SALTASH produced an impressive display to run in six unanswered tries and beat Devonport Services II 39-0 on Wednesday night at Brickfields to win the Lockie Cup for the first time in 13 years.
The Ashes, unbeaten all season, added the top Plymouth Combination trophy to their Counties Two Cornwall league title shield that they had already won, and they also still have a Papa Johns Cup quarter-final and the Cornwall Clubs’ Cup final to look forward to.
The Moorlands Lane side are enjoying a campaign to remember after last season was one of near misses.
That cup defeat at Brickfields last year appeared to fire them on to one of their best performances of the season on Wednesday night against a pretty strong Devonport second team, that included the likes of Sam Bennett, Mark Friend, Kieran Down, Luke Stannard, Cam Donkin and Dylan Harbour.
Straight from kick-off they looked up for the match and they showed they really have got an all-round game. Their forwards out-muscled Services’ up front, while their backs were so sharp whenever a gap or a chance appeared.
But it was their defence and team-work that really stood out. They hardly allowed Services any opportunities at all and the few times they did break the gain-line, Saltash made sure they somehow got back to cover.
The manner of their performance delighted their director of rugby Steve Down, especially coming just days after a tough last 16 tie against Midsomer Norton in the Papa Johns Cup.
“It was impressive – just our speed, intensity and clarity,” said Down. “Our ruck speed at times was just so fast.
“I was really pleased for the boys. To put in a big shift on Saturday but then recover and play like that. They looked tired in the changing room, but came out and put that performance in. We’re just over the moon.
“Credit to Devonport Services, they made us play and made us switch on. I haven’t seen that level of intensity from us for a while.
“I think everyone said that is one of our strongest performances of the year so far.”
He added: “A lot of lads who maybe were making mistakes last year or two years ago are so much better this year. It is really pleasing to see that when put under pressure, they are now handling that pressure and coming through it.”
Saltash took the lead after just eight minutes when centre Greg Eatwell ran in under the posts for an easy conversion for Jack Pritchard.
Pritchard then kicked a penalty on 25 minutes to make it 10-0.
The Ashes finished the first half strongly and scored three tries to take a 27-0 lead.
Full-back Ryan Cruickshanks, whose kicking out of hand was excellent, scored their third in the right corner in the 30th minute after a great move following a line-out on the left. Will Morton made the crucial break before off-loading to Cruickshanks.
Flanker Lewis Wells then scored in the same corner after he broke off a maul following a line-out to touch-down.
And in first half injury-time, winger James Moriarty went over in the left corner after Saltash pushed Services II off a scrum and fed the ball out wide quickly.
The Ashes did not ease off after half-time and extended their lead to 32-0 after less than three minutes of the second period when Moriarty finished off another impressive move.
Cruickshanks thought he had scored a second in the 59th minute but it was ruled out, however, Saltash did get a sixth try when replacement front-rower Ryan Simmons scored from a line-out move in the 63rd minute.
But whereas Saltash’s first team had a night to remember, their second team were beaten 75-10 by a strong Plymouth & Exeter Medics side in the final of the Ellis Trophy.
The Medics have proved far too strong for the level nine and below Plymouth Combination competition and should have really been in the Lockie Cup. As well as their big score in Wednesday’s final, they also put 71 points on Tamar Saracens II and ran in 60 against Plympton Victoria, despite starting that game without a full 15.
Loose-head prop Ewels, who has been attracting interest from a number of clubs, was the star of the show, scoring four tries – three in the first half.
Saltash II struggled with the set-piece and just could not get their hands on the ball for much of the game, although they did keep going and scored a couple of consolation tries in the final 10 minutes.
Ewels, who was in Bath’s academy as a youngster, opened the scoring after just five minutes.
Full-back Burke then scored two impressive tries down the right to make it 17-0 after just 12 minutes.
Ewels added his second from a line-out move before flanker Isaac Jago bagged two quick-fire tries for the Medics.
Ewels completed his hat-trick in style in the 34th minute when he ran in from the halfway line before winger Joe Toft finished the scoring in the first half with a try down the right to make it 48-0.
Saltash II were reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes at the start of the second half and the Medics took advantage with scrum-half Miles Calvert scoring from long-range.
Number eight Vemund Helgheim and winger Aadil Rahim touched down to make it 65-0.
Sam Snell was yellow carded for Saltash II in the 65th minute and flanker Harry McCartney added the Medics 12th try.
But Saltash did finally get their hands on the ball late on and scrum-half Brett Jennison and Snell both scored to make it 70-10.
However, the last word went to the impressive Ewels, who held off about four Saltash players to burst through and score his fourth on the left.
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