Redruth 15 Cornish All-Blacks 13
Events, Headlines, Match Reports / Saturday 10 September 2011
The Reds took the bragging rights in a tightly contested Cornish Derby. Games between the Reds and Blacks are often tense affairs which fail to produce a great deal of quality rugby and this was no exception.
A relieved Director of Rugby, Dave Penberthy, used the old phrase “winning a typical Derby ugly” to describe the game and few in the crowd would have disagreed. It was a stop start affair, as reflected by nineteen penalties, twenty-eight lineouts and twenty-one scrums, with both sides making too many errors.
Playing up the slope with a difficult wind diagonally behind them, the Cornish All Blacks showed their intent to run with the ball, often from deep in their own twenty-two. A terrible mix up in the visitors’ defence almost led to an early Redruth score but was scrambled away.
From a defensive lineout Redruth turned the ball over and the Blacks’ pack showed good patience as they worked through half a dozen phases before winning a penalty five metres out in front of the posts. The quick thinking veteran second row Ben Hilton caught the Reds’ defence napping with a quickly taken tap from which he charged over for the touchdown. It looked a certain seven points but what seemed a straightforward conversion was put wide of the posts by right wing Kieron Lewitt.
Brett Rule missed a chance to put Redruth on the board a few minutes later whilst Launceston added to their total despite having prop Tim Mathias in the sin bin for punching. It was an ugly punch which put Darren Jacques on the floor and could easily have been punished more severely. A fine break by Launceston centre Lewis Paterson was rewarded with a penalty at the ensuing breakdown which was converted by Lewitt to give the visitors an eight point lead.
Stung into action Redruth came back strongly with forwards and backs combining well to open up the Launceston defence with skipper Craig Bonds, joining the line from full back, to cross for a twenty-fourth minute try in the corner. Rule’s tricky conversion attempt was unsuccessful. Despite setting up decent attacking opportunities neither side was able to trouble the scoreboard again until the hour mark.
A good period of play by the home side came to end when Launceston were penalised just inside their twenty-two. Rule stepped up to level the scores setting the stage for a hard fought final quarter.
Pinning the Blacks down on their goal line the Redruth pack won a series of penalties from which they opted to scrummage. Their patience paid off when Reds’ number eight Tom Duncan went over in the corner. Rule showed ice cool nerves with a conversion from the touchline with a strong crosswind to put his side seven points ahead. It certainly put him in contention for the Man of the Match to which he was pipped by the hard working Redruth flanker, Owen Hambly.
The All Blacks were not finished though, and a poor clearance kick gave them an attacking opportunity which was clinically put away by left wing Ben Turner touching down in the corner. Full back Jake Murphy took over the kicking duties but his difficult attempt to level the scores went wide.
Referee Mr Caton played seven minutes of overtime for stoppages but Redruth held on for a frenetic conclusion to secure the four points, giving them ten from their first three outings. “We’re notoriously slow starters but we’ve made a reasonable start to the season,” said Penberthy, “but we’ve still got a lot to do.”
Next week The Reds face a tricky journey to Bristol to face Dings Crusaders who will be looking for their first win of the season.
