Action from the last Tamar Cup clash in 2019
THREE Plymouth Combination clubs will be represented in tonight’s Tamar Cup match between Cornwall and Devon at St Austell’s Tregorrick Park (7.30pm).
The fixture is returning to the calendar for the first time since 2019 due to covid and a break last year.
As it is a development match to build up for the County Championship, both counties have agreed to only select players turning out at level five and below.
Devonport Services prop Rikki Benthan is named on the bench for reigning county champions Cornwall, who are again coached by former Plymouth Albion boss Graham Dawe.
Cornwall’s squad is built around players from St Austell and Camborne, who have both won their respective leagues. The Black and Golds will be captained by former Albion player Matt Shepherd on his home pitch.
Devon, who have dropped down to Division Two of the County Championship this year, are now coached by Tavistock’s Joel Caddy.
Tavistock do have three players in Devon’s squad tonight – Joe Burbage, Charlie Charlton and Jamie Legg. OPMs captain Billy Garratt is also in the squad.
Cornwall: 15 Matt Shepherd (St Austell, capt), 14 Jack Kessell (Camborne), 13 Sam Parsons (St Austell), 12 Josh Semmens (Pirate Ams), 11 Charlie Levick (Penryn), 10 Aaron Simmonds (Camborne), 9 CJ Boyce (St Austell), 1 Dan Job (St Austell), 2 Miles Davey (both St Austell), 3 Declan Prowse (Camborne), 4 Mark Vian (St Austell), 5 Rupert Edwards (Wadebridge), 6 Andy Inch (St Austell), 7 Jordan Nicholls (Camborne), 8 Tom Duncan (Truro). Replacements: 16 Rikki Bentham (Devonport), 17 Tommy Lee Southworth (Camborne), 18 Jack Heazelton (Camborne), 19 Cam Taylor (St Austell), 20 Liam Jolly (Camborne), 21 Rhys Brownfield (Pirate Ams), 22 Jordan Sidwell (Camborne), 23 Dan Tyrell (St Austell).
Devon (from): Dan Armstrong (Sidmouth), Toby Baldry (Kingsbridge), Ethan Barnaschone (Topsham), Joe Blyth (Withycombe), Jonny Brown (Torquay), Joe Burbage (Tavistock), Charlie Charlton (Tavistock), Haydon Down (Sidmouth), Billy Garratt (OPM), Patrick Gibbs (Topsham), Jordan Hellier (Teignmouth), Saul Holliday (Okehampton), Jamie Legg (Tavistock), Faolan Lidstone (Teignmouth), Tom McGratton (Okahampton), Bradley McKee (Brixham), Karl Pearce (Okehampton), Jake Prophett-O’Neil (Withycombe), Ben Sharples (Torquay), Jake Smith (Honiton), Oliver Squire (South Molton), Carl Turner (Torquay), Tom White (Okehampton), Jon Woodhead (Torquay).
It is a busy night for representative rugby in the region as the Royal Navy have three teams in action in Plymouth this evening.
The Royal Navy’s first team will play their French counterparts – Marine Nationale – at Brickfields (7pm).
The navy starting line-up includes former Albion players Sam Matavesi, Jarrard Hayler and Jordan Gott as well as current player Craig Duncan and former Ivybridge scrum-half Jay Toogood.
The Royal Navy women are also in action against the French navy at Brickfields. Their game kicks off at 4pm, while a Royal Navy Academy team will play a Plymouth Albion XV at the Rectory at 6pm.