Dominating the game in the tight, Richmond ultimately fell short because of league leaders admirable accuracy and discipline and their use of local conditions.

The Pirates had won their previous ten league games so were full of confidence in front of their loyal crowd. They manage to create an atmosphere, which is fiercely partisan but also warmly welcoming to visitors. The game started under a blue sky after a lot of rain in the previous 24 hours but there was a strong wind against Richmond in the first half.

Nevertheless Richmond, playing in an unfamiliar white change kit, got off to the better start. The Pirates looked lively, moving the ball at pace from side to side, but the visitors were clearly dominating the set scrums, winning three scrum penalties in the opening eleven minutes. The opening score came after fifteen minutes, Richmond working an overlap down the short side. When the Cornish defence got a hand on the ball to knock it back, Sam Edgerley seized possession and went clear to score his first league try from around fifteen metres. The conversion into the wind was near impossible.

Frustratingly, Richmond immediately conceded an unnecessary penalty, pinged for crossing as they prepared to clear the kick off ball. Will Cargill converted the straightforward kick. The wind played a major part in the next score. Pirates kicked twice for distance, booting the ball up the middle of the pitch to gain fifty metres. The second kick looked destined to roll dead but, when it stopped short, Edgerley quickly picked up and fed Jono Woodward who in turn passed to Will Warden. The Pirates were up fast and isolated Warden, who inevitably conceded a penalty for holding on. Kicking to five metres, the pack then drove powerfully to the line where the maul was pulled down. Referee Anthony Woodthorpe immediately awarded a penalty try and then additionally brandished a yellow card to Ross Grimstone. The double penalty does always seem disproportionately harsh but once again Richmond had lost momentum through the concession of another card.

Into the wind, Richmond defended well for the next nine minutes but, with Grimstone and Jesse Liston poised to return, self destructed when they came offside from a box kick which swirled backwards. Pirates exacted full punishment with another try from a line out drive. The lively hooker Sam Matavesi was the scorer.

Creditably Richmond now stuck to the task and retained possession well, probing the home defence around the half way line. Will Goodrick-Clarke made an important inroad before Woodward’s quick feet found more space. Cameron Hudson, prominent in the build up, was on the winger’s shoulder to run clear from twenty metres for an excellent team try, converted by Rob Kirby. Yet again, Pirates found a quick response to reclaim momentum. The Richmond defence was up fast but the Cornish backs’ handling was excellent and when they finally managed to give Robin Wedlake space on the wide right, the winger had too much pace and power for the cover defence. Cargill’s conversion took the half time score to 22-12.

With the wind in their favour now, Richmond were still well in the game. But a wild pass to Rory Damant forced the fly half to fall on the ball and concede a penalty. Pirates kicked to five metres and built the pressure from the five metre line out. The Richmond defence held well but when they were penalised under the posts, man of the match scrum half Alex Day was first to react and tapped and ran as the defence stood still, unsure whether they could touch him until too late. The Richmond scrum continued to win penalties and the jumpers stole possession off three successive line outs. But they did not show the kicking know how to use the wind as productively as their opponents.

With seven or eight minutes to go, substitute Lewis Dennett provided a glimmer of hope with a lovely grubber through the onrushing defence for Ronnie McLean-Dents to touch down with ease. Kirby converted and Richmond tenaciously continued in pursuit of at least a bonus point, which they deserved. For the final five minutes, they retained possession through phase after phase as they looked for a gap in the defence but their opponents were superbly organised and disciplined enough not to concede a penalty. The Pirates thoroughly deserved their win but they were made to work very hard and Richmond can take plenty of credit.


Richmond Director of Rugby, Steve Hill commented; ‘We gave the Championship leaders by far their toughest test so far this season and I am gutted for our players we did not come away with any league points. Our scrum was tremendous and we created and converted some good tries. However, our attention to detail needs to improve if we are to secure a win at home next Saturday.’