Saturday, December 21

South West Premier

Exmouth 17

Cornish All Blacks 19

RYAN Westren’s second-half try ensured the Cornish All Blacks will spend Christmas out of the South West Premier’s bottom two after a superb comeback at Exmouth.

The Cockles led 14-0 inside the opening half hour through Dave Bargent’s brace before Dan Pearce converted tries from Rory Cinnamond and Gary Gynn to make it all square at the break.

The second-half was a nervy affair with George Meadows putting the Devon side in front from a penalty.

But with ten minutes to go, Westren crossed from a quickly taken penalty to ensure the All Blacks moved above Bracknell and out of the relegation zone.

Westren and fellow joint head coach Ian Goldsmith made three changes from the 20-14 success over mid-table Drybrook seven days earlier.

Prop Rory Cinnamond was recalled ahead of Alex Bartlett while there was a double change in the centres as Westren was joined by last year’s player of the year Reuben Edwards. They replaced the holidaying Tom Sandercock and the injured Shaun Crawford.

Dreadful weather across the South West meant the game had to pass a 9.30am pitch inspection, but despite the wind and rain, the match went ahead.

The opening exchanges were tight as the conditions meant playing attractive, running rugby was nigh on impossible.

Inside-centre Dave Bargent, who usually plays in the back-row, did put the Cockles ahead when he crashed over from close-range before a quick tap-penalty from just outside the Launceston 22 caught the defence napping, allowing Bargent to score his second. Fly-half George Meadows was spot on with both conversions.

The visitors were playing against the elements in the opening 40, but did superbly to score twice in the final ten minutes of the half.

First a series of phases was finished off in the corner by Cinnamond before Gynn, on as a replacement, picked the ball up at the base of a ruck following a fine run from scrum-half Adam Collings, to barge over from ten metres.

Both conversions from out wide were superbly slotted over by Pearce.

Whatever Exmouth’s head of rugby Steve Perry said at half-time had the desired effect as they kept the ball for long spells. However, the All Blacks are a different animal to the one who were thrashed 76-24 by the Cockles in September, and held out.

Exmouth had only Meadows’ penalty to show for their efforts as they went 17-14 up.

Launceston gradually worked their way back and went back in front with just under 15 minutes to go as a couple of penalties led to Westren spotting the chance for a quick tap and go which he finished from 15 metres.

The resulting conversion was missed, giving Exmouth just over ten minutes to respond.

Despite incessant home pressure, the All Blacks put their bodies on the line to secure the points and record a second away win of the season.

Westren was delighted with the application of his players.

He said: “We spoke all week about the Exmouth game at home was the one game where we didn’t turn up, so we had some wrongs to right both individually and as a team. You could tell with the effort we put in on Saturday that they wanted to right those wrongs from earlier in the season. To lose 76-24 at home and then go up there and get the win shows how far we’ve come.”

Westren admits restoring parity before the interval was crucial.

He explained: “We said before the game that if we can go into half-time in touch then we can put a serious challenge on getting the result. It was a big big thing for us going into the break level as we knew we could have two wins in a row going into the Christmas break, so there was a lot riding on it.

“The desire to make the tackles and do the nitty gritty from one to 18 was brilliant. Everyone had to be willing to put their face in the mud and everyone did. To a man no quarter was given, it wasn’t a game for individual brilliance.”

Launceston are now three points clear of Bracknell despite having played a game more, but are now within a win of Brixham, who are fifth last.

Westren said: “It’s nice to go into Christmas not in the bottom two. The league has tightened right up, some of the teams we didn’t expect to struggle have been drawn right into it.

“It’s going to be a really interesting second-half to the season, and we’re going into it in a position to tackle each game head on. I honestly believe we’re nowhere near our best yet.”

Westren also praised the attitude of the squad over the opening 13 games.

He said: “After the early results, morale could have been an issue but never once have the boys got their heads down. From a coach’s point of view that’s great to see and thats now being shown in our performances and results.

“I want to say a big thank you to all the boys for continuing to work hard, even though at times it’s been tough. It’s great to have finished 2019 strongly and put ourselves in a better position to carry that on in 2020.”

With no game this weekend, the players are having a break ahead of the visit of Ivybridge to Polson Bridge next Saturday (3pm).

Westren said: “We’re having a week off this week. You’ve got to remember the level we’re playing at and it gives those who are carrying niggles, the chance to rest them, although the players know they need to stay on top of things.

“Next week we’re changing our training nights to Monday and Thursday so they can have New Year’s Eve off.

“But it’s great we’ve got a chance to have that Saturday to Saturday rest and recharge the batteries for the last four months of the season.”

Cornish All Blacks —

Lang, Pearce, Edwards, Westren, Kneebone, Coles, Collings; Cinnamond, Bulut, Thomas, Bottoms, Clarke, Lightfoot, L Duke (captain), Rowley.

Replacements: Bartlett, Gynn, Mulberry.

Tries: Cinnamond, Gynn, Westren.

Convs: Pearce 2.

Pens: N/A.