DEVON regained the Tamar Cup on Saturday following a pulsating match at the Brickfields that kept the near 1,500-strong crowd on the edge of their seats throughout.

Cornwall, roared on by the travelling faithful from Trelawny’s Army, were led out by Mark Vian and soon were on the offensive.

After Ben Hancock’s quick tap and go from a penalty, Stan Somers burst through the line but was brought down short. Cornwall went again but were held up over the line. However, the referee had been playing advantage so they had another bite of the cherry. Fly-half James Tucker kicked to the corner, Vian won the line-out ball and the Cornish pack drove furiously to the Devon line, but yet again they were denied as home skipper Tom McGrattan got under the ball to hold them up.

Devon then almost scored a try following a good break, but Launceston’s Charlie Tummon got under the ball.

Cornwall lost a player to the bin for a deliberate knock-on, and from the scrum Devon moved the ball wide for Tom Davies to score an unconverted try.

Cornwall soon responded as Devon messed up the line-out, allowing Cornwall to make good ground. As play was switched back, Hancock made a good drive slipping the ball to winger Ollie Bebbington who danced around the defence to dot down under the sticks. The strong win hampered Tucker’s conversion attempt which ended up wide.

The hosts soon were in front again as they won the ball from a line-out, moving the ball wide before the forwards took the ball up with scrum-half Jamie Hext going in under the posts. Mitch Pinkus slotted the conversion.

Devon responeded before the break as from a line-out they moved the ball wide before Pinkus sliced through the Black and Gold defence to score and convert his own try for a 19-5 half-time lead.

Cornwall made a fast start to the second half but couldn’t breach the Devon defence, before Bebbington got back to deny Davies a second.

The away side introduced Pete Harris at half-time, followed by fellow forwards Olly Derry, Rohan Ewels and Hector Bright, and they started to have an impact.

Cornwall eventually got a break when a poor pass from Pinkus was hacked on by Tucker who collected the ball to score and convert his own try.

It was just the boost Cornwall needed, and a penalty kicked by Tucker brought the visitors even closer on the scoreboard at 19-15.

However, Devon then piled on the pressure and with the visitors on a final warning, a quick tap five meters out saw the ball moved wide with Ben Saunders breaking the line to pop a pass to Kyle Felton to score the vital try. Pinkus added the extras.

Cornwall had the final word when Bebbington went in for his second try in the corner, but the final whistle confirmed it was Devon’s year.

CORNWALL: Rosevear (Redruth); Williams (Helston), Stanlake (St Austell), Semmens (Penzance & Newlyn), Bebbington; Tucker, Hillson (all Launceston); Prowse (Penzance & Newlyn), Mead, Short (both Launceston); Daniel, Vian (capt) (both St Austell); Tummon, Hancock (both Launceston), Somers (Penzance & Newlyn). Replacements: Harris (St Austell), Derry (Wadebridge Camels), Ewels (Redruth), Saxton (Bude), Bright (St Austell), Hilliam-Cooke (Bude).

Tries: Bebbington (2), Tucker; Convs: Tucker; Pens: N/A.