Hartpury get the job done but still lots to work on

HARTPURY took full points against a tenacious but workmanlike Richmond, scoring six tries in the process.

For all that, it was not a performance that pleased head coach, Mark Cornwell. “We’ve done the job and got the five points, but again our discipline was poor and the error count was unacceptably high,” he said.

“We allowed Richmond to play far too much rugby. Our defence was good, apart from against the drive, but we shouldn’t be having to make that many tackles.”

Despite Hartpury appearing to hold most of the attacking aces – with strike runners like Toby Venner, Ben Foley and Robbie Smith all showing up well – the visitors were very much in touch until the final ten minutes, when two yellow cards stopped them in their tracks.

Hartpury were ahead inside ten minutes when Venner showed his exceptional pace from a tap and go deep in his own half to sprint in under the posts.

Hartpury had to wait until almost the halfhour mark to score again, with man-of-thematch, winger Sam Smith finishing in the corner. In between, Lewis Dennett had slotted a penalty for Richmond.

Shortly after the Smith try, Hartpury were penalised by referee Neil Chivers for some ill-judged back chat and from the resulting lineout, hooker James Hadfield was driven over. Ben Foley restored Hartpury’s advantage before the interval when his side-step was enough to breach the defence for a 40m finish off first phase.

Richmond finished two more successful lineout drives in the second half – Huw Worthington and Mark Bright the scorers – as Hartpury continued to leak penalties.

For the hosts, Robbie Smith, brother of Sam, made it a good afternoon for the family with a brace of well-taken tries and Richmond also gave up seven points when the Hartpury drive was collapsed on the try-line.

That brought the second card in two minutes, for replacement hooker Michael Perks, after Mark Bright had seen yellow for an offence at the breakdown, close to his own line.

Richmond DoR, Steve Hill, said: “We didn’t take advantage of the conditions in the first half, but I was proud of the way the boys stayed in the game, playing into a strong breeze. But the cards really hurt us.”