LAUNCESTON Under 16s hosted touring team Gwernyfed from mid-Wales and Penzance for an evening of three separate 35-minute matches under the Polson Bridge floodlights on Good Friday (April 19).

Launceston 21

Gwernyfed 5

THE first match up of the night saw Launceston and Gwernyfed square off, although it was the hosts that started with great tempo and really imposed their gameplan on the visitors.

The forwards worked as a unit going forward, recycling well and creating good momentum. Blindside-flanker Freddie Ward was at his best moving about the pitch, making countless tackles and creating impossible turnovers to put the opposition under serious pressure.

Sam Jago, playing at full-back, also went looking for work and attacked at every opportunity. A counter-attack on the right saw him break several tackles before offloading to Leon Jones who used his pace to draw the defence before delivering a wonderful inside pass to skipper Ollie Tomkies who streaked away for the first score (7-0).

That score was quickly followed by a second as right-winger Sam Sharman made good ground and offloaded to Ward who burst through to shred the defence and make it 14-0.

Prop Kane Clements was working hard with some big carries and hooker Billy Martin was dominating the breakdown again. The Launceston backs had to be alert though as the visiting team tried to attack the wide channels at every opportunity, meaning their line speed and communication had to be effective. The Gwernyfed boys gave it everything and carried with real in intent.

The Welsh team’s scrum-half was a real attacking threat and he claimed a well-deserved score after finding a gap on the right and accelerated through to pull one back at 14-5.

However, fly-half Alex Maciver-Redwood controlled the show by putting the forwards through phase after phase which created some space out wide. The backs were really starting to motor and centres Tage Jenkins and Tomkies combined well to claim the final score, which is how it stayed at 21-5.

Launceston 7

Penzance 12

THE second game of the evening saw Launceston stay on and play Penzance. The game started with both teams at full pace and really having a good go. High quality rugby was provided across the park with both sets of forwards carrying well and the backs attacking with flair.

Both teams had a good kicking game with several of the Penzance lads having a massive boot. After good pressure from the forwards the pirates kicked out of defence. Full-back Sam Jago fielded the kick and set off like lightening up the left flank. He broke several tackles and sprinted through to score.

Penazance were desperate to get back level and repeatedly stressed the home defence with real pace out wide. Launceston were forced to infringe and from a short penalty Penazance moved the ball quickly and crashed over to score. However the conversion was missed meaning it was 7-5.

A tense finish put both teams under pressure but the quality remained high. Number eight Josh Brown almost clinched the deciding score but was brought down just short. Penzance escaped and unfortunately it was left to Nowell Jnr to nick the decisive try and sneak a 12-7 win.

Gwernyfed 12

Penzance 14

IN THE final game of the evening, a depleted Gwernyfed took on Penzance.

The Launceston trio of Billy Martin, Freddie Ward and Adam Howgill played for the Welsh club to help out and left everything on the pitch.

It was another great game with Gwernyfed going two score up with tries from Ward and Howgill before Penzance stormed back to pinch it at the end with two converted tries.

Reflecting on the evening, Launceston’s head coach, Andy Crighton, said: “Playing on the first team pitch under floodlights was a fantastic experience for all the boys. Three great matches to savour and created a real buzz at the end of the season.

“Everyone felt that the evening was a huge success with players and supporters staying late to enjoy the club at its best.”

Launceston —

Sam Jago, Sam Sharman, Ollie Tomkies (captain), Tage Jenkins, Joe Allen, Alex Maciver-Redwood, Nicky Crighton; Josh Elias, Billy Martin, Kane Clements, Jake Glover, Adam Howgill, Freddie Ward, Finn Stiles, Josh Brown

Replacements: Josh Bakehouse, Finn Moses, Leon Jones, James Herzog, Tom Lowe, George Mill