Cornwall's Greatest Game - Part 1of 3

In Cornwall's case: The Greatest Game Ever Played.

Highlights of Cornwall V Yorkshire 1991.

Nelson Mandela once said: " Sport has the ability to change the World".
On a spring afternoon in April 1991, Cornwall Reached the 'County' Rugby Championship final.
Along with tens of thousands of others, albeit subconsciously at first 'Our World' was about to change forever as the great Cornish renaissance took it's first major step of the modern era.....

The media promoted it to the hilt as they always do for our Duchy Rugby team, but this time such was the hype, Spotlight's Chris Rogers managed to persuade the BBC to show it live from Twickenham. I had to work that evening so as the first pictures were beamed in, my jaw hit the floor as commentator Nigel Starmer-Smith confirmed, "It's full house, it's 57,000".




I dispute Nigel's estimates that there were 10 to 15 thousand Yorkshire supporters present, but I'll be fair and say around 7,000, even though that was the total attendance of the previous final and the average for all County finals. I didn't know until quite recently that I was witnessing the largest gathering of Cornish people in her long history. 50,000 plus from little Cornwall and 7,000 from the largest County in England ? Something was amiss. Had I been ill and missed an important lesson at school ? Surely someone would have mentioned this ?

As a keen sportsman, the other thing that caught the eye was these were not your regular rugby fans. From babies to grannies they came and from all walks of life to celebrate our unique and undeniable identity and culture. Then of course there was the match itself. A scriptwriter wouldn't dare.... Those magnificent players and staff are legends to a man. I also salute every person who attended the game. You created a vision that kick-started the road to recognition; albeit subconsciously at first.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Cornwall
• Kernow
• Sport
• Rugby
• History

[Apemanwithcalculator]

And cornwall long a province, be

a nation once again

[Applemask]

Too young for this one, but I remember Cheshire in 1998 - they forced Carlton to show it live, only for us to lose - and Gloucestershire in 1999, which we only got highlights of but won. And then Devon came along and stole our bloody thunder.

[BarneyRubble1968]

'ere ... wasson? Only 2,101 views. Broadband not kicked in down there yet? Dawe, doo-ee.

[Bomberdrummer]

I was there, and seeing it here now brings a genuine tear to my eye. Happy days!

[cornubian]

Kernewek:- Hyrlîan yw gen gwaré nyi.

Whek Gwaro Tek heb ate buz Henwis.

Kernow kensa! Kernow bys vyken!

We are the Ancient Cornish. Rugby is our game.

Fair play is good play.

Cornwall First. Cornwall Forever!