Will Gibson and Shae Tucker: Cornish Pirates players sign new one-year deal

Will Gibson (left) and Shae Tucker's signings mean 12 players have agreed new deals at Cornish Pirates for next season

Cornish Pirates back-row Will Gibson and centre Shae Tucker are the latest players to agree new one-year contracts at the Championship club.

Lock forward Steele Barker has also signed with the Pirates for one year.

Gibson, 22, joined the Pirates last summer having been at Cardiff Metropolitan University and is a former Exeter Chiefs Under-18s player.

He has played 12 times for the Pirates this season and also had time at Plymouth Albion in National One.

Tucker, 26, has scored seven tries in 21 appearances this season.

A former New Zealand Universities player, Tucker moved to the Mennaye in the summer of 2019.

He previously played in the Mitre 10 Cup and Heartland Championship in his homeland for the likes of North Otago, North Harbour and Hawkes Bay, and has gone on to play 38 times for the Pirates.

Barker, 21, signs after spending the past year with Cornwall-based Redruth in the fourth tier of English rugby and having also spent time training with the Pirates.

"Will has been incredible during his short time with us," Pirates joint-head coach Alan Paver said.

"He came out of university with a fine reputation, but until you see such players regularly you really have no idea of how good they can be.

"When he arrived, we knew he would need game time and exposure, so he had a spell at Plymouth Albion where he displayed his development potential and skill right away.

"He did it week in and week out, gained deserved game time and impressed for us."

The new deals come after John Stevens, Robin Wedlake and Carwyn Penny all agreed new one-year contracts on Wednesday.