THE CORNISH All Blacks put in one of their best performance of the season but fell to a cruel 20-19 defeat against league leaders Exeter University at Polson Bridge last Saturday.

The home side led 14-10 at the break and extended their advantage through Jon Dawe’s try but the visitors fought back to score twice in the last ten minutes.

However, Dan Pearce had a chance to win the game from the left-hand side but his penalty just went wide as the All Blacks’ unbeaten home record was lost.

Despite a more than encouraging display at Drybrook in their last game, the All Blacks made six changes including the return of Jon Dawe at inside-centre on loan from Plymouth Albion.

There was also a recall at scrum-half for Dom Mulberry with Tom Sandercock switching to full-back and the flying Dan Pearce shifted out to the right-wing.

Shaun Crawford made way for Dawe.

In the forwards there was a first start since September for Fred Bulut at hooker instead of Jordan Duke, Rory Cinnamond returned for the injured Greg Thomas at tighthead-prop and Jake Crabb replaced Dan Goldsmith in the second-row.

The students have racked up a number of high-scoring victories this term and had picked up 11 wins from their opening 12 games with a points difference of +261.

And when they took the lead inside the opening ten minutes through number eight Harvey Ryder it looked like another big score could be on the cards.

After the All Blacks were caught offside. The students kicked the ball into the 22 and won the lineout. The ball was eventually given to Ryder who went over just to the left of the posts.

The conversion was missed by their scrum-half Gregoire Dubois.

The game was played at a good pace but the scoreline remained the same until Sandercock scored his second try in as many games on 26 minutes.

From a scrum the ball was eventually worked out to Pearce.

He eventually popped the ball inside to Tom Sandercock who was half tackled. However he was quickly up to dive over and score. Pearce converted and the All Blacks had a two-point lead.

There was a big chance for the All Blacks to take the lead seven minutes before half-time. Some scintillating rugby down the left-hand side saw Sandercock one-on-one with the full-back, Jesse Lipetz-Robic, with winger Ben Hawke to his left.

Unfortunately his pass was behind Hawke and went out for a lineout.

Despite the close scoreline, the All Blacks were on top and dominating territory and they scored their second try when following another scrum; outside-centre Ryan Westren smashed his way over from just a few metres out. Pearce kicked a straightforward conversion and the All Blacks led by nine points.

However, the students fought back, allowing hooker Angus Brown to drive his way over after an unstoppable maul from just a few metres out.

The home side started the second-half well and regained their cushion when Dawe went over for a simple try after too many Exeter players were attracted to the breakdown after the All Blacks forwards were camped on the visitors’ line.

The game was end-to-end with both sides looking to run with the ball as much as possible and it took an excellent finish from winger Yousef Gobara after he was played in by Jesse Lipetz-Robic to make it 19-15.

It looked as if Dubois’ kicking may cost the students but they scored with less than 15 minutes to go through replacement Pierre Thompson after another scrum.

The All Blacks toiled away manfully and were awarded two penalties, which saw them decide not to have a shot at goal.

However, after another Exeter infringement with seconds to go, Pearce had the chance to win the game with a penalty on the 22-metre line, which was just to the left of the posts.

Unfortunately for the crowd at Polson Bridge, it went just wide as the students clung on for their most difficult win of the season while the All Blacks dropped to fifth.

Skipper Lloyd Duke admitted that coming so close to winning, made the loss even harder to take.

He said: “It was definitely one of our best performances of the season. At Drybrook we also played well for long spells but Saturday was more complete. However, that it makes it harder to take as we were the better team and the one who looked more likely to score.

“They lived off our mistakes and that was summed up by them scoring twice in the first-half through us conceding offside penalties.

“Going forward we looked really good. We scored three tries and there were at least two clearcut opportunities that we missed to score.”

The All Blacks also changed their backs structure and Duke said that they’d tried it at half-time at Drybrook so they knew what to expect.

He added: “Last week we took off Reuben (Edwards) at half-time and brought on Dom at scrum-half with Tom going to full-back and Dan to the wing like it was on Saturday. It seemed to work pretty well then and I thought they all played well.”

Duke was also full of praise for Jon Dawe after his first appearance in an All Blacks shirt for nearly two and a half years.

Dawe’s time at Plymouth Albion has been disrupted by a series of injuries but put in a commanding display on his return to the club on-loan.

Duke said: “Jon made a massive difference. He made two or three big tackles and that allows you to dominate. He’s 100% at everything. He’s been training with us for about a month but didn’t feel he was ready. But he’d been doing all the contact in training and the coaches asked him to play.?Now his first game is out of the way his mind ­will be alot clearer and he’ll only continue to get better.”

Duke admitted that he made a crucial error at 19-15 up when he chose not to go for the posts when awarded a penalty.

He added:?In hindsight I know that I made an error. With about ten minutes to go we had a penalty on the 15 metre line on the 22 and we went for a scrum instead.?I should have gone for goal but they’re the decisions we have to make at the time.”

Thornbury are the visitors to Polson Bridge on Saturday (2.30pm) and are just four points off the All Blacks in sixth.

The All Blacks won 28-22 in Bristol in September and Duke is wary that the visitors will be thirsty for revenge.

He said: “They’re going to be up for it. We beat them up there when we perhaps shouldn’t have. If a team feels that they shouldn’t have lost then then they’re going to be right up for it. They were good in the forwards and in the contact area and are a decent all-round side, which you would expect considering where they are in the table.”