Cornish
Pirates Rugby Club.
Founded: 1870
Home Ground:
The Mennaye Field
Head Coach:
Ian Davies
Last season:
Sixth
Last season:
A largely
disappointing season began well for the Cornishmen, winning away at St Peter,
and then at home to Plymouth, before a poor spell saw them lose against
Bristol, Newcastle and Scottish and only draw with struggling Doncaster.
Beating fancied Leeds preceded a second drawn match, this time against Moseley.
The Pirates’ topsy turvy season continued with an eight try demolition of
Rotherham, before another poor performance gave Bedford a 32-6 win at
Goldington Road. High flying Nottingham and for the second time Plymouth were
both narrowly beaten, before Bristol succumbed 32-17 on New Year’s day, what
was perhaps the best display of the season so far. With a play-off spot well
within their grasp, a shocking run of form then saw the Pirates lose to
Scottish, Newcastle, Leeds, Bedford, Rotherham, Nottingham and Munster in the British
and Irish Cup quarter finals, with only wins against Moseley and Doncaster
before the end of season victory against Jersey. With only ten league wins it
was a season of transition for the Cornishmen, building for 2013-14. Despite
this poor end of season form, Canadian International Matt Evans still finished
the season as the leagues top try scorer with 14, and with World Cup winner
Josh Lewsey coming in as CEO and performance director, the Pirates looked set
fair for a good season.
This season
so far:
Sadly for
the Pirates Lewsey lasted only a few months in post before joining up with the
Welsh national side. On the field the Pirates could not have asked for a
tougher start to the season with a tie against pre-season favourites Bristol,
at the same venue where Jersey was undone by Plymouth. The Sky TV cameras
having witnessed a belting first game were not disappointed in the second
either, as the Pirates sneaked a 23-21 victory. Back on home turf, and one of
the few remaining Friday night matches at the Mennaye, saw the Cornishmen take
only a losing bonus point, having been sunk by Leeds. Morale boosting bonus
point wins over struggling Ealing and Moseley followed, before the British and
Irish Cup interrupted proceedings. In the same group as Jersey, a comfortable
home win over Ulster and then an eight try destruction of Ayr away has put the
Pirates top of the group, and all set for a double header against Jersey later
this month that will go a long way to deciding who wins the group. Back in the league
a superior and streetwise London Welsh side ripped the Pirates apart, 41-6,
showing what a years experience at the top table of English rugby will give a
side. London Scottish then took the opposite trip west, where the Pirates got
back on track with a 16-8 win, before last weekends 16-13 win against
struggling Bedford. Head Coach Ian Davies said ‘we are developing as a squad with some of the new
boys adapting really well. Hard work is the name of the game’, and they do
appear to be a better outfit than last term.
Previous
with Jersey:
With a lot
of expectation and a side very much used to winning in the National Leagues, it
was a wake-up call to the home faithful when the Pirates kicked off Jerseys
first year in the Championship. A Matt Evans hat-trick in a 20-6 Jersey defeat
gave hope for the future, but a stark reality check that any mistakes at this
level will be duly punished. Injuries to key players, including Guy Thompson,
hindered the Jersey challenge that day, and the game will not be remembered
well by Grant Pointer who dislocated his shoulder playing for today’s
opposition. The return match will be remembered for several reasons. Having
secured another season in the Championship the week before beating Doncaster,
Jersey could relax and enjoy the first ever live streamed rugby match on social
media network, Twitter. With the Pirates out of contention for a play-off spot,
both sides were able to play relaxed, good, entertaining rugby, with Jersey
showing that they could and possibly should, have finished higher up the table.
A cracking start saw the Islanders up by 11 points at the interval with a try
from Ed Dawson and a penalty try, aided by a stunning performance by viewers
and sponsors man of the match Thompson. The Pirates rallied with a brace of
tries, and four second half penalties to put them out of sight, but Le Bourgeois
gave the travelling fans something to take home with a try and conversion to
leave the final score 28-24 to Pirates.
There will be less of a relaxed
atmosphere this time out after recent results. Head Coach Ian Davies said this
week, ‘Jersey over there will be really tough as they'll go all out to show
that they've quickly recovered from their defeat at London Scottish last
weekend. A few ex Pirates will also no doubt been keen to perform against their
former club.’ The first of
three matches between the sides before mid December, these sides will get to
know each other very well. After four straight league defeats, in a period
where they have had a point’s deduction, and after a morale sapping defeat last
weekend against a powerful London Scottish, Jersey desperately need to get back
on track. Facing a Pirates side who sit in fifth place (despite them only
scoring 11 points more than Jersey), will be far from easy, and even with
several former Pirates in the ranks, a big performance is required to get a win
this afternoon, to distance the Islanders from bottom spot.
PIRATES TO WATCH
Kieran
Hallett
DoB: 2nd June
1985
Height: 5' 11" (1.79m)Weight: 13st 12lbs (88kg)
Position: Fly-half
Signed at
the beginning of last season, Hallett began his career at the Northampton
Saints Academy before moving to the Bedford Blues making his debut at 19. From
there he moved to Ulster and then onto Plymouth Albion where he was club
captain for two season. Next up was Nottingham, where he was able to finish his
degree in Geography.
In his first
season for the Pirates, Kieran ended up as the club's leading points scorer. In
total he has amassed 221 points in 26 appearances, including 154 in the
Championship. Internationally he has featured in a couple non-cap
internationals for Ireland under 19’s, and for the under 21’s in the Six
Nations, before the 2006 Junior World
Cup held in France, where he was the third highest points scorer in the
tournament.
Presently
the clubs top scorer this season with 58 points having played and scored in
every game this season.
Tom Kessell
DoB: 21st
Feb 1990
Height: 6'
(1.83m)Weight: 13st 4lbs (84kg)
Position: Scrum-half
Local lad Kessell actually started his rugby career with the
Pirates back in 1995, playing for the club's youngest mini-rugby team, before
he moved away from the area joining Bath. Several seasons in the lower leagues
followed before he joined Championship Plymouth. Selection for the England
Counties team saw Tom tour Canada in 2010, when he started in two of the three
games, scoring tries in all three. He signed for the Cornish Pirates in April,
2011, and has made 54 appearances, scoring nine tries.
With four tries already this season, including three in the
last two matches, Kessell’s turn of pace has also seen him play on the wing,
but scrum half is where his damage is done.
Jake Parker
DoB: 18th Oct 1990
Height: 6' 2” (1.88m)Weight: 16st 3lbs (103 kg)
Position: Back-row
Truro born Parker was one of three
Loughborough Students to sign for the Cornish Pirates this summer. On moving to
Loughborough, Parker helped the Students side gain promotion to National One in
2012, and then helped them consolidate their place at that level in the
following season.
At Loughborough he studied Sports
Science with Management, and then a Masters in International Management. During
his four seasons there, the head coach at Loughborough, Dave Morris, described
Parker as being one of the most selfless players he'd had the privilege of
coaching. Equally comfortable at Flanker or at Eight, he has represented both
England under 16’s and 18’s. Parker is another young Pirate with a very
exciting future.
DoB: 5th
Oct 1991
Height: 5'
11” (1.79m)Weight: 12st 9lbs (80kg)
Position: Full-back/wing
Another former Loughborough Student joining the club this
season, Holland actually played when the students made the trip to Jersey for
the National Two play-off match in 2011.
Holland learnt his rugby at Brighton College in Sussex,
playing alongside former Pirate and now adopted Islander, Ben Maidment.
Joining Loughborough University in 2010 to study Sports
Science, his time there enabled him to develop as a rugby player and in over 70 first team matches he scored 74 tries, helping
Loughborough to achieve promotion to, and then survival in National One. During
this time he also represented the English Students side.
An outstanding
athlete, Holland has also performed to a high standard at both cricket and
athletics at school and youth age groups for Sussex and English Schools
athletics.
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