Navy Rugby Plundered by Pirates

Navy Rugby suffered a 54 - 14 defeat to the Cornish Pirates at Mennaye Field. Despite a strong early response, with Navy leveling the score at 7 - 7, missed opportunities and superior firepower across the squad allowed Pirates to take control. The second half saw the Pirates dominate, capitalising on the Navy’s errors. Coach Pascoe acknowledged the tough loss but emphasised the valuable lessons gained from facing such a strong side, focusing on the positives for the team’s progression.

A trip to the south-west of Cornwall for ‘Friday Night Lights’ is becoming a welcome annual fixture in the RNRU Calander. With several dual registered RN players on their books over the last few seasons, it’s been a marriage of convenience for the Cornish Pirates too. This match was an opportunity for the Navy to continue their development as they progress towards the Inter-Services. For Pirates - a chance for a much-needed ‘hit up’ following a 4-week hiatus from both the Championship and the Premiership Cup. The result was a large squad for the professional outfit containing all their familiar faces, as well as a sprinkling of new ones, as they move into the business end of their season too.

Following a couple of heavy defeats in these previous fixtures there was a degree of pre-match pessimism amongst the heavily Naval support, and it felt as though it was well founded when Pirates Centre, Charlie McCaig scored after 3 minutes following slick hands and fast recycling by the men in black (their especially commissioned 20^th anniversary kit). Flyhalf Iwan Jenkins added the extras from the tee and there was an ominous hush amongst the support wearing blue.

But it merely served to awake the Navy men and their travelling support. There followed 10 minutes of Navy possession including aggressive running from the likes of LA Ben Watson, LAET Chris Mills and MNE Craig Duncan.  The Pirates’ defensive line was resolute for 20 or more Navy phases, but the dam finally broke under shear weight of onslaught when AET Jordon Gott went over from close range and subsequently converted his own try to level the game at 7-7.

3 minutes later the Navy crossed the whitewash again, but the referee deemed the ball had been held up. Another excellent jinking line break from the Navy’s own Pirate, ETME Will Rigelsford, saw them go close again but it felt ominously like the Navy needed to make the most of these chances. On the half hour mark the Pirates would indeed make the Navy pay for their lack of precision after an impressive line break by eventual man of the match, Arthur Relton. Despite being hauled down by speedster Duncan, Pirates found themselves with a line out in the Navy 22. The catch and drive was an impressive one for the Cornishmen and the Navy felt the only way to stop the march was to haul it down illegally. The Referee had little choice but to run under the posts to award the 7 points and brandish a yellow card to LETWE Dan Macadams whom he had deemed to be the primary transgressor.

14 - 7 felt like a scoreline that flattered the full-time side, but it was to get worse on the stroke of half time when they turned down the chance of a nailed on three points to kick for the corner. From the resulting line out the Pirates juggernaut once again crossed the whitewash with hooker Sol Moody the beneficiary this time – Jenkins again adding the extras from the tee. But - as the teams jogged off for their half time oranges it felt a little as though Navy Coach, Dave Pascoe, would be the happier of the 2 principals - despite his side losing 21 - 7.

If the first half had been a close affair, then the second was anything but. A raft of changes for both sides seemed to affect the Navy’s rhythm more than the Pirates who ran in 3 tries via No.8 Tomi Agbongbon, Wing Relton and one for the debutant Mike Etete. All 3 were converted from the reliable boot of replacement flyhalf Bruce Houston.

The Navy did respond with a well-choreographed catch and drive from 10m out that resulted in a try for replacement Lt Dec Johnson RN. Fellow replacement LS (AWW) Jake Hanley converted but that was to be the last points for the Navy men. Instead, it was the Pirates that had the wind in their sails. More sharp running and slick handing would see 2 more tries from Chester Ribbons and Milo Hallam, and a final conversion from Houston ended the game 54 - 14 to Cornish Pirates.

RNRU coach, Dave Pascoe was quick to focus on the positives following a tough contest for his young charges. He offered that it was “exactly the game we needed against a strong, well drilled, professional outfit. Lots of positives and learning points to take the squad forward on its Inter-service journey” he went on to give special mentions to POAET Ben ‘Chambo’ Chambers and Lt Dec Johnson RN who both returned from long term injuries. Co-editor Owen Howe awarded his Navy Man of the Match award to blindside flanker LAET Chris Mills who’s hard running and tenacious defense must have pleased the coaches of both his current Navy team and his parent club, Cornish Pirates.

Senior Men: K Beasley. J Wright, B Watson; S Makepeace, D MacAdams; C Mills, B Mallett, J Hayler (C); W Rigelsford, J Gott, C Duncan, AJ King, J Hoffman, H Gliddon, R Dingemans.

Replacements: A O’Brien, T Lindsay, D Cleverley, D Johnson, R Mitchell, L Roxby, J Toogood, J Hanley, G Edson, B Chambers, F Elliott, M Hall.

Words by N Howe and O Howe

Images by J Hulm