Saturday, September 7

Tribute Cornwall and Devon League

Bude 38

Veor 3

JOE Wilson’s hat-trick allowed Bude to get their Tribute Cornwall and Devon League campaign off to the perfect start with a 38-3 victory over promoted Veor at Bencoolen Meadow.

The Camborne-based club eased to the Cornwall One title last term but found last year’s third-placed side too good on a sunny day on the coast.

Bude lined up in familiar fashion although Wilson, usually a number eight, had to start at hooker due to a shortage in the front row, which meant a league debut for Dan Statton.

Spanish centre Pas Medina was on the bench, as was veteran forward Barry Sobey.

The hosts were soon into their stride and after dominating possession in the early stages, took the lead within ten minutes through player/coach Angus Hodges.

Skipper Olly Denford, standing at first receiver, passed the ball out to the onrushing Hodges who got through a gap and then broke through a couple of tackles before getting to the line.

Denford converted.

The visitors responded shortly after with a close-range penalty to make it 7-3 but Bude scored twice before the break, with Wilson grabbing both.

After good work from the big home pack, Wilson crashed over from three metres which was again converted.

Five minutes before half-time he scored his second. Standing in the scrum-half position five metres from the line, he dummied to pass to Hodges before again dotting down.

This time the conversion from the far left side was missed.

Wilson grabbed his hat-trick within five minutes of the second-half. Now playing at his natural position at number eight, he took the ball from the base of the scrum and carried one of the Veor players five metres before again proving too hard to stop. Denford slotted his third conversion to make it 26-3.

The game then became a scrappy affair as the hosts lost their shape and ability to put phases together. However they still repelled any Veor attacks and notched their fifth try before the hour.

After Hodges went on a brilliant 60-metre burst which saw the ball turned over after he tried to play in his brother Rory, just a couple of metres out, Veor eventually conceded possession close to the line in the far corner.

Bude then worked their way across the pitch from right to left with Denford evading his tackler to score in the opposite corner.

Veor finally gained some control but crucially could not score.

Both sides then suffered sin-bins as a result of a high tackle with Bude’s Angus Hodges penalised as the winger looked to get down the outside.

Hodges returned to the fray with ten minutes to go but Bude had to wait until the last play for their final try, which was scored by outside-centre Ed Hilliam-Cooke.

Hilliam-Cooke ripped the ball out of his opponent’s hands some 40 metres out before winning the foot race to the line. Denford added his fourth conversion from six to make the scoreline 38-3.

Angus Hodges was delighted with their afternoon’s work.

He said: “After some of the slack pre-season, we’ve had it actually felt pretty similar to the end of last year. There was a lot of energy and excitement to get into the season.

“We knew that Veor would come up and be very competitive. They did really well last year in the league below, so we knew there’d be a pressure, but that seemed to benefit us.

“Overall it was a very positive 80 minutes of rugby for us, having not conceded a try and crucially, our intensity was there after such a long break.

“Often we struggle to turn up mentally early in the season, so to see us come out of the blocks with that intensity was quite rewarding.

“It’s a great credit to everyone involved and a real statement for the rest of the season.”

Hodges was full of praise for his players, adding: “There were lots of really good performances. Joe Wilson got man-of-the-match, he made lots of carries and was really physical in defence while the Fry brothers (Tremaine and Finley) were absolute work horses as usual, putting in lots of work around the pitch.”

Bude lost just once at home since the start of last season and will be confident of keeping that record intact when another promoted side, Exeter Athletic visit on Saturday (3pm).

The Devon side lost 62-12 at home to relegated Truro at the weekend so Hodges is making sure his players keep their standards high.

He said: “Being a home game, if we turn up like we did on Saturday then we should win, but it comes down to our training this week and hopefully taking it into the game.

“We need to use Saturday’s result as a springboard for another great performance. Hopefully this week we’ll have Matt Williams and Tim Green available, which means hopefully I’ll have a bit of a selection conundrum on my hands, which will be exciting.”

Bude —

Denford (captain), R Hodges, Hilliam-Cooke, Watton, Horwell, S Yates, Mounce; Bolt, Wilson, Allin, Kingdon, Troke, A Hodges, F Fry, Statton.

Replacements: Sobey, T Fry, Medina.

Tries: A Hodges, Wilson 3, Denford, Hilliam-Cooke.

Convs: Denford 4.

Pens: N/A.

Bude’s man-of-the-match: Joe Wilson.