# Rugby union in Cornwall (before 1900)

Rugby union in Cornwall (before 1900) is a timeline of rugby union in Cornwall in the 19th century.

## History

Richard Carew in his Survey of Cornwall (1602) gives some laws of a game which has similarities to rugby.
* "Two bushes are pitched in the ground eight or twelve feet asunder, directly against which at a distance of ten or twelve yards apart two more bushes in like manner, which are called goals.
* ″The hurlers to goal are bound to observe these orders or Laws:″
** ″In contending for the ball, if a man's body touches the ground, and he cries Hold and delivers the ball, he is not to be further pressed.″ (the mark)
** ″That the hurler must deal no foreball, or throw it to any partner standing nearer the goal than himself.″ (the forward pass)
** ″In dealing the ball, if any of the adverse party can catch it flying .... the property of it is thereby transferred to the catching party; and so the assailants become defendants, and the defendants assailants.″ (the interception)
* ″A breach made in any of these Articles is motive sufficient for the hurlers going together by the ears; nor do any seek to take revenge but in the same matter.″ (the scrum).
Before 1900, rugby union in Cornwall was referred to as football and what is known today as football was then called ″association″ or soccer. Before the formation of the Cornwall RFU in 1884, the press did not consistently record rugby matches so it is uncertain when it was first played in Cornwall. The first recorded rugby match in Penzance is from 1870, played in the grounds of Poltair House, Heamoor and organised by W Borlase of Marlborough School. The Penzance team was mostly public schoolboys, home on holiday, and their opponents, the Eastern Telegraph Company was based in Porthcurno. In Penryn, before 1872 a team made up of workers from Freeman's granite yard played a team from Sara's Foundry in a field near the Cross Keys hotel. In the main, rugby was mainly confined to the western half of Cornwall, from Penzance in the west to Truro in the east.

## 1883–84
### Friendly

* 12 January 1884
| Devon | 2 goals, 3 tries – nil | Cornwall |
| Try: E W Chillcott, Hibberd, Anon, Cooper (2) Con: Dryden (2) | | |
* Cricket Ground, South Devon Place, Plymouth Referee: W Harcourt Stiles (Devon Union). Umpires: Mr Richardson (Devon) and Mr Bailey (Cornwall)
Cornwall. Backs: Bernard F Edyvean, capt. (Bodmin), A Trounson (Penzance), Three-quarters: J W Everett (Redruth), E P P Tyacke (Helston), W H Willcocks (Tregony), Half-backs: G Eustice (Hayle), Luke Smith (Redruth), Forwards: G H Chilcott (Truro), N Harvey (Hayle), E H Ratcliffe (Helston), R C Jones (Pool), C Barrett (Hayle), W Rowe (Hayle), W Rowe (Redruth) and F Bond (Camborne).
* Cornwall's first match.

## 1884–85
### Friendly

* 10 January 1885
| Devon | 1 goal – nil | Cornwall |
* Plymouth

## 1885–86
### Friendly

* 12 December 1885
| Devon | 1 goal – 1 try | Cornwall |
* South Devon Grounds, Plymouth
Cornwall. Messrs E P P Tyacke, White (Tregony), G Kistler (Penzance), Luke (Truro) and J H Genn, captain (Falmouth) mentioned in the match report.
* Cornwall's try was their first.

### Friendly

* 23 January 1886
| Cornwall | 0 – 2 goals | Devon |
* Recreation Ground, Redruth

## 1886–87
### Friendly

* 1 January 1887
| Cornwall | 0 – 1 try | Devon |
| | | Try: Hamilton |
* Redruth Attendance: 2,000
Cornwall. Fullback; J B Cornish capt. (Penzance), Three-quarters; Kistler, (Penzance), T Smith (Redruth), Thomas (Penryn), Half-backs; T J Peak (Penzance), T Edwards (Camborne), Forwards; Fitzgerald (Falmouth), Wolf (Redruth), J Henwood (Camborne), Vincent (Penryn), A S Grylls (Redruth), R Chappell (Camborne), Boskeen (Redruth), Chilcott (Truro).
* 15 January 1887
| Devon | 0 – 2 tries | Cornwall |
* Exeter Referee: Stiles
Cornwall. Fullback; Hall (Penryn), Three-quarters; Kistler, (Penzance), W Smith (Redruth), T Smith (Redruth), Half-backs; Peake (Penzance), Edwards (Camborne), Forwards; J Luke (Redruth), J Henwood (Camborne), Wolf (Redruth), Thomas (Redruth), Northey (Hayle), Sincock (Hayle), Pryor (Hayle), Vincent (Penryn), Jenkins (Camborne)

## 1892–93
### County Championship

* 23 November 1892
| Gloucestershire | 19 – 0 | Cornwall |
* Bristol
* This was Cornwall's first match in the County Championship. Gloucester scored 3 goals and 2 tries.
* 10 December 1892
| Devon | 20 – 0 | Cornwall |
* Bladderly, Plymouth
* Devon scored 2 goals and 5 tries.
* The match with Somerset was cancelled by the Somerset secretary ″on account of gate difficulties″.

### Friendly

* 14 January 1893
| Cornwall | 3 – 0 | Devon |
| Try: 1 | | |
* Recreation Ground, Redruth
Cornwall. Back: Blewett, Three-quarters: Kistler, W D Lawry (Penzance), H Carvolth (Redruth), Phillips, Halves: W Paull (Redruth), Gray (Redruth), Forwards: Grylls, W F Woolf (Redruth), N James (Redruth), Williams, J Nancarrow (Redruth), Thorne, Masters and Berry.

## 1894–95
### County Championship

| South-western group | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Devon | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | | | 6 |
| Somerset | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | | | 4 |
| Gloucestershire | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | | | 2 |
| Cornwall | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 47 | 0 |
* 17 November 1894
| Cornwall | 8 – 16 (5 – 3) | Somerset |
| Try: Triggs Paige Con: Viant | | Try: Mermagen Westcott Gilmore Woods Drop: McLier |
* Penzance Attendance: 1200 Referee: Fred Hall
* Eight Cornish players made their championship debut. Three Somerset players were England internationals.
* 1 December 1894
| Cornwall | 0 – 23 (0 – 13) | Devon |
| | | Try: Hawkings c Stoyle c A N Other Bildings c Thomas c Con: Hocken (4) |
* Redruth Referee: Mr T Peak (Penzance)
* Full-back: J Eathorne (Redruth). Three-quarters: A G Chapman (Falmouth), J Thomas (Redruth), J Viant (Redruth), S Hosking (Camborne). Halves: W Paull (Redruth), Paige (Falmouth). Forwards: Caselet (Camborne), R Johns (Camborne), D. Campbell (Camborne), O Triggs (Penzance), S Wesley (Redruth), C Pearce (Redruth), Trerise (Falmouth) and W Smith (Falmouth).
* 8 December 1894
| Gloucestershire | 8 – 3 | Cornwall |
| Try: Bowley Lockyer Con: Hames | | Pen: Tarbutt |
* Gloucester Attendance: 5000
* Full-back: J Eathorne (Redruth). Three-quarters: A G Chapman (Falmouth), J Thomas (Redruth), S Hosking (Camborne), J W Nunn (Penzance). Halves: W Paull (Redruth), E L Hammond. Forwards: R Johns (Camborne), D. Campbell (Camborne), P C Tarbutt, C A P Tarbutt, H Olivey, A Kitson, F A L Hammond and O Triggs (Penzance).
* Debuts: J W Nunn, E L Hammond, F A L Hammond, C A P Tarbutt, A Kitson.

### Cornish Rugby League

The first season of the Cornish Rugby League consisted of five clubs, although one did not have any fixtures with the other competitors! Redruth became champions following their win at Camborne, in what was, the final league match of the season.
1894–95 Cornish Rugby League :
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals for | Tries for | Goals against | Tries against | Pts |
| 1 | Redruth | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 2 | Penzance | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 3 | Camborne | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Falmouth | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Points are awarded as follows: 2 points for a win 1 points for a draw 0 points for a loss |||||||||||||
* 4 April 1895
| Redruth | nil – 1 try | Rest of the league |
| | | Try: Merritt |
* Redruth Referee: Mr T Peak (Penzance)
* Match abandoned when Redruth left the field.

## 1895–96
### County Championship

The County Championship was reorganised with the fifteen teams divided into three groups. The first-placed teams of the South-eastern and South-western Divisions met in a play-off match, with the winners playing the first-placed team of the Northern Division in the final. Yorkshire won the competition for the seventh time defeating Surrey in the final. This was the third system of the County Championship.
Cornwall lost all three matches, and since their first match in 1892 have lost all eleven matches.
| South-western group | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Devon | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 8 | 6 |
| Somerset | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 6 | 4 |
| Gloucestershire | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 41 | 2 |
| Cornwall | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 37 | 0 |
* 16 November 1895
| Devon | 22 – 3 | Cornwall |
| | | Pen: Salter |
* Plymouth
* 30 November 1895
| Somerset | 5 – 0 | Cornwall |
* Wellington
* 14 December 1895
| Cornwall | 0 – 10 | Gloucestershire |
* Falmouth

### Cornish Rugby League

Throughout the season The Cornishman published a league table of the first two matches between six clubs. Only Penzance and Camborne completed all their fixtures and Truro only played five matches. Penzance was in first place and Redruth in second place.
1895–96 Cornish rugby table :
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals for | Tries for | Goals against | Tries against | Pts |
| 1 | Penzance | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 | Redruth | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| 3 | Camborne | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 4 | Falmouth | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 5 | Penryn | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 6 | Truro | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 0 |
| Points are awarded as follows: 2 points for a win 1 points for a draw 0 points for a loss |||||||||||||
At the end of the season a second table was published, of matches between the top four clubs with Redruth in first place and Penzance in second place. 'Impartial' the rugby reporter declared Redruth ″may fairly again claim the honour of being champions″.
1895–96 Cornish rugby table :
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
| 1 | Redruth | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 | Penzance | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 3 | Falmouth | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Camborne | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Points are awarded as follows: 2 points for a win 1 points for a draw 0 points for a loss |||||||||||||

## 1896–97
### Cornwall Rugby Championship

1896–97 Cornwall Rugby Championship :
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals for | Tries for | Goals against | Tries against | Pts |
| 1 | Penzance | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| 2 | School of Mines | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
| 3 | Redruth | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| 4 | Falmouth | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| 5 | Penryn | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 17 | 2 |
| Points are awarded as follows: 2 points for a win 1 points for a draw 0 points for a loss |||||||||||||

## 1897–98
### Cornish Rugby Championship

1897–98 Cornish Senior League :
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals for | Tries for | Goals against | Tries against | Pts |
| 1 | Penzance | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | x | x | 3 | 4 | 20 |
| 2 | Redruth | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Falmouth | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 10 |
| 4 | School of Mines | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | Camborne | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 6 |
| 6 | Penryn | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 10 | 4 |
| Points are awarded as follows: 2 points for a win 1 points for a draw 0 points for a loss |||||||||||||

#### Notes

* ↑ Penryn failed to play the return game with School of Mines who were awarded 2 points
* ↑ x – unclear in reference

### Junior League

1897–98 Cornish Junior League :
| Pos | Team | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | Goals for | Tries for | Goals against | Tries against | Pts |
| 1 | Redruth A | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 24 | 1 | 9 | 23 |
| 2 | Penzance A | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 21 |
| 3 | Newlyn | 11 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 9 | 15 |
| 4 | Tuckingmill | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 15 |
| 5 | Hayle | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 15 |
| 6 | Camborne A | 12 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 17 | 8 |
| 7 | Truro | 11 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 5 |
| 8 | Camborne Mining School A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 0 |
| Points are awarded as follows: 2 points for a win 1 points for a draw 0 points for a loss |||||||||||||

#### Notes

* ↑ Redruth protested against an infringement of the rules by Penzance on 25 September 1897. By the casting vote of the chairman of the CRFU the points were taken from Penzance and awarded to Redruth
* ↑ Newlyn played an ineligible man on 27 December 1897 and 1 January 1898. Newlyn lost three points and Penzance gained three points
* ↑ Hayle failed to play Newlyn on 30 November 1887 and the points were awarded to Newlyn
* ↑ The students did not complete their fixtures and their opponents were awarded the points

## 1898–99
### Cornish Rugby Championship

1898–99 Cornish Senior Rugby Table :
| Pos | Team | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | Points for | Points against | Pts |
| 1 | Penzance | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 35 | 15 | 16 |
| 2 | Falmouth | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 50 | 2x | 10 |
| 3 | Redruth | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 68 | 6 | 11 |
| 4 | Camborne | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 86 | 4 |
| 5 | Penryn | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 35 | 1 |
| Points are awarded as follows: 2 points for a win 1 points for a draw 0 points for a loss |||||||||||||

#### Note

* ↑ Penryn refused to play Penzance on 14 January and the points were awarded to Penzance.
* ↑ x – unclear in reference

### Junior League

1898–99 Cornish Junior Rugby Table :
| Pos | Team | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | Points for | Points against | Pts |
| 1 | Newlyn | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 72 | 13 | 20 |
| 2 | Penzance A | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 56 | 21 | 17 |
| 3 | Falmouth Juniors | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 54 | 23 | 11 |
| 4 | Redruth Juniors | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 58 | 45 | 10 |
| 5 | Tuckingmill | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 33 | 4 |
| 6 | Camborne A | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 93 | 3 |
| 7 | Truro | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 55 | 2 |
| Points are awarded as follows: 2 points for a win 1 points for a draw 0 points for a loss |||||||||||||

#### Notes

* ↑ Falmouth played ineligible players and the points were awarded to Newlyn
* ↑ Truro failed to complete their games and the points were awarded to their opponents