Jersey
Pirates v Jersey - B&I Cup
By corporalcarrot
December 10 2013
Pirates Part 2Well I got from another cracking trip to Penzance with a new experience to add to the memory bank. OK we lost by 11 points but I enjoyed the whole weekend and came back with a bucket of good cheer.
It started on Saturday morning with an 8am drive to the airport – picking up a St Ouen’s lad who was due to captain the team later that day on the way –only to find there was a two hour delay on the flight due to some Muppet in the UK forgetting to switch everything to daylight saving time. Anyway we eventually took off but on a tiny Flybe plane what else could go wrong? Obviously you end up sitting next to a Prop who is cracking lad and was eventually my man of the match but a nervous flyer! I wasn’t expecting to be sitting next to Kate Moss but a scrum half or a three quarter would have been good. I got to Exeter and my luck changed. A well known JEP reporter had booked a hire car and amazingly was willing to give Carrot a lift to Penzance and back. Stupidly I didn’t ride my luck by buying a lottery ticket but ultimately a very agreeable ride to Cornwall followed and we beat the team to Penzance.
I checked into the Dock Inn which despite the fact that they sponsor 3 Pirates players is definitely the place to stay – right by the Weighbridge. A quick stroll round town in time to wave to the team as they arrived – a bit slower than the JEP reporter drives – and then I bumped into Copsey’s Mum & Dad and negotiated a pre-match beer in the Admiral Benbow at 5.30pm - DoomBar on tap and a cracking pub full to the gills with friendly Pirates. I was keen to source a pint of Skinners Ale so we meandered to via the Yacht (to pick up the Mum & Dad of a certain injured winger) acquired the Betty Stoggs in the Alex by the ground and got inside in time for the final warm up and an impeccably observed round of applause for Nelson Mandela – oh and more beer – Tribute – rather good but I personally prefer DoomBar.
OK onto the yo-yo game which the purists may whinge about but I thoroughly enjoyed. Jersey started off frenetically and blitzed the pirate’s line for 10 minutes but failed to score. Pirates then showed the way by scoring a couple of tries to lead 14 nil and then Jersey dominated the rest of the half scoring a penalty try after a monster scrum and a couple of penalties and turned around only behind by a single point. I watched the first half from the Newlyn end – I think I was the only Jersey supporter down there and there was quality banter from the locals who certainly know that there is definitely an Aaarrgghh in Pirates.
At half time I bumped into the Jersey Club President and was sufficiently enthused by the first half performance to share a scotch with him and then moved up to the Penzance end for the second half thriller. I am sure you know the rest – Jersey took the lead with a couple of minutes left and then leaked a couple of tries in no time – so we lost. Clearly not the objective but the spirit the lads showed made me very proud to be a member of the club. Congratulations to Pirates we virtually stole the game from you at St Peters a few weeks ago and I personally do not begrudge you the bragging rights from our latest encounter.
For Jersey all the forwards were amazing – my team man of the match went to a certain loose head prop that despite being a nervous flyer and not usually getting enough game time had an incredible match – as indeed did Felts & Salad. The back row was a great contest and a very good Pirates outfit – particularly Philips & Conlon were well matched by our lads. Line outs were very good and scrums were special – TWO PENALTY TRIES – lots of bottle shown by the ref to give them without hesitation against the home team. Joel Dudley - take a bow mate – you weren’t signed up for that sort of stuff but your Mum & Dad know you played out of your skin and so do I. Drew Locke was lucky to be on the field after that ridiculous foul tackle in the first half but would be my first name on the team sheet every week.
The best player on the field was Matt Evans who is total class and was the difference at the end of the day. The outstanding rugby gentleman on the field was Gavin Cattle – who I am very proud to have met.
The Jersey lads were gutted to lose but seemed to know they had turned a corner this season and played an impromptu game of touch rugby after the match. Pirate’s fans were magnificent hosts so more beer followed in the marquee and then back to the Dock Inn.............
Postscript
Feeling a bit fragile I woofed a huge breakfast on Sunday at the Dock Inn and then went for a walk past the team hotel and saw an amazing site in the sea – Mermaids or Waterboys I’m not sure but hopefully the forum administrator can put the evidence up for all to see. I bumped into Ian Davies – another quality bloke and wished him well – except for next Saturday – and then worked my way back to St Ouen’s.
I wish Ben Harvey well for the future – he got Jersey to where they are - but most of all I wish Steve and the boys a great second half to the season and look forward to Pirates part 3 next week and Moseley before Christmas.
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Is there any Jersey Rugby merchandise you don't have?
Great post… Even more Pi(Aaarrgghh)ates to come on Saturday.
