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Cornwall head to Twickenham

From the Falmouth Packet, first published Wednesday 21st May 2008.

ENGLAND 43pts

EASTERN COUNTIES 0pts

Cornwall return to Twickenham to face Northumberland on Sunday, June 1 in the final of the County Championship shield after defeating Eastern Counties by six tries to nil at the Recreation Ground.

Heavy rain started to fall at lunchtime but it did not deter a good-sized crowd from turning up to cheer the side on. They were rewarded as Cornwall responded with a tremendous first half display to rack up 36 points before the interval.

The rain eased off after the break but Cornwall could only add an outstanding individual try by Redruth's Lewis Vinnicombe to the score.

Following last week's defeat at Hertford, Redruth's Simon Peters and Chris Fuca lost their places to Steve Perry and Adam Nicholls. Richard Carroll started in the second row in place of John Griffiths.

Eastern Counties with eight players from North Walsham - five former Walsham players had beaten Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire in their previous games - travelled knowing that a draw would have been good enough to see them to Twickenham, but they were blown away in the first quarter. however, they will take a great deal of pride from the way their forwards competed in the second half to force Cornwall onto the back foot for long periods.

Cornwall kicked off and took the game to the visitors in heavy rain. Darren Jacques made ground and a half break by Perry led to a try in the scoreboard corner for Matt Jess in the second minute. Mark Scrivener converting from the touchline.

The Cornish forwards were driving the Counties back and from a heel against the head as the Duchy put the squeeze on in the scrum, Sam Hocking forced his way over in the ninth minute with Scrivener again adding the extras.

Scrivener added a penalty from the right of the posts in the 22nd minute as Cornwall playing towards the scoreboard end continued to rack up the points. Perry and Jess made the running for Paul Thirlby to touch down in the 22nd minute, Scrivener adding the extras. Two minutes later Thirlby took a long pass from Scrivener 40 metres out and in a determined finish touched down a try in the left hand corner that Scrivener, who enjoys playing at Camborne, converted with a good kick.

The luck was with the Duchy in the first period, after Carroll took a five-metre line-out and a powerful surge ended with Ben Hilton touching down an unconverted try four minutes before the interval.

Perry did not return after the break with Jamie Semmens taking his place. A loose kick out of defence in the 45th minute gave Vinnicombe space to show his class as he went around two defenders to touch down in the right hand corner. Scrivener converting with another tremendous kick his last act before leaving the field with a black eye that started to swell up.

For a 15-minute period after this Eastern Counties, playing through their forwards, drove Cornwall back, Cambridge's Glen Remnant was held up over the line, as the Counties were unable to get the score their play deserved.

The rain had stopped by the time the game moved into the final quarter but with both sides using their replacements play was disjointed. The only incident of note was a 73rd minute "Spear" tackle by Pena Sokia on Jess that brought the Wymondham centre a yellow card.

Against 14 men in the closing stages Cornwall had two good chances to take the score to the half-century but snatched at the ball and the chances were lost.

Albeit on points difference Cornwall win the group to earn a trip to Twickenham but perhaps more importantly Benjie Thomas and his cabal of coaches can look forward to the Duchy returning to the top tier of County Championship rugby next season.

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