VIDEO: Raiders lose opening friendly to Cornish Pirates

WORTHING Raiders Rugby Club lost their opening pre-season friendly 31-5 at home to Championship side Cornish Pirates on Saturday (August 17).
Kieron DawsonKieron Dawson
Kieron Dawson

The visitors went ahead with a converted try, following a rolling maul, on five minutes before Raiders, who are preparing for their first-ever season in National 1, responded just four minutes later when Alex Nielsen intercepted a pass and ran from just inside the Pirates half to touch down in the corner.

Tim Riley skipped past a couple of challenges to go over for Pirates’ second try on 12 minutes and Craig Holland’s second conversion of the match made the score 14-5.

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Tom Kessell got Pirates’ third try on 24 minutes and James Tincknell went over in the corner just before half-time to make the score 24-5 at the break.

Kieron DawsonKieron Dawson
Kieron Dawson

The only score of the second half came on 55 minutes when Junior Fatialofa, who had just come on, touched down and Kieron Hallett converted.

Raiders head coach Kieron Dawson said: “It’s all about physical conditioning and getting used to the bumps and bruises at the moment - trying to get the contact into yourself, so it was a good run-out.

“We’re not worried about the results at all, it was all about just getting game time.”

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To watch brief highlights of the match, including Fatialofa’s try, click on the video above.

For more from Dawson, plus reaction from former Worthing coach Ian Davies, now the Cornish Pirates head coach, see the August 22 edition of the Worthing Herald.

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