News

Head coach Mike Abbott has named his 21-man squad for the final Betfred League 1 game of 2024.

The Choughs travel to Colwyn Bay to face North Wales Crusaders at Stadiwm CSM, with both sides playing for pride, as neither can make the play-offs.

The home side, after losing to Rochdale in round 22, coupled with Workington’s comfortable victory over basement dwellers Newcastle, can no long make the end of season shake up.

North Wales were defeated in the play-off final 12 months ago, but they will finish seventh in 2024.

For Cornwall, they will finish one place off the bottom of League 1 and have three wins to date.

However, Cornwall have enjoyed success against the Crusaders and last time they faced off in Wales, Abbott’s charges were victorious in an incredible match.

The Choughs scored seven tries in a remarkable first half to lead 40-4, but in a complete role reversal, North Wales scored six unanswered tries after the turnaround. Crucially, though, Brad Billsborough kicked one goal less than Adam Rusling and Cornwall hung on to claim an incredible win.

This will be the third meeting between the two sides this season with North Wales victorious on both occasions.

Early in the season, with weather forcing the game to be switched to Truro College, the visitors were 40-16 winners and then last month at the Memorial Ground, it was another away win.

On this occasion, the home side were left wondering what might have been as North Wales trailed 10-0 coming up to half-time. Nathan Cullen was then harshly sent to the sinbin and North Wales scored to pull the score back to 10-6.

After the break, Pat Ah Van and Chris Barratt crossed and coupled with two successful goals, North Wales were 16-10 winners.

“We are determined to finish the season on a high,” head coach Mike Abbott told cornwallrlfc.co.uk. “Everyone was disappointed with the Oldham performance for a number of reasons and the chat this week in training from the boys has been really good.

“We will have a few more bodies back this week because players have recovered from injury and suspensions are over too. North Wales are in a similar position to us in some respects as they will want to end the season well in front of their own fans.

“North Wales have put on free entry for everyone which is a nice touch and hopefully a big crowd is treated to a really good spectacle.”

Cornwall: (from) Aaronson, C Abbott, Ashton, Bateman, Bannister, Boots, Brown, Collins, Conroy, Cullen, Dimech, Gill, Lloyd, Mitchell, Nichol, Ross, Rusling, Simpson, Small, Trerise, Weetman