The Saints dominated the opening 50 minutes of the game but a mixture of profligate finishing and resolute defence, that was not shy of using any means possible to stop attacks, kept the score down to 16-9 and the CABs in the game. On the hour mark a catch and drive try brought the scores level when really the Saints should have been out of sight. The CABs smelt blood and scored two excellent tries in quick succession to take the game away from the Saints and the Cup back to the Cornish border lands. The Saints will rue their missed chances and the failure to punish the CABs when they had two players in the sinbin at the end of the first period. Launceston dug deep under pressure and when they got on top in the second period proved to be ruthless in attack scoring four well worked tries to run out deserved winners.

Playing down the slope at Redruth RFC’s Recreation Ground, the Saints nearly got off to the perfect start. A turnover on the stand side presented quick ball to Chris Ashwin, the ever-astute fly-half spotted the CABs defence out of position and a crossfield kick to Max Bullen found the winger in space. A chip over the last defender led to a foot race only for the ball to agonisingly go dead before being touched down. The CABs responded with a penalty for offside to set-up a lineout inside the Saints’ 22, the driving maul was repulsed but defenders were guilty of going off their feet at the next ruck. This presented former Saint Dan Pearce with a routine kick to put the first points on the board (0-3). The Saints took the game to the CABs with a series of high tempo attacks, three penalties in quick succession were kicked to touch. Twice CABs collapsed the maul but the third was driven over with the Saints convinced that flanker Rory Jago had grounded the ball. Unfortunately the Devonian team of three could not get a clear view through the pile of bodies and Referee Ollie Parsons deemed the ball was held up. Saints continued to pound away at the Launceston line but found the defence was well drilled and resolute. The pressure mounted and on 17 minutes the Saints finally got their reward when Gorran Lighthouse Mark Vian supplied quick ball off the lineout with the CABs expecting another driving maul. The ball sped through the half backs to Ben Plummer who timed his incursion into the line to perfection to break through the first up tacklers. A well timed offload to his supporting centre partner allowed Matt Shepherd to cruise over behind the posts (7-3). Two penalties for going off feet at rucks brought Dan Pearce in range of the posts and he dully added the three points (7-6). Remarkably this was to be the CABs’ last incursion into Saints territory during the first period. Matt Shepherd added a penalty on 28 minutes for a collapsing the maul, but Saints were struggling to convert their pressure into points. Three times they were held up on the line and winger Fraser Nottle’s surging run was stopped just short of the try line by a brilliant last-ditch tackle from CABs’ scrum-half Adam Collings. The referee’s patience finally ran out with prop Andy Knight shown yellow after yet another collapsed maul. Launceston’s defence was becoming more desperate, and it was not long before lock Jake Crabb was also sent for a spell on the side lines after a late collision with Chris Ashwin. The Saints thought they had scored when scrum-half CJ Boyce went on a sniping run and popping a pass to Ben Plummer only for a thunderous tackle to dislodge the ball from the centre as he crossed the line just before half time. The whistle came at the right time for Launceston who had defended valiantly in the face of all almost total dominance from the Saints to restrict the score to just 10-6. This looked a paltry return given all the pressure and there was no doubt the CABs would come back in the second period.

The second half got off to a cagey start with first Dan Pearce closing the gap with a long-range penalty (10-9). The Saints were still holding the balance of play forcing CABs to continue to cough up penalties in defence. However in a more measured approach compared to the first period, the Saints elected to kick the points instead of kicking to touch for the lineout, enabling Matt Shepherd to push the score to 16-9 by the 52nd minute. In what proved to be a pivotal moment on the hour mark, Launceston gained an attacking lineout following a miscued exit kick from the Saints. The catch and drive was well executed and it was hooker Levent Bulut who touched down after a chariot ride to the line. Dan Pearce’s conversion brought the score to 16 apiece and the tails of the CABs were up. Saints’ number eight Kyle Marriott was perhaps a little unfortunate to receive a yellow card after having the ball passed at him as he returned to an onside position. Whatever your view on the gamesmanship, CABs did what the Saints failed to do by exploiting the supremacy in numbers to the full by scoring two tries in two minutes. Sustained pressure saw replacement George Bone touchdown after good work by the CABs’ pack (16-21). An excellent break from another former Saint James Tucker saw him spin a long pass out to Dan Pearce who for the first time in the game had space in front of him. In a sight all too familiar to the Tregorrick faithful, the jet heeled winger cut through from 40m to score the crucial try. The conversion left the Saints with a mountain to climb with just 10 minutes remaining (16-28). With the Saints forced to throw caution to the wind they were caught by a counterattack instigated by James Tucker and finished by Jack Stratton (16-35). The Saints dug deep to battle to the end and great work by flanker Adam Kellow set up CJ Boyce to step inside for a consolation score (23-35).

The margin of defeat was tough on the Saints, they gave one league higher Launceston a real battle to dominate the first 50 minutes of the contest. CABs used all their experience to keep the Saints out and once they got on top they clinically finished their opportunities in the final quarter to run out deserved winners.

The Saints are now hoping they can face Launceston in the league next season when they take on Devonport Services at home in the final league game of 2021-22. The game is now a Cup Final with the winner securing a top three finish and promotion to Level Five for 2022-23. Make sure you are at Tregorrick for the 3pm Kick Off next Saturday (23 April) for what is sure to be a tense contest.

Saints Star Man: Max Bullen – The Saints back three of Cavan Boyer, Fraser Nottle and Max Bullen were outstanding and gave CABs a torrid time in the first half. Launceston managed to cut their supply in the second period, but Max still provided a threat in attack.

1 Brandon Haque; 2 Miles Davey; 3 Charlie Nicholson; 4 Mark Vian; 5 Antony Knight; 6 Adam Kellow; 7 Rory Jago; 8 Kyle Marriott; 9 CJ Boyce; 10 Chris Ashwin (Capt.); 11 Max Bullen; 12 Ben Plummer 13 Matt Shepherd; 14 Fraser Nottle; 15 Cavan Boyer
Reps (All used):
Hugh Noott; Matt Boothby; Zach Morley; Dan Tyrrell; Peter Harris; George Hutchinson

St Austell:
Tries – Matt Shepherd (17); CJ Boyce (79)
Cons – Matt Shepherd (17; 79)
Pens – Matt Shepherd (28; 47; 52)
Drop Goal –

Launceston:
Tries – Levant Bulut (60); George Bone (67); Dan Pearce (69); Jack Stratton (77)
Cons – Dan Pearce (60; 69; 77)
Pens – Dan Pearce (4; 23; 45)
Drop Goal –

Yellow Cards:
St Austell: Kyle Marriott (66)
Launceston: Andy Knight (33); Jake Crabb (37)

Red Cards:
St Austell: None
Launceston: None

Referee: Ollie Parsons (Devon RRS)
Assistant Referee 1: Dan Gorfin (Devon RRS)
Assistant Referee 2: Mark Hooper (Devon RRS)