THE first ton of points for many years at Polson was a welcome start to 2009 for the Cornish All Blacks. Waterloo were beaten fair and square but never dropped their heads and could face the long journey home to Liverpool with at least their pride intact. It is very much to their credit that they played the game in tremendous spirit with no 'artificial' stoppages for 'injuries' or bootlaces, as so often happens when a team are under the cosh. Launceston were awesome; they never stopped attacking, took most of their chances and roared on by a good crowd on a cold but sunny day were determined to achieve the 100 points in the dying moments, writes Tony Randel.

As with so many games at this level this one started with the almost obligatory kicking duel as the respective kickers jostled for supremacy. Waterloo full back James Gee and fly half James O'Brien showed their skills but were more than equalled by Steve Perry and Jon Fabian. Considering the pace at which the game was soon to develop it seems remarkable that it took Cornish All Blacks a full seven minutes to put the first points on the board.

The Cornish All Blacks were in total command from then on – scrum, loose, lineout, in the backs, and in quickness of both thought and deed.

The try-fest was under way from the seventh minute with everyone keen to get into the scoring act. The forwards drove their opposite numbers unceremoniously about the place and had soon rucked their way to the line for No 8 Sam Hocking to touch down at the posts, to start the scoreboard racing along with centre Adam Staniforth converting and then kicking a penalty.

More driving forward power saw Myerscough bursting over released by centre Ryan Westren; then left wing Gary Kingdom crossed after a well-judged kick ahead by full back Jon Fabian and a move down the left. Staniforth landed this difficult conversion having missed one earlier one.

The four try bonus point was in the bag on the half hour when Fabian himself got on the scoresheet after another very good drive down the middle was followed by a neat crosskick to Marc Dibble from Steve Perry; the wing almost made the line at the corner and flipped a perfect inside pass to the full back who went over. Fabian was over again within a minute but a forward pass was adjudged.

In the six minutes before the half time break there were three more home scores as non-stop ruck-and-run play laid the groundwork for scrum half Lewis Webb to split the defence wide open and send Staniforth in to touch down and convert.

Further powerful driving ending with lock Tim Collier crossing; and a lovely handling move from halfway involving, among others, Myerscough and Collier, was completed by Webb for Staniforth again to add the two extra points to bring the score to 46-0 at the break.

After only a five minute break in case the frost set in hard as the sun dropped it was more furious action. This time Gary Kingdom intercepted a loose pass on the Waterloo 22 to scorch in to score. Winger Jason Duff, on loan from Exeter Chiefs, got his debut try for Launceston as he showed his pace.

Waterloo's solitary score came a couple of minutes later after their backs had put together a good move to send Freeman Payne over the line. The Cornish All Black scores then came so fast that the scoreboard operator dropped the console amongst much ribald comment from those around him!

Jason Luff, replacement hooker Glenn Cooper, Sam Hocking (boldly stealing a lineout and bursting over), Luff for his third; Mike Myerscough breaking unstoppably down the midfield; Ryan Westren on the end of another backs move; and finally Marc Dibble after yet more slick interpassing all contributed to the 16 try haul.

But it was complete team performance; Mike Myerscough on his return from injury won the Valcent Products man-of-the-match award but it could have gone to almost anyone on the pitch; Steve Perry was unfortunate, but selfless, in not appearing amongst the scorers as he dictated the game from the fly half position.

A good day at the office, as they say, but Tynedale away next week and then The Bees, followed by Redruth at home will not make it look so easy. This shows what the Cornish All Blacks can do and possible sounds a warning to those currently ahead in the league that 2009 may well yet be year when Launceston again join Division One!

Scorers;

Cornish All Blacks; tries, Hocking (2), Myerscough (2), Kingdom (2), Staniforth, Fabian, Collier, Webb, Luff (3), Cooper, Westren, Dibble; cons, Staniforth (6), Kingdom (4); pen, Staniforth.

Waterloo; try, Payne.

Cornish All Blacks: Jon Fabian, Marc Dibble, Ryan Westren, Adam Staniforth (Mal Roberts 53), Gary Kingdom, Steve Perry, Lewis Webb (Jason Luff 46), Jason Bolt, Keith Brooking (capt) (Glenn Cooper 53), Hamish Mitchell, Tim Collier (Bryn Jenkins 46), Mike Myerscough, Josh Lord, Tony Roques (Tom Rawlings 37) and Sam Hocking

Waterloo; James Gee, Dominic McVeigh (Nick Kristofferson 56), Freeman Payne, Jason Diffy (capt), Neil Kerfoot, James O'Brien, Adam Anderson, Liam McLoughlin, James Hall (David Hearn 56), John Nuttall (James Hickey 64), Tom Davis, Jason Harrington, Mark Rylance, Carl Nolan and Martin Bell

Referee: Mr Paul Kimber- RFU