THE immediate future of 130-year-old Cornish club St Ives is in jeopardy following a mass summer exodus of coaches and players – followed by last week’s resignation of director of rugby Joff Rowe.
The Hakes struggled to raise a team for their opening- day visit to Chew Valley and were hammered 89-14 before injuries forced them to call off last weekend’s first home match against Cleve. They also conceded yesterday’s visit to Crediton.
Rowe’s exit follows the summer departure of player-coach Rob Elloway – the former Cornish Pirates hooker – and assistants Chris Fuca and Joe Para.
Former Cornwall and Redruth winger Lewis Vinnicombe, who joined the club midway through last season as a player, took over as backs coach but quit before a match had been played. Rowe blamed “travel, ambitions of others and geography” as contributing to the club’s current crisis.
In his resignation letter, Rowe wrote: “This club has worked extremely hard to maintain the status we have today and is it sad to pull the game. Player recruitment and retention has played a major part.
“It has not been nice to have this issue on my watch and the last six months have been extremely difficult.
“I have resigned from the post with immediate effect.
Maybe a new face will lift the club.”
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