A Bounce Back Win for The Pirates

By Phil Westren

Cornish Pirates 48 Chinnor 24

In Round 5 of this season’s Elior Champ Rugby campaign, recovering
from their 38-14 loss at Bedford Blues the previous weekend, the Cornish
Pirates bounced back to ultimately record this convincing victory at
home on Saturday against Chinnor.

After former ‘Pirate’ Harry Dugmore led the visitors onto the field,
followed soon after by the talismanic figure of Hugh Bokenham who was
making his 50th appearance for the Pirates, the match kicked off at the
Mennaye Field at the earlier than usual time of 1pm

This was an eighth versus fourth affair in the league, so the Pirates
were expecting a tough inspection against ‘The Villagers’, to give
Chinnor their nickname.

With certain unavailability there were various changes in the home
squad for this encounter. In the backs Will Becconsall was selected at
full-back in place of Henry Palmer, who was named on the wing, and Josh
Radcliffe moved into the centre to partner Harry Ascherl. Matt Pritchard
started at hooker and two players from Exeter Chiefs were among the
replacements. Both backs, they were former England under 20s
international Ben Coen, who made one appearance for the Pirates last
season, and Kiwi Charlie Poynton, an arrival in the week at the Mennaye
Field on loan.

On another welcome sunny afternoon, and after both sides tested
opposition defences, it was Chinnor who opened the scoring in the
eleventh minute. Wing Jack Metcalfe and centre James Bourton combined
well and when the ball was moved left it was Kiwi full-back Nick Smith
who crossed for a try at the scoreboard corner. Fly-half Liam Richman
added the extras.

Midway through the half the Pirates responded to score their opening
try, when prop Alessandro Heaney took advantage of a fumble to win a
chase and touch down for an unconverted try at the old Western National
corner.

Just past the half hour mark, after forceful play from skipper Alex
Everett and hooker Matt Pritchard, space was spotted wide out left for
the ball to be moved to wing Henry Palmer who sped to the line for a try
converted by fly-half Arwel Robson. Then, all but from the restart,
Palmer made it a brace with his second converted score.

The Pirates were on fire, with scrum half Dan Hiscocks to the fore.
However, former England player Nick Easter‘s Chinnor not only nullified
the danger but also reduced the deficit just before halftime thanks to
an unconverted try awarded to experienced hooker Alun Walker.

Although 19-12 up, at this stage the outcome for the Pirates was too
difficult to predict. Two minutes into the second forty, following a
fine run by Becconsall a Robson penalty did extend the home team’s lead,
but the Villagers then responded to turn things around to go 24-22 up
before the hour mark. Metcalf and Walker were try-scorers, the second of
which was converted by Richman.

Now was a test for the Pirates to show their credentials, and with
crowd urging them on they did just that. A second try for Heaney, and
then one for 50 games man Bokenham, both of which Robson converted, made
it 36-24 with ten minutes to go.

Suddenly, the Pirates were in total control, with man of the match
Becconsall’s excellent score converted by replacement Ben Coen. The 50
points mark was in focus, and despite Charlie Poynton celebrating his
debut with a spectacular try, the match ended just two points short. Of
course, it mattered not – as it was job done!

📷Cornish Pirates in celebratory mode. Credit: Harry Trump

Speaking at the end of the game, much pleased Cornish Pirates’ joint
head coach Gavin Cattle commented:

“For us it was pleasing result, having in that second half showed
maturity in terms of game control. Obviously, we boxed quite high up the
pitch to stay in the battle, and in a tricky wind, and we importantly
pulled the trigger at the right time.

“The disappointing thing from last week was not getting our backs
on the ball, but this week we showed we are learning and progressing. I
thought Will Becconsall had a cracking game at fullback. People
questioned his selection there, but it is a role where he features quite
a lot in training, and he is effective there.

“On reflection we have all said that we can be a little bit flat
and slow to start, and sometimes that does especially happen when you
have travel to contend with, as per last week. But what I would say too
is that once we had a couple of days to look at the game it was thought
we overplayed our forwards and missed so many opportunities for our
backs to have a hand in the match, and that was a disappointing
thing.

“We signed the likes of Henry Palmer and Josh Radcliffe to
express themselves and they were pleasingly able to today, so it was
good that we changed things. Also, once again, the crowd played a part,
and with the weather great once more and the reverberation from the
stand, the created noise makes a difference.”

Cornish Pirates: 15 Will Becconsall 14 Arthur Relton
13 Josh Radcliffe 12 Harry Ascherl 11 Henry Palmer 10 Arwel Robson 9 Dan
Hiscocks; 1 Alessandro Heaney 2 Matt Pritchard 3 Alfie Petch 4 Matt
Cannon 5 Josh King 6 Alex Everett (captain) Jack Forsythe 8 Hugh
Bokenham.

Replacements: 16 Morgan Nelson 17 Jamie Clark 18 Osman Dimen 19 Tomi
Agbongbon 20 Luke Ratcliff 21 Ben Coen 22 Charlie Poynton 23 Finn
Love.

Yellow cards: Pritchard and Nelson.

Chinnor: 15 Nick Smith 14 Jack Metcalf 13 James
Bourton 12 Tomos Florence 11 Ben Currie 10 Liam Richman 9 Callum Pascoe;
1 Ramaz Rukhadze 2 Alun Walker 3 Rob Hardwick 4 Jamie Campbell 5
Conor-Terrah Brockschmidt 6 Harry Dugmore (captain) 7 Isaiah Wharton 8
Morgan Passman.

Replacements: 16 Luke Thompson 17 Oscar Stott 18 Andy Darlington 19
Scott Hall 20 Josh du Toit 21 Zach Lewis 22 Nathan Chamberlain 23 Will
Cave.

Yellow cards: Dugmore and Campbell.

Scorers: Cornish Pirates – tries: Heaney (2), Palmer
(2), Bokenham, Becconsall, Poynton; cons: Robson (4), Coen; pen: Robson.
Chinnor – tries: Smith, Walker (2), Metcalf; cons: Richman (2).

Referee: Andy Wigley.

Assistants: Henry Lowis & Emmerson Wood.

‘Tribute’ Man of the Match: Will Becconsall.

‘Thatchers’ Try of the Match: Alessandro Heaney (his
first try).

Attendance: 1736

📷Cornish Pirates in celebratory mode. Credit: Harry Trump