Roseland start with a Bang

Camborne School of Mines 18 – Roseland 30

The first Saturday in January saw the return of league rugby for Roseland.
Having made the top 8 of the Cornwall League pre-Christmas Roseland are now in the Cornwall One League and have 14 weeks of back to back league action.
They opened their league campaign with a visit to Penryn RFC to play Camborne School of Mines.


Pre-Christmas Roseland lost the fixture here in a tight affair and a similarly close battle was expected this time around. However during the recent high winds one of the goal posts on Penryns first pitch had fallen over so this fixture was scheduled to be played on Penryns 3rd pitch, a pitch I doubt many have experienced before.

CSM kicked the game off playing down the slope and with the wind. The weather had dried up nicely for the game although the pitch was rather boggy in sections and a stiff breeze was blowing.
The early exchanges were evident of two teams who were a bit rusty after the Christmas break and although Roseland probably had the upper hand it was CSM who scored first with a well taken converted try. Roseland also lost Ed Whiteman to the sin bin for a high tackle not long after this score. Whilst down to 14 men CSM scored another try, this time unconverted. Roseland got themselves on the board with a couple of well taken penalties by fly half Matt Eddy. With the score 12-6 CSM stretched their lead with a penalty of their own, 15-6 they led. Roseland needed to score next to keep in contention and they did. After working their way up the field with strong running by forwards and backs alike they stretched CSM to breaking point and Eddy found himself a gap to dart over for a try near the posts. He converted his own score to make the half time score 15-13.

The second half was as see-saw as the first with both sides playing good rugby given the conditions of the pitch and the game was played in fantastic spirit too.
Roseland struck the first blow in the second half when awarded a penalty in front of the posts which Eddy slotted to sneak Roseland in front 15-16. CSM though came roaring back and worked their way into the Roseland 22 and only valiant defence kept them at bay, they did score a penalty though to regain the lead 18-16 this however was a rare visit for CSM to the Roseland 22 in the second half. At the restart wing Andy Harris regathered fantastically and made yards only to throw an awful pass with the hard work done, but building on the momentum created Roseland pounced.
The forwards started to gain the upper hand at scrum time and the ball carriers started making big dents in a tiring CSM defence. After several scrums on the CSM 5m line No8 Nathan Chapman eventually scored after a moment of hesitation by the CSM scrum half. Eddy converted and Roseland led 23-18. The final 10-15 minutes were an excellent spectacle, as a neutral, as both teams went hammer and tong at each other. Roseland needed to score to seal the game and CSM needed a score to snatch the game. The final score did come Roselands way but not until after a scare. CSM were attacking and retaining possession well when a turn over on half way allowed Roseland scrum half Tom Day to ping a kick into the corner deep in the CSM 22. CSM lost the resultant line out and after several phases of tight rugby second row Joe Davidson eventually powered his way over the line carrying a couple of defenders with him to touch down by the posts. Eddy converted and the final whistle blew. The final score of 18-30 was probably fair but also cruel on CSM who deserved a point from the game.
The result of this match could of gone either way and wasn’t sealed until the final play of the game.

Roseland entertain season long league toppers Liskard-Looe on Saturday at Philleigh.
2:30 kick off. Roseland will be hoping to burst the Liskard bubble.