CORNISH Pirates have signed gifted young Australian forward Hugh Bokenham on a one-year contract, writes Phil Westren.

Educated at St Joseph’s College in New South Wales, the 22-year-old lock/back rower is a former Australia Schools and U18s player who has also played for Sydney University, for New South Wales Waratahs, and been a member of the Junior Wallabies squad.

Pirates’ joint head coach Alan Paver said: “Hugh is a student of the line-out who can play both in the second and back rows, which is always very handy.

“From what we have seen of his style of play out in Australia, we think he will give us something a little bit different, and extra, dimension-wise, and being an aspiring player who has had the taste of the next level out there, he is hungry to progress his rugby further.

“So, it’s a good move for a gifted young player, and a good move for us – although we have warned him to make sure that in our occasional conditions he has his long studs with him!”