Paver hails Pirates’ versatile prop star Gendall
TYLER Gendall has made up for the lost year in his fledgling career so impressively that Cornish Pirates joint coach Alan Paver admits: “We’ll do well to hold on to him. He’s a cracker.”
Two years ago the young prop made an instant impression adapting to Championship rugby as he almost effortlessly negotiated a class gap of five league levels after being signed from Western Counties West side St Ives.
The Cornish club had been tracking the teenage prop, who was coached at St Ives by Pirates hooker Rob Elloway, for some time and Paver acknowledges they were faced with a dilemma of whether to take him in or leave him to get more game time with The Hakes.
Paver reflects: “As it turned out we brought him in at exactly the right time and he shocked everybody with his application.”
Initially recruited as a member of the Pirates player development foundation, Gendall was quickly handed a full contract and established himself in the first team squad.
But, after 11 games, he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in a match against Bedford and spent a year on the sidelines.
Gendall, now 22, used the time well and all the hard work he put into getting back on the pitch has paid dividends with his development into an influential front row operator.
“He got that injury, no problem, because it’s very doubtful you will go through your career without sustaining some big injury,” said Paver, himself still part of the club’s front row playing strength at 38.
“You just get over it and carry on and he has and he’s come back and he’s been stronger than ever. He’s fitter than he’s ever been, he’s matured as a man and he’s showing leadership qualities.”
So much so that Gendall has figured every week so far this season, as a starter or off the bench, as Pirates established themselves in the Championship top four and made a winning start to their British and Irish Cup campaign.
Along the way the youngter has switched from loosehead to tighthead “and has done magnificently,” says Paver.