By Harley Quin
March 20 2006

I made the mistake of asking two of our esteemed boarders which team they thought I should support at the Truro v St Ives game on the Saturday before the Pirates game. The two, Harley Quin and Corny Quin, had differing views and this is the point of view of Harley Quin, a Patron of St Ives RFC. Prof

The Case for St Ives

There is one overwhelming reason why the travelling Quins faithful should cheer for St Ives against Truro. In the parochial world of Cornish rugby Penzance/Newlyn have always been the bitterest rivals of the St Ives club. The fact that the Pirates have slunk up the A30 in search of more supporters has done nothing to dampen the sentiments in the St Ives clubhouse. The biggest cheer there this season was the announcement of the Pirates shipwreck at the Stoop by 50-6! No St Ives man will want a Pirate victory on the Sunday; they will all cheer for the Quins. It therefore seems only right that we should do the same for them on the Saturday. 

Also, as the league table indicates, the Chiefs (St Ives First XV a.k.a the Blues) are battling to regain their place in South-West 1, which was lost in 1998. Truro, meanwhile, languish just outside the relegation places, having been beaten 59-3 by the rampant Blues on February 4^th. It’s a must win game in the push for promotion.

There are those, especially CornyQuin, who would tell you that we should be “nice” to our hosts in Truro. Nonsense. What has Truro ever done for us?! Truro is a Pirate heartland and they will be hoping to see us ‘keelhauled’ on the Sunday.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the war cry “Come on you Blues!” 

St Ives Historical Highlights

Founded in 1887, St Ives were one of the leading Cornish clubs throughout the amateur years. However, the professional era has been less kind. As a club with limited financial resources the team has suffered several tough seasons, relegation (twice) and almost went out of business - as the harsh realities of dabbling with “professionalism” were felt by the Club.

Thankfully, St Ives survived and with prodigal son Ian Saunders (Bath) returning as player/coach the team’s fortunes are back on the up and up. The team won promotion back to South-West 2 West and last year they only just failed to beat Launceston (National 2) in the Cornish Cup.  

The highlight of the “paid” era undoubtedly came on 14 March 1998, when the Chiefs hosted the Penzance/ Newlyn (now Cornish) Pirates in South-West 1. The professional Pirates, fuelled by Dicky Evans deep pockets, were smashed 41-17 - by the basically amateur Blues. It will never be forgotten.

As amateurs they became the first Cornish side to make the quarter finals of the John Player Cup in 1982/83, before losing to Nottingham 30-3 at Ireland Avenue. They have won the Cornish Knockout Cup 6 times, shared the trophy once and made the final 13 times, winning for the first time in 1969.  

Since the War, famous scalps include Cardiff twice 53/4 & 57/8; Bedford 53/4; Bristol 70/1 (sorry Bristol!) and Neath 72/3.

T.G “Chicky” Wedge became the Club’s first full international when he turned out at scrum half for England against France in 1907. He was called to arms again, against Wales, in 1909.

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Further information about St Ives RFC can be found at stives-rfc.co.uk