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Hooker Sam Gilder says Cornwall are adopting a ‘back to basics’ approach going into the Betfred League 1 clash away at Swinton tomorrow.

The 22-year-old, who was raised in the Cornish fishing village of Mevagissey before playing rugby league at University, was part of the Choughs’ matchday squad that suffered defeat to West Wales Raiders last time out.

The 20-0 reverse in atrocious conditions in Penryn saw Cornwall fail to breach a stubborn visiting rearguard with the Raiders picking up their first points of 2022.

And after a short six-day turnaround, Gilder also says that the Choughs are determined to look forward and not back at the loss in round eight. 

Speaking to cornwallrlfc.co.uk, he said: “After the West Wales game the morale in the camp was low but since then, we have re-evaluated and we know what we have to do.

“We need to get back to the basics of completing sets and competing in defence.

“If we do that then we know we will head in the right direction and our focus isn’t on West Wales and what has been before, but all on Swinton this weekend.

“We will be playing against a good Swinton side and if we keep calm and go forward well, then who knows what will happen and what kind of result we will have gained when reflecting on the journey home.”

Gilder, who cut his formative rugby teeth at Cornish union side St Austell, added: “Any team on their day can beat another in this league. We will go to Swinton and give everything to try and bounce back from last week.

“Some people might perceive the game as a free hit for us but that’s not how I see it and it’s certainly not how the rest of the lads view it either.

“We are yet to put in an 80-minute performance yet this season and there would be no better place to do that than at Swinton, one of the pre-season favourites for promotion to the Championship.”