Bazalgette on target as Pirates Rattle past the 50

YOUNG fly-half Harry Bazalgette kicked 17 points on his first Championship start as the Pirates, playing their first match for six weeks, ran in seven tries.

Called up with Arwel Robson returning from Covid protocols, Bazalgette, right, fitted in seamlessly and missed just one penalty from nine shots at goal.

“He’s had to wait patiently, approached the game in the right manner and put in the performance on the pitch,” said joint head coach Alan Paver.

After three Covid postponements and two scheduled blank weekends, Pirates led 14-0 after ten minutes and Paver said: “We went out there with a lot of energy.

“Nottingham were gutsy but we’d talked about the accumulative pressure of our mauls, the scrums and pick-and-gos and after our forwards took control we unleashed the pace and power in the backs.”

Two-try flanker Antonio Kiri Kiri drove over in the third minute following a lineout catch and drive and, following a 20-metre rolling maul and a multiphased assault, Jack Andrew scored the second.

Bazalgette’s conversions made it 14-0 but Nottingham retaliated with two tries in four minutes to cut the home lead to two points.

Callum Allen’s slick pass off the top of the lineout sent Nathan Tweedy in before fullback Jack Stapley sliced through the Pirates defence to put left-wing Harry Graham over.

Nottingham put themselves under pressure when David Williams’ kick was charged down by Tom Channon before Danny Cutmore drove over for the Cornish side’s third try.

Pirates had Josh Caulfield yellow-carded for taking out Carl Kirwan in the air but kept Nottingham pointless before the flanker returned two minutes into the second half. Pirates, shunning their effective catch and drive, struck from the next lineout to send winger Robin Wed

lake racing in on a great line for a quality try.

Nottingham responded within two minutes through Stapley but then had Scott Hall sin-binned for an off-the-ball-tackle and Pirates added 24 more points in an 18-minute spell.

Bazalgette landed a penalty, Cant’s incisive break led to Kiri Kiri’s second try and the fullback cut through to touch down before replacement centre Callum Patterson, returning after 11 months following ACL surgery, caught the visitors napping with a tap penalty to create the Pirates seventh try for Tom Duncan.

Nottingham rugby director Simon Beatham said: “We scored three good tries in the first half and were really in the game causing them problems.

“Then it got away a little bit but this squad is getting better week on week.”