Cornish rugby

Encyclopedia : C : CO : COR : Cornish rugby

The Cornish Rugby Football Union (CRFU) was formed in 1883, at present it is a union of 39 rugby football clubs. Included in this total is every Cornish rugby club, the main Cornwall XV and the representative Cornwall teams at various age groups. The CRFU is also in membership with the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the main rugby football union in England. The famous colours of the rugby jersey, gold and black hoops were introduced in 1885 and the strip is currently sponsored by Trago Mills. The patron of the Cornwall RFU is H.R.H. The Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, K.G., K.T.

Cornish Rugby has had the honour to have played host to many international touring rugby teams over the years including New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Maori, France, Romania, USA, Canada, Japan and the Soviet Union.

One of the most important times of the year in a Cornish rugby fan's calendar is the County Championship. Cornwall won the championship for the first time in 1907, when they played in front of 17,000 fans at Redruth. The game was against Durham, also known for its mining, this time coal not tin. Cornwall won the game 17-3, scoring 5 tries. The added incentive for the winner was the chance to represent Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

Two other countries entered the 1908 Summer Olympics, France and Australia. France withdrew before the tournament which left Great Britain (Cornwall) playing Australia. The final score was 32-3 to Australia with Bert Solomon managing to score a try for Great Britain. (see Rugby union at the 1908 Summer Olympics for the teams.)

Cornwall reached the Championship final again in 1909, 1928, 1958, 1969 and 1989 but had to wait until 1991 before re-claiming the trophy. In a final that most Cornish fans will remember forever, Cornwall played Yorkshire at Twickenham in front of 54,000 fans, the majority of which were supporting Cornwall. In a game that had everything, from a Cornish point of view, all seemed lost when after 54 minutes, Cornwall found themselves trailing at 16-3 down, having been tricked when Yorkshire ran a penalty that the Cornish believed they had indicated to kick. That one moment changed the course of the game and Cornwall fought back to draw level at 16-16 after 80 minutes. They even missed the conversion that would have given them victory in normal time. The game then went into extra time when Cornwall managed to continue their scoring.

The final score was 29-20 to Cornwall which sent the Cornish fans into a state of total elation !. The Cornish tries were not pretty but no one cared. Richard Nanckivell's two tries were the inspiration that they could win and Tommy Bassett and Billy Peters put the icing on the cake in extra-time. Cornwall's first title since 1908.

Cornwall managed to reach the final again in both 1992 and 1998, unfortunately losing both and it was not until 1999 when they met Gloucester in the final that Cornwall managed to win the Championship again.

Cornwall play most of their home games at Redruth, but Camborne's ground is sometimes used and also Penzance & Newlyn and Launceston's.

The premier club side in Cornwall are the Cornish Pirates (recently renamed from Penzance & Newlyn RFC) who play in National Division One. They are hoping to increase their fanbase by appealling to the large Cornish nationalist sentiment to help them gain promotion to the Guinness Premiership. Launceston RFC "The Cornish All Blacks" and Redruth RFC "The Reds" play in National Division Two and also get good support. The other major Cornish club sides who play in the South West 1 and 2 leagues are Camborne, Mounts Bay, Penryn, St. Ives and Truro.

FETHY PO FYLIEL AN GWARRY HA TRA NAHEN ! (Cornish for Win or Lose, The Game and Nothing Else !)

Contents

1 Cornish International friendlies
2 Championship finals
3 Players with 50+ Caps for Cornwall
4 Cornish Players to have toured with the British Lions
5 See also
6 External links

Cornish International friendlies

New Zealand 1905, 1924
Australia 1908 (twice) - GB Olympic Silver medal
South Africa 1906,1912
Maoris 1926
Selection Francais 1969
France "B" 1970
Comite-de-Lyonaise 1971,1972
Romania 1972
USA 1977 (Cornwall won 12-11 )
Canada 1979
South African Barbarians 1979,1993
Japan 1986
NZ Barbarians 1987
Soviet Union (12 - 12) 1989
Canterbury (NZ) 1994

(Cornwall players have also represented Cornwall & Devon and South-West Division teams)

Championship finals

1908 Cornwall 17 Durham 3 (at Redruth RFC)
1909 Durham 12 Cornwall 0 (at West Hartlepool RFC)
1928 Yorkshire 12 Cornwall 8. (at Bradford RFC)
1958 Warwickshire 16 Cornwall 8 (at Coventry RFC)
1969 Cornwall 9 Lancashire 11 (at Redruth RFC)
1989 Cornwall 9 Durham 13 (at Twickenham)
1991 Cornwall 29 Yorkshire 20 after extra time (at Twickenham)
1992 Cornwall 6 Lancashire 9. (at Twickenham)
1998 Cornwall 14 Cheshire 21 (at Twickenham)
1999 Cornwall 25 Gloucester 15 (at Twickenham)

Players with 50+ Caps for Cornwall

102 A. Cook
88 C.R. Johns
86 P.J. Hendy
83 C.B. Stevens
70 R. Jackett
69 D. Weeks
68 J. May
67 R.G. Corin
65 J. Atkinson
64 G. Bate
62 R.F.S. Harris
61 R. Jennings
60 H. Stevens
60 P.J.B. Mitchell
56 R. Keast
56 A. Bick
55 T.A.Pryor
54 T. Bidgood
54 R.W. Hosen
54 G. Williams
53 C.J. Durant
53 P.J. Winnan
52 T. Palmer
52 N.Tregurtha
52 K.C. Plummer
51 A.L. Semmens
51 G. Champion
50 E.J. Jackett
50 A. Williams
50 B.J. Trevaskis
50 K. Thomas

Cornish Players to have toured with the British Lions

E.J. Jackett (Australia and New Zealand 1908)
J. Davey (Australia and New Zealand 1908)
F.S.Jackson (Australia and New Zealand 1908)
B.B. Bennetts (Argentina 1910/11)
R. Jennings (Australia and New Zealand 1930)
V.G. Roberts (Australia and New Zealand 1950)
M.C. Thomas (Australia and New Zealand 1950 & 1959)
R.A.W. Sharp (South Africa 1962)
C.B. Stevens (Australia and New Zealand 1971)
A.Reed (New Zealand 1993)
P. Vickery (Australia 2001)

External links