HAVING ended 2024 with a resounding bang, the Cornish Pirates kicked off their New Year campaign in the RFU Championship on more of a low note going down 34-10 at Hartpury on Saturday afternoon.
Back in action for the first time in three weeks, the Pirates were soundly beaten for a second time this season by their Gloucestershire-based hosts, who had won at the same venue 41-26 in the Premiership Rugby Cup back in November.
A damaging first half performance laid the foundations for this latest success for Mark Cornwell’s side, who leapfrogged their rivals to move into fifth spot.
With options up front limited, particularly in the back five of the scrum, it was always going to be a tall order for the visitors, who handed debuts to Finelan Coleman, Alfie Bell and Chris Mills on the day.
With little prep time for the newcomers, plus the loss of Lewis Pearson, Martin Moloney and Alfie Petch, who had all been recalled to their parent clubs, it was Hartpury who prospered in a dominant first half performance.
Hooker Ethan Hunt rumbled over from an early line-out move to claim the game’s opening try, which was converted by former Pirate Harry Bazalgette.
It was hardly the start the Pirates would have envisaged, but they responded brightly and in a rare foray into enemy territory, they cut the deficit when fly-half Bruce Houston slotted a penalty from in front of the posts following a sustained spell of pressure.
Sadly, that proved to be a rare highlight in an opening half in which the Pirates were distinctly second best.Problems at scrum time allowed Hartpury to capitalise and they used the resultant penalties to put themselves to within touching distance of the line.
Winger Brad Short profited from one such attack, sneaking over on the blindside for the home side’s second - and he was followed over the whitewash just minutes later when Harry Short was the beneficiary of another well-drilled line-out move.
Bazalgette added the extras to extend his side’s lead, but was off target just before the break when Hunt grabbed Hartpury’s all-important bonus point score, the front-row forward attaching himself to the back of a driving maul to burrow over in the corner.
The break allowed the Pirates to regroup somewhat, coaches Alan Paver and Gavin Cattle making a number of changes, including bringing on props Oisin Michel and Ollie Andrews, both of whom helped to steady what had been a creaking visiting scrum.
Although much improved after the break, the contest was already done and dusted by the time the visitors were able to add a second try. Strong work from Charlie McCaig and Tomi Agbongbon helped created space for the latter to offload to the returning Alex Everett, who showed a good turn of speed to race over from 30 metres for the try, which McCaig converted.
The score certainly ignited the fire within the Pirates, but although they did their best to add to their tally, Hartpury ruthlessly closed out the contest in the final quarter.
Bazalgette plundered a routine penalty, before another former Pirate, No.8 Jarryd Hayler, wrapped things up for the home side when he crashed over late in the game.
CORNISH PIRATES: Will Trewin; Arthur Relton, Charlie McCaig, Harry Yates (Joe Elderkin 56), Robin Wedlake; Bruce Houston (Iwan Price-Thomas 56), Dan Hiscocks (Cam Jones 47); Billy Young (Oisin Michel 40), Harry Hocking (Sol Moody 56), James French (Ollie Andrews 40); Josh King (Alfie Bell 40), Finelan Coleman (Chris Mills 78); Alex Everett, Tomi Agbongbon, Hugh Bokenham (capt).
Tries: Everett; Convs; McCaig; Pens: Houston.