Tribute Western Counties West
Wadebridge Camels 0 Exeter University 60
by Nigel Walrond
WADEBRIDGE Camels head coach Mike Rawlings admitted he felt “embarrassed” after seeing his side crushed by the students at Molesworth Field.
The university needed a last-minute drop goal to win the corresponding fixture last year, but it was a very different story this time around.
The Camels are missing several players through injury at the moment, including Rawlings himself, but that cannot excuse this very poor performance.
“It was quite a dreadful display from us, and after the game I didn’t really have anything to say to the players,” said Rawlings.
“All credit to Exeter, they came out and wanted to play rugby, and after they had scored three tries, for some reason the boys’ heads went down and they looked defeated, and they remained like that for the rest of the game.
“We just didn’t have the mental attitude for the game. Three tries in and Exeter were crossing under the posts, we were not playing as a unit and it really didn’t work for us and it is hard to know what to say.
“It was in front of a home crowd as well, and even though you never want to be nilled by any team, you certainly don’t want it to happen on your home pitch.
“We have had a lot of injuries and a lot of boys out, and we haven’t had the same 15 players starting a match since pre-season.
“We haven’t had that consistency as a team and maybe that is showing, I don’t really know, but it is something we need to look at as a squad, and after a hefty defeat like that, there is a lot of making up to do.
“I am hoping this will be a turning point, and really give us a kick up the backside to get our season going.”
The Camels have a weekend off this Saturday before facing a difficult trip to St Austell on November 7, but Rawlings would rather be playing this weekend.
“It would be nice to have a performance on Saturday to make up for it, rather than dwelling on it for two weeks,” said Rawlings.
“The guys won’t have a rest this week now after that performance, and we will have training this week and next week.”
The students ran Camels ragged as they notched up nine tries, with Will Manhire scoring two, and the rest coming from Ted Landry, Tom Lauday, Gavin Parker, Alex Himley, Will Taverner, George Beale and George Kimmins.
Parker also kicked a penalty and six conversions for a personal 20-point haul.
Rawlings praised No.8 Gary Gynn for playing despite a bad Achilles problem, to help the team through their current injury problems, and Rawlings said: “It would be nice, hopefully within the next month, to have a fully fit squad, and have some selection difficulties.”
Wadebridge: Pengelly, D Hawkey, Thomas, James Grubb, Pretty, A Collings, Humphrey (capt), Treleaven, M Tarby, Scott, Baker, Johns, Daniels, M Grubb, Gynn. Replacements: Cotton, Bright, Charles.
University: Tries: Manhire (2), Landry, Lauday, Parker, Himley, Taverner, Beale, Kimmins; Cons: Parker (6); Pen: Parker.