Saturday, December 8
Tribute South West One (West)
Thornbury 14
Cornish All Blacks 22
REUBEN Edwards’ late try sealed the Cornish All Blacks’ ninth successive league win as they won 22-14 against Thornbury on the artificial pitch at Lockleaze Sports Centre.
The home side’s Rockhampton Hill ground was deemed unplayable due to the weather so the match was switched.
Tries from Lloyd Duke and Levent Bulut helped give the All Blacks lead 15-0 at the break and although the home side got to within a point, thanks to converted tries from wingers Louis Ogilvie and Jonny Sanderson, Edwards’ effort sealed a vital victory.
Coaches Ryan Westren, who was again missing due to a hamstring injury, and Ian Goldsmith were forced into three changes from the side that beat Keynsham 33-24 seven days earlier.
Bulut was drafted in at hooker which meant that Jordan Duke switched to the second-row in place of Jake Crabb, who was absent due to personal issues.
Dan Goldsmith joined Duke in the second-row after returning from a shoulder injury in place of Marc Williams who suffered a serious knee injury against Keynsham and is expected to be out for several months.
The other change saw Will Morton replace unwell Dan Pearce on the wing.
Launceston had a strong wind behind them in the first-half and they took the lead on ten minutes as Lloyd Duke dotted down from a driving maul from ten metres out.
Midway through the half the lead was extended further as fly-half Glenn Coles slotted home a penalty from right in front of the posts.
As you would expect with the conditions in their favour, the All Blacks dominated territory with the scrum looking particularly strong.
They went close to adding a second try when Morton beat three defenders but was adjudged to have been held up.
Morton was involved in many of the game’s key moments and he saved a certain try.
Fly-half Jake Wood went on a surging 50-metre run and only had Morton to beat. However ten metres away from the line he was tackled and he was adjudged to have knocked on by referee Craig Pocock with full-back Rich Bennett guaranteed to score.
As half-time approached the All Blacks grabbed their second try.
Great work from Tom Sandercock and Lloyd Duke set up Shaun Crawford and he cut inside and looked set to score.
Although he was tackled by Bennett, a couple of quick phases ended with Bulut being pushed over by his team-mate Rikki Bentham.
Lloyd Duke ensured that the home side went into the break with zero points to their name.
A clever grubber kick from Wood looked for all the world to be finished off by Bennett.
However just as he was about to catch the ball almost on the line, Duke tackled him from behind and he knocked on.
The wind died down slightly at the start of the second-half but with the wind in their favour, Thornbury knew that they had a chance to apply plenty of pressure, and that they did.
After Wood shaved the outside of the post with a penalty, they grabbed their first try on 49 minutes.
A 22-metre dropout was caught by captain Sam Evans and after taking a few steps forward he placed a kick down the left-hand side for Ogilvie to win the foot race with Morton. Wood converted.
The ‘home’ side continued to dominate — including being denied a try after being held up — and they found themselves just a point behind before the hour.
From a five-metre scrum, scrum-half Sam Poustie threw a long pass out wide for Sanderson to score in the far right-hand corner. Wood slotted an outstanding kick.
Wood missed a penalty with ten minutes remaining and on 77 minutes the All Blacks sealed it.
Sandercock made a brilliant 40-metre run down the middle before sending over a 15-metre pass to the onrushing Edwards who ran in from 15 metres to score in the corner. Glenn Coles hit a monster kick from the touchline to go eight points clear to prevent Thornbury grabbing a deserved losing bonus point.
The All Blacks needed another try to secure their bonus point and went agonisingly close to doing so.
After setting up yet another driving maul from a penalty, the ball wasn’t presented after it went down a couple of metres out and the referee blew for the full-time whistle.
Skipper Lloyd Duke said: “It was a hard game against a team who don’t really lose at home. It was a test of character for the team and it was a really good warm-up for this weekend at Newent.
“The scrum was really good and gave us a good foundation and I thought Chae Jenkins carried really well in the second-half when we had no other option.
“The boys put in a workmanlike performance and we’re happy at the halfway point having only lost one game and to be in a good position.”
Duke also gave his take on the artificial pitch.
“It was a bit different for some of us. Some of the younger ones have played on artificial pitches at uni but it was okay. It was an interesting one as you’re not going to be struggling in the mud and you felt fitter and the game was quicker.”
The All Blacks renew acquaintances with old rivals Newent on Saturday.
The Gloucestershire side have recovered from a slow start to win their last three games and easily dispatched Launceston 51-27 on their council park-based pitch in August 2017. However the All Blacks have won the last two meetings between the sides at Polson Bridge.
Duke said: “They’re not in the form of last year but they’re similar to Thornbury in that they’re very good at home.
“I would say there’s a bit of a rivalry because of last year and both teams seem to raise their games. We know full well that they’ll be up for beating us and we’ve got to work really hard to prevent that from happening.
“We’d like to maintain the gap so we have to win at Newent. We want to build pressure on the teams below us and by winning we’ll continue to do that. But they’re very good in every respect. They’re very physical and up for the challenge and are a good all-round team.”
Duke is also hopeful that a number of key players will be in the reckoning.
He said: “Andy Knight was unavailable because of work and so was Greg Thomas so they should be back. Jake Crabb pulled out because of personal issues and Dan Pearce should be available.”
Cornish All Blacks —
Edwards, Morton, Crawford, Sandercock, Kneebone, Coles, Collings; Bentham, Bulut, Jenkins, Goldsmith, J Duke, Clarke, L Duke (captain), Rowley
Replacements: Bartlett, Lightfoot, Mulberry
Tries: L Duke, Bulut, Edwards
Convs: Coles 2
Pens: Coles
Cornish All Blacks’ man-of-the-match: Chae Jenkins