Cornish Pirates 7-29 Worcester Warriors: Five-try visitors too strong for Pirates

By Mike Sinclair

Cornish Pirates ……………..7pts

Try: Ward 48

Conversion: Robson 48

Worcester Warriors …… 29pts

Tries: Naulago 15, Williams 21, Anstee 39, Nkwocha 42, Gonzalez 59

Conversions: Reed 15, 42

Second-placed Worcester Warriors proved too strong for a combative Cornish Pirates side as they delighted their big away fan following with a five-try victory.

“This is a really tough place to come and win, so we’re pleased with that,” said Warriors coach Billy Twelvetrees.

“Pirates are a very good, well-drilled side, so it’s important that you impose yourselves on them from the start

“We did that with our half-backs Lloyd Williams and Will Reed managing the space really well.”

Match action

Pirates suffered an early setback with referee Jamie Parr yellow-carding Luke Ratcliff and reversing an attacking penalty decision in their favour when the flanker retaliated with a push after being held in a ruck.

Despite being a man down, the home side pounded away at the Warriors defence, following Arwel Robson’s penalty into the corner, before they were penalised for a double movement close to the try line.

Worcester, with their first serious attack, made their numerical advantage count as they stretched the home defence for Siva Naulago to cross in the right corner.

Then their former Pirates full-back Will Trewin ran 60 metres from his own half but hung on to the ball with team-mates up in support.

Warriors struck again when Rory Taylor hacked on a loose ball and did well to collect it at ankle height and release Williams, who ran in the second try, but Pirates full-back Angus Mawson was quick off the mark to charge down Reed’s conversion attempt.

Sorting out their earlier lineout problems, Worcester moved the ball quickly to set up a series of drives which ended with Tim Anstee squeezing over in the left corner.

No way through: Cornish Pirates’ Matt Cannon is stopped by the Worcester Warriors defence
PICTURE: Brian Tempest

Second half

The bonus point was secured two minutes after half-time when Naulago’s pace enabled him to dissect the home defence and send big lock Obina Nkwocha charging in.

Despite spending a fair amount of time on the offensive, only to be denied by a solid Warriors defence, the Cornish side had to wait until the 48th minute to open their account when Mawson and Chester Ribbons ran from deep to send Matty Ward racing in.

Worcester responded by creating an overlap for replacement Juan Gonzalez to score their fifth try.

The match ended on a further disappointing note for Pirates when joint head coach Alan Paver was red-carded after becoming involved in a touchline scuffle with a Worcester player.