BILL BEAUMONT CUP

HAMPSHIRE 32 – 41 CORNWALL

By Bill Hooper

Cornwall travelled to Havant looking to finish their programme on a high following the defeat to Kent last Saturday.

In the event both sides looked to serve up some running rugby to royally entertain the crowd. Cornwall’s second half performance saw them build up a good lead and see off a late Hampshire revival.

It was the homeside who scored first, a cross-field kick from fly-half Lewis Dennett found wing Jack Phillips who crossed in the corner.

Cornwall eventually responded when Matt Shepherd made a good break feeding wing Harry Larkins for an unconverted try.

Cornwall were falling foul of the referee as the penalty count against them mounted, it was no surprise that Hampshire re-took the lead when prop Dan Sargent crashed over.

Shepherd was again involved in Pat Walton’s try and this time he added the extras.  Good play from Shepherd and Jordan Nicholls set up Jack Counter for Cornwall’s third try.

Nicholls was constantly looking to jackal the ball at the breakdown.

Hampshire levelled the scores before the break when Phillips bagged his second try which was bettered by Dennett.

Hampshire made the better start to the second half, a good run from wing Jack Colbourne led to a Hampshire penalty from which hooker Cam Boa scored.

Cornwall now began to get the upper-hand. Tom Cowan-Dickie took a quick tap from 5 meters out which led to a Dan Rutter try under the posts, with Shepherd adding the conversion.

Rutter then kicked a fine 50/22 which set up Shepherd for a try that he bettered. It was then the turn of Ben Hancock to get on the scoresheet with Shepherd’s conversion Cornwall led 38-22.

Luke Barnes thought he had scored but the referee ruled it out. Shepherd added a penalty as Hampshire scored two late tries through Phillips and Sargent, but Cornwall had enough in hand to see out the game.  

Cornwall: Matt Shepherd (St. Austell, Capt), Harry Larkins (Camborne), Ben Plummer (St. Austell), Sam James (Redruth), Jack Counter (Wadebridge C), Dan Rutter (Redruth), CJ Boyce (Camborne); Luke Barnes, Tom Cowan-Dickie (both Redruth), Sam Rodman (Camborne), Dan Goldsmith (Launceston), Pat Walton (Barnes), Adam Hughes, Jordan Nicholls (both Camborne), Hugo Culverhouse (Tonbridge J).

Replacements: Pete Harris, Matt Boothby (both St. Austell), Rohan Ewels (Falmouth), Ben Hancock (Bude), Brandon Rowley (Launceston), Adam Powell (St. Austell), Will Hennessy (Camborne), Archie Bees (St. Austell).

Cornwall scores, Tries, Larkins 13, Walton 20, Counter 22, Rutter 46, Shepherd 52, Hancock 58, Cons, Shepherd 21, 47, 53, 59, Pen, Shepherd 68

Cornwall have made several changes to play Hampshire on Saturday.

BILL BEAUMONT CUP

CORNWALL 18 – 34 KENT

By Bill Hooper at the Recreation Ground, Redruth

Kent deservedly booked their place in the Bill Beaumont Cup final with this thrilling win against a Cornwall side that can have no complaints.

Some will point to the disallowed Ben Plummer try on 64 minutes when Cornwall trailed by six points following a superb break by Duncan Tout. Sadly for the Cornish faithful in Hellfire corner the officials got it right as the St. Austell winger’s right foot touched the whitewash as he was about to score.

It came at a time when Cornwall were pressing hard to get on level terms and proved a pivotal moment in the game.

Cornwall played up the slope first half looking to restrict Kent, an early penalty to Cornwall was kicked to the corner. Tom Cowan-Dickie made ground from the lineout but Cornwall infringed.

Kent got the opening score on 10 minutes, a clearance kick was charged down by the visitors on the Cornwall twenty-two, ball bounced wickedly on the hard surface eluding Tout but not Kent’s No.8 Ben Charnock, he grabbed the ball and romped in under the sticks. Fly-half Sam Evans added the extras.

Cornwall needed a reply and it came from a lineout up in the scoreboard corner when Cowan-Dickie powered over for an unconverted try.

Kent upped their game with their back row looking sharp whilst the backs gave notice of their powerful running.

The visitors had a lineout down in Hellfire corner, they set up the drive that saw Cornwall take the drive to ground, Jon Drew sent to the bin and Kent awarded a penalty try.

Worst was to come, from a scrum on the Cornwall twenty-two, Charnock broke away shrugging off a poor Cornish tackle to stride under the posts, Evans’ conversion and Cornwall already faced a mountain to climb.

Good play from Alex Ducker and Matt Shepherd took play up towards the Kent line, from an ensuing lineout Cowan-Dickie was again on hand to get over and dot down.

A penalty from Evans put Kent two scores ahead early in the second half, Shepherd cut that back with his one successful kick of the game.

With the game in the final quarter both Ducker and Harry Larkins combined to put the young Camborne wing in at the Piggy Lane corner.

Plummer’s chance came and went, Larkins was again called into action to stop Kent’s hooker from scoring, it proved a brief respite as Kent’s excellent scrum-half Mikel Davies scored their fourth try converted by Evans to start the celebrations.

Cornwall’s head coach Graham Dawe was understandably disappointed with the result. He said. “I felt we did well in the set-piece but at times we tended to over play it a bit, we were second best in the tackle area we need to see what went on there.

“Losing a couple of players to yellow cards didn’t help neither the foot in touch which would have made it a one score game at a critical moment.”

Cornwall will now need to refocus ahead of their final game away to Hampshire next Saturday at Havant and look to finish with a win.

Cornwall (Camborne unless stated): Matt Shepherd (St. Austell, Capt), Harry Larkins, Duncan Tout (Tonbridge J), Sam James (Redruth), Alex Ducker, Dan Rutter (Redruth), CJ Boyce; Kye Beasley, Tom Cowan-Dickie (Redruth), Jon Drew, Jamie Prisk, Edd Pascoe (both Redruth), Adam Hughes, Jordan Nicholls, Hugo Culverhouse (Tonbridge J).

Replacements: Ben Priddey, Luke Barnes (Redruth), Sam Rodman, Pat Walton (Barnes), Ben Hancock (Bude), Chris Rovery (Redruth), Ben Plummer, Archie Bees (both St. Austell).

Cornwall scores: Tries, Cowan-Dickie 20, 37, Larkins 61, Pen, Shepherd

Attendance: 2,075

Cornwall team to play Kent on Saturday at Redruth RFC, kick-off 2 pm.