This season’s fixtures for the various county championships can be viewed if you click on Representative Rugby in the bar above on the main page and then click on the team you wish to see.
CRFU attend Trelawny’s Army AGM & Awards Ceremony
CRFU President, Andy Reed, along with Management Board members Bill Hooper, Lee Maher and Jo Holden attended the Trelawny’s Army AGM and awards presentation held at the St. Austell Brewery Visitor Centre.
Lee was delighted to accept a cheque for £500 on behalf of the CRFU for the continued sponsorship of Colts rugby in Cornwall.
Andy made the presentation of the Bill Osborne Memorial Shield to Mr Stanlake on behalf of Matt Shepherd in his absence due to illness.
The Jess Humber Shield for the Cornwall Women’s Player went to Amy Bunt for the second year running.
The Tony Mead Memorial Shield for the Cornwall Under 20 player went to Jamie Stanlake.
Congratulations to all the award winners, and to Trelawny’s Army for their continuing support to Cornish rugby which is much appreciated.
St. Austell win the Cup
Congratulations to St. Austell RFC on their 39-22 win over Truro in this afternoon’s Tribute Ale Cornwall Cup Final.
A fine game, well officiated by a team from Devon, whom we thank.
Man-of-the-match, as chosen by CRFU President Andy Reed, Matt Shepherd.
Cornwall U20’s nominations for 2023 – 2024 season
Letters have been sent to all Cornwall clubs asking for nominations for the
CornwallU20 squad for the coming season.
Last season the team reached the quarter-finals of the Jason Leonard Cup and will
start training again in January 2024.
To qualify players must be under 20 on the 1 September 2023, are either born in
Cornwall, live in Cornwall, registered with a Cornish club, or represented Cornwall at
a previous age group. As this is classed as adult rugby, we will not allow players
under the age of 18 to train or play for us even if they have been assessed. The RFU
also introduced a rule last season that they must not be playing at Level 4 or above.
Potential players not only come from club nominations but also come from players
transitioning from the Cornwall U18 group, player nominations, and from observation
of the coaching and management team during games throughout the season.
Training is normally held at Truro College on a Sunday morning between 1000 –
1200 commencing in January 2024.
Last season some 14 clubs were represented, and several players went on to
represent Cornwall in the SW divisional team.
Any player interested in finding out more can either go via their club for nomination
or contact the team manager to discuss the options.
Team manager – Colin Hatch 07967725368 – hatch0348@btinternet.com
Assistant team manager – Terry Williams 07753715318 – terry3@sky.com
Players pay respects at Cornwall Hill – July edition of Touchline
One of the fiercest battles to liberate France in World War II was The Battle for Hill 112 fought on 10th July 1944. So many Cornishmen died there that it became known as Cornwall Hill and the wood at the top of it as Cornwall Wood.
Britain and its allied forces landed thousands of soldiers on the Normandy beaches and the British soldiers in the battle were the 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. They launched an attack on the German army’s 10th Panzer tank division, facing strong armour and powerful guns.
They fought off continuous counter attacks as German tanks rolled over the top of their trenches. Outnumbered and out-armoured, after 19 hours of fighting and big losses on both sides, the Cornish soldiers had smashed one of the German army’s best tank divisions.
Many of those soldiers were from Cornish rugby clubs and recently representatives of 19 clubs from the county, veteran rugby players representing Bolingey Barbarians, paid their respects at the place where many brave Cornishmen died.
Bolingey Barabrians raise much needed funds
Bolingey Barbarians was formed in March 1993 after a match between the Bolingey Inn and Perranporth RFC to raise money for children’s charities. Registered with Cornwall RFU, playing is by invitation and mainly selected from Cornish clubs with matches hosted at Perranporth RFC, except for away invitations, usually celebrating anniversary landmarks of Cornish Clubs. With the advent of the league system, Bolingey players became exclusively veterans who play five to six matches a season raising funds for the less fortunate children in Cornwall.
They enter their 30th season having invited over 500 proud Barbarians to play and benefitted 84 worthy causes by donating £148,791.86. They arrange a bi-annual visit to France, now totalling 12 tours since 1998, a venerable few having never missed one. The final part of this season was the long overdue tour to Le Havre. Five years in the making and enjoyed by 51 tourists from 19 different Cornish RFCs, the trip included an emotional visit to the D Day landings and Cornwall Hill.
Paying respects at monument
Said Bolingey Chairman Roger Mead: “It was especially poignant for us as proud Cornishmen to visit Hill 112, the site of a most ferocious battle in which the 5th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry fought up to the limits of human endurance. From 8.30 p.m. on 10th July to about 3.30 pm on the 11th of July the Battalion was subjected to heavy and almost continuous fire. It had fought off at least 12 counter attacks and lived through a night in which German tanks ranged freely, often driving over the shallow weapon pits in which the Cornishmen crouched.
“It was reckoned that the four rifle companies and battalion tac HQ crossed the start line with some 380 officers and men. The fighting strength of the Battalion that withdrew 19 hours later was just 60. The battalion had suffered 320 casualties, with 91 men buried on the hill itself. Only one man was captured by the Germans to become a POW. To this day Hill 112 is known not only to the Regiment but to the men and women of the surrounding villages as Cornwall Hill and a permanent memorial was erected and replaced the original hastily erected plaque.
“Our whole party paid their respects, gathering in front of the monument to lay wreaths on behalf of Bolingey Barbarians and the Cornwall RFU. A similar memorial exists on Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall.”
Bolingey’s history and forthcoming matches can be found at www.bolingey-barbarians.co.uk
Cornwall Women & Girls Rugby Forum 2023/24
Wednesday 19th July at 7 pm.
On Zoom, to register please click on the link below.
Game Stalwarts Honoured at CRFU AGM
At a well attended AGM outgoing CRFU President, John Sumnall was pleased to make the following awards of Life Vice President of the CRFU to two stalwarts of the game.
Bill Ryan of Saltash RFC, Bill was one of the founder members of the club in 1969 and has held numerous positions at the club over the past 54 years, and is currently Club President.
The second award on the night was made to Keith Lean, a former Camborne and School of Mines player, Keith has been involved in coaching and youth rugby at club, county, division and national level over many years, he is currently Chairman of the South West Group at Under 18 level.
The meeting also saw the appointment of Andy Reed as CRFU President from season 23/24 for the next three seasons.
Cornwall U20 Players attend SW Trials.
On Sunday 28 May Cornwall the U20 Southwest trials took place in Bristol. During the pool stages of
this season Jason Leonard Cup, SW selectors and coaches from participating teams selected a team
of the day at each game and when all the names were collated the SW selectors invited several
players from all counties to the trials.
Cornwall had 12 players selected but due to a holiday only 11 could attend the day and following this
a SW 23 will be selected for games against other regions on the weekend 10th June in Coventry.
Pictured below are the 11 Cornish participants, from left to right, Matt Pritchard (Falmouth) Jamie
Stanlake, Joe Maunder both (St Austell) Connor Triggs, Lewis Bostock both (Truro), Matt Boothby (St
Austell) Harvey Penhallurick (Falmouth) Gideon Blacklock (Newquay Hornets), Will Perkin (St Ives)
Wes Eddy (Pirates Ams) and finally Jack Statton (Launceston, missing from the photo was Lachlan
Surridge (Camborne)
A massive thanks from all 12 players and the entire U20 section to Trelawny’s Army for the bursary
grant to assist with their travelling expenses to Bristol. Not only do this band of supporters travel
around the country to cheer on the young black and golds but this bursary from their funds is greatly
appreciated by “one and all”.
Congratulations to all 12 players selected, another great honour to represent Cornwall at the SW
trials.
Colin Hatch
Cornwall U20 Team Manager
Win and loss for Cornwall Under 17s in games against Dorset & Wilts Under 17s
The U17 development squad welcomed Dorset & Wilts on Sunday to Bodmin RFC, where we played two games, allowing both teams to use all their squad, reports U.17 Team Manager Paul Howard.
In hot conditions, the first game was a close affair with the Cornwall side show glimpses of quality with some good line breaks, but in the end Dorset & Wilts took the win with a late try from their centres, who were the difference between the two sides.
Final Score : 12 – 17
Tries : Court, Conroy Conversion : Staddon
In the second game, Cornwall made a fast start scoring a try in the first few minutes, and then controlled the game throughout, keeping possession for long periods. This allowed Cornwall to pick and choose their opportunities and take a comfortable win.
Final Score : 17 – 5
Tries : Bennett, McKnight, Riggs Conversion : Pellow
The U17 development squad has now completed their games for this season, and the Coaches now have a hard job narrowing down this development squad to the final U18 squad. A big thank you for all the boys making themselves available at the end of a long season.
Hampshire prove too strong for brave Cornwall Women.
GILL BURNS DIVISION 2 SEMI-FINAL
CORNWALL WOMEN 0 – 38 HAMPSHIRE WOMEN
By Bill Hooper, at Polson Bridge
Under a blistering hot sun and a hard pitch, it proved not to be this season for a brave Cornwall Women’s side who found Hampshire just a little too hot to handle.
The visitors, seasoned campaigners at this level will play Eastern Counties in next Sunday’s final for the Division 2 title at Ealing Trailfinders.
Cornwall, never gave up they fought valiantly and tackled fearlessly until the final whistle, bruised and battered they showed the scars of a good fight.
Cornwall began promisingly, a good early run from skipper Amy Bunt took the game to Hampshire, however it soon became evident that Hampshire was wise to her threat closing her down well.
Hampshire began to dominate the breakdown, and always seemed to have that extra player in support to take any offload. They began to string good phases of play with their back row of Emelia Green, Natasha Bullock and Chardonnay Wilson catching the eye with their forceful runs.
Cornwall did well to soak up the pressure, eventually the pressure told when prop Ash Robertson found space to charge over. Full-back Abi Pearson kicking the first of her four successful conversions.
Cornwall continued to defend well, frustrating the visitors at every turn, in the end numbers out wide saw Hampshire exploit the space allowing centre Jariya Sime to dot down a converted try.
Just before the break Hampshire lost a player to the sin-bin as Cornwall looked to cut the deficit, sadly unforced errors and the Hampshire defence denied the home side.
Cornwall needed to get the next score, but due to an unkind bounce, Katie Wadeson profited, whilst Cornwall got back to tackle the wing, good support play from Green saw her on-hand to score.
That was the try that sealed Cornwall’s fate. Further tries from hooker Thea Kilby, scrum-half Hannah Kemish and Wadeson put the polish on the Hampshire win.
Despite the score-line there were some very good performances from Cornish players. Mel Ruby put in some big charges, whilst in the backrow Rhiannon Thomas again showed her class as did No.8 Kath Wherry.
Fly-half Georgia Hall, kicked well from hand and looked to get her line going, scrum-half Amy Warman battled away as ever and took charge when skipper Bunt had to leave the field with an injury. Bunt strong and determined in the tackle again showed what an all round player she is.
At the final whistle the crowd of some 600 showed their appreciation to the players and their never-say-die attitude.
After the match coach Jo Holden was philosophical in defeat. She said. “I am incredibly proud of the squad, we have been punching above our weight at this level, today we lacked the intensity and we will learn from this. We have now seen what level we must aspire to so we can be competitive at this level, this season was a massive learning curve for us and we will come back stronger next season.
“My one disappointment was our speed around the ruck area, we were well beaten there, but we will learn from that.
“The girls love playing for Cornwall and I think despite the score-line you saw that, near the end we were pushing for a score and showed great heart, but it just wasn’t to be.”
Cornwall Captain Amy Bunt congratulated Hampshire on their win but was also incredibly proud of her team. “Fair-play to Hampshire, but we battled well against a team drawing their side from players who play at least a couple of divisions higher than the majority of our girls. Defeat is never nice, but we will take it on the chin and go again next season and look to improve to take our game to another level
Cornwall Women: Amy Bunt (Ivybridge, Capt), Rebecca Bennett (Truro), Shannon Foster (Plymstock AO), Megan Okey (Ivybridge), Joey Sandercock (Launceston), Georgia Hall (Penryn), Amy Warman; Mel Ruby, Jenna Arnold, Kim Upcott, Megan Arnold (all Launceston), Sian Westgarth, Sam Whitfield (both Truro) Rhiannon Thomas (Launceston), Katherine Wherry (Ivybridge).
Replacements: Josie Ninnis (Penryn), Caitlin Milliken (Camborne), Roberta Smith-Scotland (Plymstock AO), Oz Brazier (Truro), Caitlin Hancock (Launceston), Bryher Freight (Truro), Megan Tucker (Launceston).
Hampshire Women: Abi Pearson (Havant), Nina Hoadley (Ellingham & Ringwood), Jariya Sime (Havant), Samantha Wharton, Katie Wadeson (both Portsmouth), Sarah Butler (CC), Hannah Kemish (both Trojans); Keeta Rowlands (Portsmouth), Thea Kilby, Ashleigh Robertson (both Trojans), Tessa Down (Ellingham & Ringwood), Eloise Shrimpton, Natasha Bullock (CC) (both Havant), Emelia Green, Chardonnay Wilson (both Trojans).
Replacements: Ciera Forry (Portsmouth), Louise Weinfeld (Trojans), Natsha Davison (Portsmouth), Carol Tennant (Trojans), Emma Andrews (Southampton), Emmie-Lou Cooper (Portsmouth), Lauren Gillingham (Havant).
Hampshire scores: Tries, Robertson, Sime, Green, Kilby, Kemish, Wadeson, Cons, Pearson 4
(CC) = co captain
Referee: Lucy Smith (Somerset RRS)
Crowd: 600
