Cornish Pirates away Championship Cup preview
Apr 18, 2022 10:16:46 GMT
Sir Cumference de Mundy likes this
Post by Jamie Crawford on Apr 18, 2022 10:16:46 GMT
Cornish Pirates away Championship Cup preview
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Championship Cup Round 2: Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights
Mennaye Field, Cornwall, 23rd April KO 2.30pm
The Championship Cup
As a reminder; Ealing Trailfinders receive a bye into the quarter-final because they were table leaders after round 17, when the Championship Cup fixtures were drawn.
Round 1, First leg:
Ampthill v Coventry (Tie 1) Score 27-21
Nottingham v Bedford Blues (Tie 2) Score 14-38
Doncaster Knights v Cornish Pirates (Tie 3) Score 24-26
Jersey Reds v London Scottish (Tie 4) Score 57-14
Richmond v Hartpury (Tie 5) Score 26-61
Round 1, Second leg:
Coventry v Ampthill (Tie 1)
Bedford Blues v Nottingham (Tie 2)
Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights (Tie 3)
London Scottish v Jersey Reds (Tie 4)
Hartpury v Richmond (Tie 5)
Quarter-final, First leg:
Tie 5 winner v Tie 4 winner
Best losing playing record 2/1 v Tie 2 winner
Tie 3 winner v Tie 1 winner
Best losing playing record 4/3 v Ealing Trailfinders
I copied that but have just noticed that the loser of Tie 5 is not offered a chance of progression, I’m certain that this will have been accounted for. All the Knights or Pirates can do is aim to win and if not have a higher runner-up score than London Scottish. The Knights currently have the highest.
I've had it confirmed that the two teams with the best losing record of all groups play Ealing Trailfinders and the winner of group five. (Thanks tomthepom).
The winner of the Pirates v the Knights will go forward to play the winner between Ampthill and Coventry.
This was another close contest with similar scores and Coventry scoring a losing bonus point.
The loser may play Ealing if their playing record is better than the loser of the Reds or the Scottish Exiles.
There are no Bonus Points after the first round. The two losing sides with the smallest aggregate margin of defeat join the five winners plus Trailfinders in the Quarter Finals.
Dates
The Cup rounds are:
• w/o 23 April – Round 1 (2nd leg)
• w/o 30 April – Cup Round 2 (Quarter-final – 1st leg)
• w/o 07 May – Cup Round 2 (Quarter-final – 2nd leg)
• w/o 14 May – Cup Round 3 (Semi-final)
• w/o 21 May – Cup Round 4 (Final)
Last time out.
The Pirates managed to inflict the Knights’ first loss in a competitive match at Castle Park since their defeat at the hands of Saracens last April. This was by a younger, fresher set of Pirates that were eager to impress. The question is whether their defence was better than when we last played them, as it seemed to be, or we were less cohesive after making 12 changes?
After going for a half-time break with an unconverted try apiece, the Knights returned to scoring after the Pirates went two tries ahead. They gained a bonus point by scoring their fourth try just before Sir blew for the end of the game. It all came down to the last conversion kick by the Knights, the Pirates had converted theirs. Unfortunately, the kick went wide of the upright and the game ended with the winning margin being just two points. The positives to take from the game are that both sides won a try bonus point plus the Knights also won a losing bonus point, most importantly in this first stage, the Knights margin of defeat is just two points.
Two of the Pirates tries could have been easily prevented plus the Knights were about to score after the Pirate defensive line had been breached and with no full back waiting, a try looked a certainty. Sir blew his whistle for an unfortunate head injury to a Pirate, thankfully the Pirate walked off the field after a few minutes’ attention and recovery. Unfortunately, the Pirates didn’t reciprocate the Knights’ ‘courtesy’ at losing a certain try because one of their players needed attention and the game continued.
Pirate danger men
After just one game played in the Championship Cup, Centre Joe Elderkin had made a half break to take play to Doncaster’s ‘22’, but the threat was held. Scrum-half Ruaridh Dawson fed to wing Robin Wedlake who made it to the line for the game’s opening try.
Centre Shae Tucker ran seemingly unopposed through the defence to score under the posts. Replacement hooker Marlen Walker scored shortly later and Knights fans were nervous that the Pirates were hitting a purple patch that couldn’t be recovered from.
In the Championship against the Knights, back row Matt Bolwell and lock/back row Josh Caulfield scored last March at Castle Park. Then captain, No. 8 Tom Duncan scored the Pirate’s first try at Mennaye Field last December, hooker Tom Channon scored a collective forward push-over try shortly after. Channon scored again after a quick dart from the set piece. Finally, replacement scrum half Tom Kessell stormed through to touch down under the posts after the Knights’ defensive line had been penetrated.
Team strengths and weaknesses
The Pirates fielded a young team in the first leg that were eager to impress and impress they did. Their strength in defence was admirable and possibly stronger than when they played at Castle Park in the Championship. Or did it look that way after the Knights’ twelve team changes disrupted cohesiveness?
Saturday’s game
The Pirates won the first leg but it was a close, well-fought match. After this first leg, the Knights are the highest scoring runners-up of any team but in particular Scottish didn’t score a league point. The loser is in a positive place as a potential highest-scoring runner-up and has a chance of reaching the quarter-final against Ealing because both have already scored bonus points. The Knights scored two league points to the Prates’ five, so a Knights four point win would be enough to win the first round but only if the Pirates don’t win a bonus point. If they do it goes down to points and tries scored.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Championship Cup Round 2: Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights
Mennaye Field, Cornwall, 23rd April KO 2.30pm
The Championship Cup
As a reminder; Ealing Trailfinders receive a bye into the quarter-final because they were table leaders after round 17, when the Championship Cup fixtures were drawn.
Round 1, First leg:
Ampthill v Coventry (Tie 1) Score 27-21
Nottingham v Bedford Blues (Tie 2) Score 14-38
Doncaster Knights v Cornish Pirates (Tie 3) Score 24-26
Jersey Reds v London Scottish (Tie 4) Score 57-14
Richmond v Hartpury (Tie 5) Score 26-61
Round 1, Second leg:
Coventry v Ampthill (Tie 1)
Bedford Blues v Nottingham (Tie 2)
Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights (Tie 3)
London Scottish v Jersey Reds (Tie 4)
Hartpury v Richmond (Tie 5)
Quarter-final, First leg:
Tie 5 winner v Tie 4 winner
I've had it confirmed that the two teams with the best losing record of all groups play Ealing Trailfinders and the winner of group five. (Thanks tomthepom).
The winner of the Pirates v the Knights will go forward to play the winner between Ampthill and Coventry.
This was another close contest with similar scores and Coventry scoring a losing bonus point.
The loser may play Ealing if their playing record is better than the loser of the Reds or the Scottish Exiles.
There are no Bonus Points after the first round. The two losing sides with the smallest aggregate margin of defeat join the five winners plus Trailfinders in the Quarter Finals.
Dates
The Cup rounds are:
• w/o 23 April – Round 1 (2nd leg)
• w/o 30 April – Cup Round 2 (Quarter-final – 1st leg)
• w/o 07 May – Cup Round 2 (Quarter-final – 2nd leg)
• w/o 14 May – Cup Round 3 (Semi-final)
• w/o 21 May – Cup Round 4 (Final)
Last time out.
The Pirates managed to inflict the Knights’ first loss in a competitive match at Castle Park since their defeat at the hands of Saracens last April. This was by a younger, fresher set of Pirates that were eager to impress. The question is whether their defence was better than when we last played them, as it seemed to be, or we were less cohesive after making 12 changes?
After going for a half-time break with an unconverted try apiece, the Knights returned to scoring after the Pirates went two tries ahead. They gained a bonus point by scoring their fourth try just before Sir blew for the end of the game. It all came down to the last conversion kick by the Knights, the Pirates had converted theirs. Unfortunately, the kick went wide of the upright and the game ended with the winning margin being just two points. The positives to take from the game are that both sides won a try bonus point plus the Knights also won a losing bonus point, most importantly in this first stage, the Knights margin of defeat is just two points.
Two of the Pirates tries could have been easily prevented plus the Knights were about to score after the Pirate defensive line had been breached and with no full back waiting, a try looked a certainty. Sir blew his whistle for an unfortunate head injury to a Pirate, thankfully the Pirate walked off the field after a few minutes’ attention and recovery. Unfortunately, the Pirates didn’t reciprocate the Knights’ ‘courtesy’ at losing a certain try because one of their players needed attention and the game continued.
Pirate danger men
After just one game played in the Championship Cup, Centre Joe Elderkin had made a half break to take play to Doncaster’s ‘22’, but the threat was held. Scrum-half Ruaridh Dawson fed to wing Robin Wedlake who made it to the line for the game’s opening try.
Centre Shae Tucker ran seemingly unopposed through the defence to score under the posts. Replacement hooker Marlen Walker scored shortly later and Knights fans were nervous that the Pirates were hitting a purple patch that couldn’t be recovered from.
In the Championship against the Knights, back row Matt Bolwell and lock/back row Josh Caulfield scored last March at Castle Park. Then captain, No. 8 Tom Duncan scored the Pirate’s first try at Mennaye Field last December, hooker Tom Channon scored a collective forward push-over try shortly after. Channon scored again after a quick dart from the set piece. Finally, replacement scrum half Tom Kessell stormed through to touch down under the posts after the Knights’ defensive line had been penetrated.
Team strengths and weaknesses
The Pirates fielded a young team in the first leg that were eager to impress and impress they did. Their strength in defence was admirable and possibly stronger than when they played at Castle Park in the Championship. Or did it look that way after the Knights’ twelve team changes disrupted cohesiveness?
Saturday’s game
The Pirates won the first leg but it was a close, well-fought match. After this first leg, the Knights are the highest scoring runners-up of any team but in particular Scottish didn’t score a league point. The loser is in a positive place as a potential highest-scoring runner-up and has a chance of reaching the quarter-final against Ealing because both have already scored bonus points. The Knights scored two league points to the Prates’ five, so a Knights four point win would be enough to win the first round but only if the Pirates don’t win a bonus point. If they do it goes down to points and tries scored.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
