St Austell could have been forgiven for crossing the Tamar with a degree of trepidation when they started the long 300-mile trek to Tring RFC in Hertfordshire on Friday evening. Injuries and unavailability meant the Saints were without several key players and lacked a full bench of replacements. Four youngsters were drafted in to make their first team debuts, Hector Bright was to make his first start of 2024 and the evergreen Tate Richardson brought some much-needed experience. Far from being overawed, the mood of the travelling party of players, coaches and supporters was one of steely determination and a burning desire to make the most of the opportunity.

The Saints started the game at a high tempo and the home side were struggling to live with the level of intensity brought by the Cornishmen. Tring were being stretched edge to edge and veteran lock Antony Knight took full advantage to thunder through a glaring gap that appeared in the middle of the home defence (0-7). An infringement at the restart allowed Tring scrum-half Ben Hogan to slot over a long-range penalty to temporarily soothe home nerves (3-7). The Saints continued to dominate the breakdown with Hector Bright tormenting the Tring defence with pace, skill and muscle. CJ Boyce’s slick offload to Hector was a thing of beauty and the Saints openside powered through six Tring defenders to score a magnificent try (3-12). The home side started to use their large pack to stem the tide and two Hogan penalties kept them in touch with the half hour mark approaching. The Saints were still a threat and Cornwall U20s hooker Peter Harris almost went over from a neat lineout move. The ball was kept alive, and the ever-alert CJ Boyce sniped over to make the half-time score 3-17.

The Saints started the second half determined to retain control of the game forcing Tring to giveaway a succession of penalties. There was nothing they could do in the face of a well drilled catch and drive finished in style by number eight Kaydan Michael (3-22). Pete Harris was removed from the fray and wrapped up in cotton wool ahead of the Cornwall U20 game against Somerset on Sunday with promising 18-year-old Henry Blackshire coming on for his senior debut. Fellow Colt teammate Arthur Fletcher, who had shone on the wing, almost made it a dream debut as he sprinted around the Tring full back with the try line beckoning. Delight amongst the Saints’ travelling support was cut short as the referee stopped play to deal with an altercation in midfield. The penalty awarded seemed scant recompense for the try being chalked off.

The Saints brought on youngsters George Oakley and Tom Spry for their first taste of level five rugby and at the other end of the spectrum was Tate Richardson. Answering the call to provide some much-needed experience to a young squad, Tate made his last Saints appearance in 2013. Having made his Saints debut in 1999, Tate attained the remarkable achievement of appearing in each of the last four decades for the Saints.

Two late Tring tries skewed the scoreline but failed to take the gloss of what was an emphatic victory. The players celebrated with the travelling support who had made the long journey up-Country and backed the Saints to the hilt.

It was a very happy bus that made an exuberant journey home to Cornwall. Unfortunately the disappointing news that Lydney have now pulled out of the competition means there is no Saints game on Saturday 27th April 2024. Their semi-final fate now relies on Tring beating Old Northamptonians next weekend.

Saints Star Man: Hector Bright – While without doubt it was a team performance and a testimony to the power of the collective, camaraderie and at times sheer bloody-mindedness, one player stood out. In his first start of 2024, Hector gave an all action display that Tring simply found too hot to handle.

Saints
1 Matt Boothby; 2 Miles Davey; 3 Scott Pearce; 4 Antony Knight; 5 Joe Maunder; 6 Pete Harris 7 Hector Bright; 8 Kayden Michael; 9 CJ Boyce; 10 Archie Bees; 11 Dan Tyrrell; 12 Ben Plummer (Captain); 13 Jamie Stanlake; 14 Arthur Fletcher; 15 Chris Ashwin

Reps (All used):
George Oakley; Tom Spry; Tate Richardson; Henry Blackshire

St Austell:
Tries – Antony Knight (5); Hector Bright (12); CJ Boyce (32); Kaydan Michael (44)
Cons – Archie Bees (6)
Pens – Archie Bees (63)
Yellow card – Miles Davey (76)

Tring:
Tries – Charles Goss-Lambourne (78, 80)
Cons – Ben Hogan (79, 80+1)
Pens – Ben Hogan (7, 21, 26)
Yellow card – None

Referee: Harry Parsons (The Hertfordshire Society of RFU Referees)