London Cornish recorded back-to-back bonus point wins for the only time this season to secure their place in London 2 South-West for a 7th consecutive season in 2013-14. The exiles dominated Hampshire Cup Winners Portsmouth for long periods of the match to register 6 tries to the visitors 1 at the Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields on Saturday. The win lifted Cornish to a final placing of 8th in the division on a glorious day for the club across it’s 4 teams as both the Choughs and Dukes won their respective Championships.

In overcast conditions with light rain falling, Cornish played towards the scoreboard end in the first half, the same squad of 18 from the previous weeks vital win at Old Alleynians called upon to finish the job, though Mark Osei-Tutu was given a start in the back row with Phil Jones benching on this occasion. Like Cornish, the visitors have suffered no end of injuries in the second half of the season, and sitting in a comfortable mid table position following last seasons relegation from London 1 South, could have been forgiven for being a little less motivated than their hosts. From the off that difference was apparent, the exiles hammering their way into the Hampshire sides 22 until winning a scrum around 10 out wide right. The Cornish pack has not given best to any side in the league in the tight this season, and this was to be their finest day. Driving the underpowered Pompey pack over their line, no 8 Andrew McEwen simply dropped on the ball to give his side a lead they never relinquished, Luke Spells adding the extras. 5 minutes later and Cornish won a penalty after another huge shunt caught the visiting pack offside, though the kick from way out just missed right. There was to be no respite however, for when the drop out went out on the full, and then Pompey conceded a penalty at the scrum, Cornish elected to kick for the corner. Will Carew-Gibbs has finished the season throwing great arrows, and he hit Tim Oakes to set a rolling maul, driven inexorably over the line for loosehead Mike Bond to claim a rare try, also converted by Spells. Utterly dominant for a period now with Simon Brading and McEwen frequently smashing holes in the visiting defence, the home side went close on 24 minutes following a fine howitzer kick from Brading, but the visitors won the ball on the floor to clear. Finally, on 26 minutes, Portsmouth showed as an attacking force, twice turning down kickable penalties to kick to the left hand corner, but in gradually heavier rain they couldn’t secure clean lineout ball, though a knock on kept them inside the exiles 22. 2 more penalties conceded by Cornish saw one of their forwards binned, and he looked on as first Ian Short and then Luke Spells smashed the visitors back outside the 22 and then Carew-Gibbs won a penalty on the floor for holding. Just after the half hour mark, a huge spiraling Nick Harlock kick from just outside his 22 flew to 5 out from the visiting 22. Dave Hill snaffled the Pompey throw in, and Cornish once more set the maul only to be held up over the line. This time player/coach Tom Sincock demanded the ball from the scrum, and when he hit Dave Soar, the in form fly half threw a cutout pass to Harlock arriving at pace to draw a man and send wing Robin Heymann into the tiny amount of space he needs, one soft shoe shuffle all that was required to sashay inside his opposite number and crash across the line for a try, this one once more converted by Spells to launch his side out to a 21-0 lead. 4 minutes later Cornish were back, Soar having launched another penetrating kick deep into Portsmouth territory with a freshening wind at his back. When the ball was knocked on at the lineout, the exiles produced a tremendous scrum with wing Phil Francis packed down to make up the numbers, to drive Portsmouth over the line for McEwen to claim a carbon copy effort of his first try (and his 4th try in the last 2 matches), though this one landed the bonus point but was not improved. With a couple of minutes remaining in the half, Portsmouth twice produced neat moves at the front of lineouts to snipe their way into the exiles 22, but when they attacked in midfield Spells won the ball on the floor for holding. With the last act of the half, a virtuoso run by the effervescent Carew-Gibbs from halfway nearly produced the try of the season as he pirouetted away from tackles but knocked on as he was challenged 5 out.

Though 26-0 up, Cornish would now have to play into the increasingly unfriendly elements. Portsmouth also upped their game, and had their first reward on 43 minutes when the referee spotted an errant hand in a ruck and the visiting kicker found his range. Now the rain began to drive down more heavily and mistakes from both sides increased. On 51 minutes, when Sincock elected to snipe blind after Skip Dave Theobald had produced a trademark barreling run, the exiles created an overlap but after Short and Spells linked up the final pass flew into touch wide right just 5 metres out. Cornish held territory for some minutes at this point as Pompey just couldn’t clear, Oakes and Carew-Gibbs combining to take play to the shadow of the posts but the ball knocked on at the resultant ruck. On came Jones for Osei-Tutu at 7 as the exiles sought to finish the game as a contest. 5 minutes later Cornish won a series of scrums and penalties wide left until, on 58 minutes a set play saw Soar and Spells hit the freshest player on the park Jones on a superb line crunching through tackles to smash over for a converted try (pictured). This brought on Oli Low for Theobald at tight-head. With the rain ever heavier, the more Portsmouth chased the game the more they made unforced errors, twice knocking on in midfield mid pitch. Short had been carrying a knock to shoulder and was also replaced, Tom Wapshott on in his place, Francis moving to centre. With 66 minutes on the clock, Brading, finishing the season in superlative form, broke two tackles just inside his own half before offloading to the elusive Harlock who burst clear to be felled well inside the Portsmouth 22. Bond took the ball on before Sincock popped the ball to the powerful Low to crunch his way over a would-be tackler and over the whitewash for the final exiles try of the season, this one not converted. A brief flashpoint between the two packs followed a few minutes later, and this seemed to ignite the lumpier visiting side, who finally awoke as an attacking force. They repeatedly smashed into and around the fringes to drive their way into the Cornish 22, and despite multiple phases being repelled, they finally gained their reward when one of their wings broke a tackle in midfield to clear away from the cover and splash his way over for a converted try. When the final whistle sounded shortly afterward, there could be no doubt as to which side had deserved the comprehensive win.

Winning the County Cup against the odds will have made Portsmouth’s season, and though they may have hoped for a higher finish in the league, they will begin next season buoyed by their Cup success. We look forward to seeing them next season.

Cornish have demonstrated what level they can achieve with some stability and decent availability. There has also been an additional component that has aided the late season improvement that has seen them to safety – in the last 3 weeks the exiles have been training twice a week following a request from the players. This level of commitment may well be extended permanently for next season, and with the success of the other teams at the club, there are finally plenty of smiles at LCRFC! Roll on 2013-14…