Cornish Pirates forwards praised after eight-try win over Hartpury

Tom Duncan took his tally for the season to six tries

Cornish Pirates joint-head coach Gavin Cattle has praised his side's forwards after they scored eight tries to beat Hartpury 52-26 in the Championship.

Hooker Dan Frost - who came on as a replacement for the injured Tom Cowan-Dickie in the third minute - and captain Tom Duncan each scored hat-tricks for the Penzance-based club.

Pirates also scored through a penalty try and Alex O'Meara.

"That tells the story of the game, the physicality up front," Cattle said.

"'Duncs' on the end of a couple of pick and goes, which he's a bit of master at, and Frosty could have had a few more to be fair to him.

"In the loose he's incredible, but he's good on the back of a maul as well."

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The Pirates conceded after just two minutes, but had the bonus point secured inside half an hour after a penalty try and one each for O'Meara, Duncan and Frost.

Duncan and Frost added two more before the break and, after Hartpury had got the opening try of the second period, each scored again before the hosts conceded two late tries.

It was the final home game for the fourth-placed Pirates this season in a truncated campaign that only began in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

They travel to Jersey, who lie seventh, in a fortnight for their final Championship match of the season - and their first in front of supporters since the coronavirus crisis began last year.

"You've got to beat teams like that away to be in the top four, so we'll be going with that intent," Cattle added to BBC Radio Cornwall.

"There's going to be a bigger test for us up front there, so can we sustain that pressure?

"I know defensively we need to be way better than we were today, and in certain aspects attack needed to go up as well which we're more than capable of."