Saturday, March 24

Tribute South West One (West)

Cullompton 10

Cornish All Blacks 16

THE?Cornish All Blacks made it ten games unbeaten in South West One (West) after winning 16-10 at Cullompton on Saturday.

The All Blacks last tasted defeat on December 9 when Exeter University left Polson Bridge with a 20-19 victory, and have three games remaining to ensure that they go through the second half of the season unbeaten, although that run will be put to the test by leaders Exeter University and Drybrook, who are the only sides above them in the table.

Despite winning 14-5 at Bridgwater & Albion in their previous game, the All Blacks made three changes for their trip to East Devon with Levent Bulut replacing Harry Lightfoot at hooker and Torin Clarke replacing Jake Crabb in the back-row.

The other change saw Tom Sandercock come in for Dan Pearce on the wing.

The All Blacks have had a tendency to start games slowly on their travels in recent weeks and they did so again at Stafford Park as they conceded within five minutes.

A crossfield kick to the left-hand corner from near the ten-metre line by fly-half Alex Brooks was poorly dealt with by a couple of visiting players as it bounced close to their own line, which allowed winger James Shere to gather the ball and pirouette his way over.

The conversion attempt was missed but the All Blacks knew they were in a game.

Much of the All Blacks’ improvement since Christmas has stemmed from their scrum, which has proved to be so dominant, and it was from a set-piece that they were awarded a penalty try right in front of the posts on 24 minutes for full-back Ben Hawke to slot over, to give them a 7-5 lead.

Cullompton had won five of their previous six home games and went back in front straight away.

The All Blacks failed to secure decent ball from kick-off, which eventually led to a Cullompton lineout on the vistors’ 22.

From the set-piece, both sides fumbled the ball, but replacement Paul Baker — on for the injured Simon Kitto — gleefully picked it up to run in and put the home side in front inside 25 minutes.

However, the All Blacks did level just before the break when Hawke slotted over a penalty, not long after winger Marcus Busch was yellow-carded for his second deliberate knock-on in the space of a couple of minutes.

The second-half was a pretty mundane affair with the All Blacks in possession for long spells although Cullompton did go close with flanker Ollie Schuster-Wood having to be tap-tackled close to the line.

However the well-drilled Cully defence ensured that the game stayed at 10-10 until the 65th minute when Pearce — who replaced Hawke — kicked his first penalty of the afternoon.

The game continued to stay close right until the end when Pearce eased any lingering nerves in the visiting camp with a penalty in the 80th minute.

The All Blacks are now seven-points ahead of fourth-placed Newent, who will play their game in-hand this weekend when they travel to Teignmouth.

The Cornishmen are back in action next Saturday (3pm) when they entertain second-placed Drybrook, who go into the game just one point off Exeter University.

Skipper Lloyd Duke believed that it was almost a repeat of the week before at Bridgwater & Albion.

He said:?“It was a similar situation to the week before. We were in control for large parts of the game but we couldn’t convert it into points to pull clear of them.?We were pretty dominant again in the scrum again and it was from four penalties in a row that eventually led to our penalty try.

“At half-time we felt we had chances even though they were 2-1 up on the try count, to be in control and in the second-half they barely threatened our line.

Although saying that, we didn’t really create much ourselves as the game was played mainly in their half without much happening. But in the end it was a good win against a a well-run club, who were really well organised.”

Cornish All Blacks —

Hawke, Kneebone, Westren, J Dawe, Sandercock, Edwards, Crawford; Bentham, Bulut, Z Cinnamond, Williams, Goldsmith, Rowley, L Duke (captain), Clarke

Replacements: Lightfoot, Dudden, Pearce

Tries: Penalty try

Convs: N/A

Pens: Hawke, Pearce 2