By DC
November 4 2011

Sundays match with Rotherham has been billed as one of the matches of the season. Rotherham Titans Head Coach Andre Bester said “There is no doubt that the toughest match in this league is to play Cornish Pirates away! A lot of people would say it is Rotherham at Clifton Lane, but for me Pirates is the toughest assignment in the Championship.

Bester continued; 

"Pirates were my pre-season favourites for the league and they are now getting their players back. Their stand-out player is Gavin Cattle, for me he is the stand-out player in the Championship and as a player and a captain I have immense respect for him. He personifies the fighting spirit of Pirates and I’m astounded that he his not playing in the Premiership.

“Pirates have match-winners all over the pitch; they have players with the x-factor.

They are very strong all over the park, whether it’s their pack, their scrum, their line-out, their driving play, their back play or their ability to create something out of nothing.

Pirates are a very good and very dangerous side, but despite all the admiration I have for them, that admiration will stop on Sunday at half past two. Our job is to make sure they don’t perform on our watch!

So what happened last time ?

This is what woll wrote:

Cornish Pirates 67 Rotherham 14

RFU Championship Play Offs Round 3
Mennaye Field Penzance
Sunday 27th March 

Woll's Match Report 

Forwards Coach, Ian Davies, issued a post match warning to guard against complacency for the return play off fixture at Clifton Lane next Saturday, after witnessing the ten try demolition of a well 'below standard' Rotherham at the Mennaye this afternoon.

On this showing there should be little evidence of the need of such but...we have been to Rotherham before with high hopes of victory. Haven't we?!

The ease with which the hosts brushed aside the normally gritty (at least) visitors on this occasion however, was embarrassing, as the Yorkshiremen shipped eight tries in the first fifty minutes; before a combination of replacement disruption and no little throttling back by the Pirates, allowed them in for a couple of consolation tries via McGowan. The latter of which requiring a long adjudication from Geoff the TMO as the crowd began to fear missing the start of Countryfile.

This brief spell of ascendancy for the Titans however, did little to detract from an otherwise rampant Pirate display, that for the home support at least, matched some beautiful early spring weather on the Peninsular.

So pleasant in fact were the conditions that for one individual it all proved too much; prompting as it did an unwise incursion onto the field of play to display his not so impressive physique. No doubt distracting Cook sufficiently to miss for the third time with the last conversion attempt; and action for the day. It may well prove costly for the hosts too which leaves a sour taste.

As a contest then, this was over after barely five minutes as the visiting Titans hit a brick wall; mainly in the shape of Betty. And then found themselves on the wrong end of a first half six try blitz from the home side; clearly in no mood to take any prisoners.

In front of the SKY cameras for the second consecutive week, the Pirates had unleashed an attacking display of power and ruthlessness that would arguably have fitted in the 'shock and awe' category. A comparison that possibly occurred to Titan's head coach, Bester who; undoubtedly so disgusted with his side's efforts after only the first quarter, withdrew both Hampsey and Aikman, in a vain attempt to stem the flow.

Not that it mattered as the Cornishmen were already 24 points to the good through tries from Cattle, Marriott and Hopper (with the first of his two), and
threatening a rampage.

The Titan's lineout too was already in disarray, with Myerscough and Gulliver picking off their throws at will. Thus, these tactical changes so early on, were rather like repelling a surging tide with small bucket. One with a hole or two in no doubt as well!

And so it transpired as Hopper was next to punish the visitors lax defence; finding himself in acres of space on the left touchline to go in behind the posts at the Newlyn End to trigger another three try burst. Bentley and Davies being the benefactors on this occasion.

The half time oranges did little to stem the flow as Andrew and then Locke trotted over the whitewash to continue the rout before the Titans finally enjoyed some play of their own, as previously described.

It was never to last of course as Bentley feinted left inside the Rotherham 22 with ten minutes to go; and Doherty rounded off the scoring for the cameras at the death with a darting run of his own.

The need now is for calm heads and plenty of effort to repeat this showing up in South Yorkshire next weekend. A positive result then will set up the mouth watering prospect of the visit of Bedford to the Duchy for what surely will be the group deciding fixture. Maybe that man Hammond and his colleagues would like to pop back down west for that one? Mmmmmnnn.

Cornish Pirates 
15 R. Cook 14 G. Pointer (20 R. McAtee 47mins) 13 M. Hopper (21 D. Locke 40mins) 12 T. Luke 11 W. Davies 10 J. Bentley 9 G. Cattle (capt)(22 J. Doherty 59mins) 8 K. Marriott (19 P. Burgess 40-47mins blood - 62min)
7 S. Betty 6 C. Morgan 5 B. Gulliver 4 M. Myerscough (17 L. McGlone 62mins) 3 A. Paver (18 C. Rimmer 32mins) 2 D. Ward (16 R. Elloway 47mins) 1 P. Andrew.
Replacements: all used

Tries: Cattle, Marriott, Hopper 2, Bentley2, Davies, Andrew, Locke, Doherty
Cons: Cook 7
Pens: Cook.

Rotherham Titans
15 B. Hunt (20 J. McMahon 72mins) 14 J. Hampsey (22 J. Bedford 28mins)
13 R. Welding 12 C. Hodgson 11 W. Du Randt (21 P. Swatkins 49mins) 10 J.P. Socino 9 M. Rhodes (capt) 8 D. Baines (17 K. Kilbane 62mins) 7 S. Dougall 6 S. Worral (19 R. Donneghan 59mins) 5 R. Burrows 4 L. McGowan 3 R. O'Donnell 2 J. Aikman (16 A. Loney 28mins) 1 K. Harris
Replacements: un-used 18 A. Smidt