Cornish Pirates began their Championship season in style, defeating Doncaster Knights 45-19 at the Mennaye Field.
Replacement hooker Matt Pritchard crossed for four tries after the interval, adding to three first-half scores. The Cornish side were one of three Championship teams to earn a bonus-point win in their opening fixture.
“I’m really pleased," Cornish Pirates joint-head coach Alan Paver told BBC Radio Cornwall. "A full house at the Mennaye, the grass is looking green, the sun's out and you're always a little bit apprehensive first game of the season against a quality side. But the second half we proved a bit too much for them and and scored some very good tries – yes they came off mauls, but it came essentially off good pressure."
Pirates led 19-12 at half-time. Dan Hiscocks, Arthur Relton and Morgan Nelson scored for the hosts, while Nathan Langdon and Jasper McGuire replied for the visitors.
McGuire scored two minutes after the break to level the scores. Then Pirates' impressive maul, which had already forced Nelson over before half-time, took control. Pritchard was at the bottom of four tries from that dominant maul. He scored his first after 50 minutes, then added three more in a 12-minute spell starting from the 62nd minute.
The win puts them level on points at the top of the table with Worcester Warriors and Ealing, who also earned bonus-point victories.
"This obviously goes back a year, two years of the development around these guys, and now on a day like this to score that many, you never know, we could do it again but it would be a big ask," Paver added of his side's mauled tries. "So if you get a highlight like this, Joe Walsh is going to be very happy as a coach of the line-out."
He added: "Pritch has come off the bench, this is his third season and physically he's really stepped up to the plate and been on the back of a superb maul like that. That's what they're there for the hookers, so a big tick in his box."
Cornish Pirates Start Season with Convincing Doncaster Win