By Phil Westren at the Mennaye Field

FRIENDLY

Cornish Pirates 54 Royal Navy 14

FOLLOWING a four-week break, match action for the Cornish Pirates returned on Friday evening when the Royal Navy were welcome visitors to the Mennaye Field.

In perfect conditions the two fully-committed sides both entertained, but with the hosts ultimately emerging comfortable victors.

The popular friendly fixture, a third ever between the two sides, formed part of the Cornish Pirates’ 20th Anniversary celebrations, when special shirts were worn by the home team and many former star players from the past 20 years were in attendance.

Mike Etete.
Guesting for the team, replacement Mike Etete (pictured on the ball) scored one of the Pirates tries. Picture: Brian Tempest (Brian Tempest)

After returning to fitness, back-rower Alex Everett skippered the Pirates, and their bench included several guest players who were keen to impress. They were Kiwi hooker Dylan Irvine, St Austell’s young Cornish prop Ben Woodmansey, UK-born lock/flanker Mike Etete, and Irish back Sam Cahill.

Quick out of the blocks, the Pirates got off to a fine start, when slick handling and a burst on to the ball by centre Charlie McCaig saw him score near the Penzance posts. Fly-half Iwan Jenkins added the extra two points.

In response the Navy team, with two former Pirates, namely No.8 and skipper Jarrard Hayler and fly-half Jordan Gott, plus present-day squad members in scrum-half Will Rigelsford and flanker Chris Mills, in their ranks, were in no mood to roll over.

A try from Gott, which he also converted, levelled matters, as the Pirates were finding it difficult to break their opponents down.

Alfie Bell.
Lock Alfie Bell (left) looks to secure line-out ball for the Pirates. Picture: Brian Tempest (Brian Tempest)

However, when extra exerted pressure was applied at the clubhouse corner, they were awarded a penalty try, and in the process the visitors lost the services of lock Dan Macadams to the sin-bin for 10 minutes.

In the build-up to half-time the match continued to be keenly-contested, before a converted try scored by hooker Sol Moody made it 21-7 at the break.

Both sides made personnel changes into the second 40, and play was again closely fought, though during a spell of dominance the Pirates added to their account with three tries which were all well-converted by replacement fly-half Bruce Houston.

Arthur Relton.
Arthur Relton, who was also man-of-the-match, dots down for the Pirates. Picture: Brian Tempest (Brian Tempest)

The powerful figure of No8. Tomi Agbongbon got the first, and then man-of-the-match wing Arthur Relton scorched down the right to score. The third try, from close range, was a debut effort from replacement Mike Etete.

The Navy side hit back with a try from replacement Dec Johnson and a conversion by fellow bench man Jake Hanley, but it was the Pirates who had the final say with two more tries, which were firsts in Pirates’ colours for replacements Chester Ribbons and Milo Hallam. Houston converted the first of these two scores as the hosts reached the half century mark.

CORNISH PIRATES: 15 Iwan Price-Thomas 14 Arthur Relton 13 Matt McNab 12 Charlie McCaig 11 Will Trewin 10 Iwan Jenkins 9 Dan Hiscocks; 1 Billy Young 2 Sol Moody 3 Ollie Andrews 4 Charlie Rice 5 Josh King 6 Matt Cannon 7 Alex Everett (captain) 8 Tomiwa Agbongbon. Replacements (all used): *Dylan Irvine, Oisin Michel, James French, *Ben Woodmansey, *Mike Etete, Alfie Bell, Barnaby Elderkin, Fintan Coleman, Milo Hallam, Cam Jones, Bruce Houston, Chester Ribbons, *Sam Cahill (* denotes guest player).

Tries: McCaig, penalty try, Moody, Agbongbon, Relton, Etete, Ribbons, Hallam; Convs: Jenkins (2), Houston (4); Pens: N/A.