Sat 5 Apr 2025
The Blacks suffered another heavy defeat, losing to Brixham.
By Lucy Beacham.
The first game of the season saw the Blacks beat Brixham 38-31 and they were hoping to take home another win but as it was the last league game with many regular starters missing, it was always going to be a hard game for the CABs. Allied to the fact that the CABs are on a dreadful run of form and confidence is clearly at a low point. Whenever, teams face these situations it is all about staying in the fight, or the game, for as long as possible to enable that confidence ot come back bit by bit. Unfortunately, within 8 minutes Brixham had built up a 12-0 buffer.
A collapsed scrum 3 minutes in meant Brixham kicked to touch to gain territory and they won the line out, allowing their hooker, Koree Britton, to power over the line and score but the conversion was missed. (5-0) Brixham went on to score another try after winning a line out and finding a gap in the Black’s defence and their number 14, Matt Crosscombe, scored and their fly half, Mitch Pinkus kicked the conversion. (12-0) The CABs played close to Brixham’s try line but after a few phases, the ball was knocked on and possession was given away.
Only 15 minutes in, Jamie Chapman, Launceston’s number 14, had to go off with a broken arm and Kuda Chisango was brought on and made a significant impact. The Blacks were loitering with intent in Brixham’s 22 and Charlie Short scored a try after many phases and powered over the line and Hillson converted it. (12-7) Cam Fogden, the CABs number 12, was injured and brought off and Ben Greene, who was playing his debut game, was subbed on. 27 minutes in, Brixham used a scrum they won to gain territory before their number 8, Tommie Brennan, scored a try and it was converted. (19-7)
Kuda Chisango was then sin-binned for tackling a player in the air and Brixham took advantage of the disparity in numbers and after a line out they won, their number 15, Joel Ashworth, scored a try and it was converted. (26-7) 38 minutes in, Matt Crosscombe scored after slipping through a gap in the Blacks defence and it was also converted, (33-7) Brixham then ran past the Blacks and Andre Simonetti, their number 12, scored a try under the posts, making it easy to convert. (40-7)
Their number 6, Jason Capaldi was sin binned for constantly ripping the ball out of players arms when they were on the floor. Brixhams number 14 found a gap and was heading for our try line but Chisango chased him down and tackled him just short of the line but he offloaded to number 13, Louie Drennan, who scored despite Chisango’s best efforts to catch him.
After half time, Kai Alton, Brixham’s tight head prop, scored a try after winning a line out that turned into a maul and after a few phases, he dotted the ball down. 48 mins in, Kuda Chisango made an amazing run around his opposite number, and scored a try under the posts which Hillson converted. (54-14) Brixham again used their dominant scrum to win the ball and pushed themselves over the line with number 8, Tommie Drennan scoring. (66-14) 64 minutes into the second half, Tom Walton was brought on and Tyler Westlake was subbed off for the Blacks.
After interrupting the flow of the game too many times, the referee warned another infringement would be a yellow card and their number 12 was yellow carded. Brixham then won another line out and passed it wide and the CABs couldn’t keep up as the Brixham player powered down to the try line, allowing them to score. (73-14) 3 minutes later, Brixham’s number 8 scored his hat trick and dotted the ball down again and Mitch Pinkus converted it. (80-14)
The Blacks changed some of the positions of the players in the scrum which instantly stopped Brixhams dominance in that area but Scott Puleston, their number 16, scored the last try of the game which was also converted, making the full time score 87-14.
So, the league season has been completed with a symmetrical playing record of 11 wins and 11 defeats; 8 of which have occurred in the last 8 games!! So, a season of two halves ended with the CABs in 5th position (as they were last season) and some wonderful rugby seen by many in the first half of the season before the serious injuries and unavailabilities started to kick in. The CABs have one last game; Cornwall Cup Final on Sunday 20th April v Wadebridge Camels. The game is being hosted at Bodmin RFC and it would be great to get as many of the CABs supporters there to cheer the players on.
Launceson: James Tucker, Jamie Chapman, Callum Smith, Can Fogden, Billy Martin, Jose Juarez, George Hillson, Mitch Hawken, Levent Bulut, Charlie Short, Dan Goldsmith, Oli Martin, Dom Ellery, Tyler Westlake, Brandon Rowley (capt). Replacements: Ben Greene, Kuda Chisango.
Tries: Short, Chisango
Convs: Hillson
Launceston Man of the Match: Brandon Rowley
