By Gareth Davies

CORNWALL RLFC are delighted to announce the continued commitment of Mike Abbott as head coach for the 2025 Betfred League 1 season.

Abbott took over from Neil Kelly in October 2022 and has led the Choughs in each of their previous two campaigns.

In 2023, the side claimed a number of notable firsts, which included winning back-to-back games and also defeating a heartlands side Rochdale Hornets, on the final day of the campaign.

Last term, which saw the Choughs finish eighth out of nine, Abbott continued to establish Cornwall RLFC in rugby league’s professional ranks and now, for 2025, he will be looking for further progress in leading the 13-player code’s charge in the South West.

Speaking to cornwallrlfc.co.uk, he said: “What really made me really want to commit to a third year was the amount of lads that didn’t hesitate to commit to this team and really bought into what we want to achieve. That was key for me.”

With the appointment of Ken Stone as the club’s new owner, it provides a unique opportunity for fresh support, guidance and insight into building the club up from within. With some weight shared across the management team, there can be more focus on driving the club forward and pressing on with new leadership.

Therefore, Abbott believes that the impact Stone has had on the club is already bearing fruit, helping a number of last year’s key squad members to commit for the 2025 season.

“That comes from his honesty,” Abbott enthused. “It’s way easier to work with people when you know where you stand.

“You can see from the contact Ken’s already had with the players that we’re getting a real sense of involvement. Just him putting time and energy into the club is inspiring players to do the same.”

With a clean slate ahead for Cornwall, the goal for Abbott is to channel those efforts into the right areas.

“I want this season to be more about us,” he added. “In reflection, we should have paid more attention to how good we were as a team and what our strengths were, not spending too much time focusing on our opponents and not taking away from what Cornwall were good at.

“I want to play fast, off-the-cuff rugby that’s won us a number of games in the past. Playing the Cornwall way and having other teams fear how we play.”

“The 2025 season brings the opportunity to build a brand of rugby that the Cornish can be proud of and get behind.”

Meanwhile, Cornwall owner Stone says he Abbott has all the credentials to achieve success at the Memorial Ground next term

“I’m looking forward to building a strong relationship with Mike to develop players and winning games for Cornwall,” Stone said. “He has proven he has what it takes and my job is to make that process as easy as possible to fulfil his coaching goals and aspirations.

“With growing support and backing within the club, we’re calling all of Cornwall and the South West rugby league community to get behind the project that we’re building here as we aim to build pathways into the professional game from the grassroots up.”

Cornwall will begin their home Betfred League 1 campaign against Newcastle Thunder on Sunday, March 23, with ticket information available for supporters in due course.

Any interested parties who are keen to support Cornwall RLFC, are invited, in the first instance, to contact the club directly by email at [email protected]