Cornish Pirates 20 Doncaster Knights 32: Knights secure Championship Cup quarter-final spot

During an outstanding performance at The Mennaye Field in Penzance, two tries by flanker Sam Hudson, and one each by hooker Will Holling and backs Maliq Holden and Mark Best, ensured that after two legs of the Cup tie Doncaster went through with an aggregate score of 56-46.

Their win by five tries to three in a highly competitive and entertaining contest was also boosted by two conversions from fly half Billy McBryde and a late penalty from his replacement Sam Olver.

A delighted coach Steve Boden, whose side finished second in the league, described the result in Penzance where Pirates were beaten for the first time this season as: “A huge team effort, the best all year.

“In many ways, it was the complete team performance. Although we missed three opportunities in the first half, in the second the bench had a big impact.

“Our attacking and scrums were good, we were unlucky to be down 15-12 at half-time and some of the boys stood out and told me why they should have been starting in previous games.”

At one point, Pirates led by 10-0, but Doncaster’s forwards fought back strongly, and after Hudson’s tries on 28 and 37 minutes, the Knights increased their pressure to dominate the second half when Holling, Holden and replacement centre Best smashed the Pirates’ defence to go ahead by 29-12.

While a yellow card against second row Ben Murphy meant that Doncaster finished with only 14 players, this handicap was overcome, and an excellent display was completed when Olver’s 79th-minute penalty was kicked accurately.

Cornish Pirates: AJ Cant, Wedlake, Wyatt, Tucker, Sirker, Bazalgette, Dawson, Walker, Channon, Petch, Teague, Cutmore, Bolwell, Gibson, Duncan.

Doncaster Knights: Davey, Evans, Edwards(Best 64), Strachan, Holden, McBryde(Olver 52), Green(Wheeldon 77), Wrafter, Holling(Edgson 66), Denman(Paul 45), Kelly, Peters(Murphy 50), Hudson, Smith, Volpi

Referee: Dan Jones.