Local pride as the East comes up with two captains

There is a special pride in East Cornwall as local clubs Launceston and Liskeard/Looe RFC's have come up with both captains to head the full county rugby squad and the Under 21's as they battle it out in the theatre of the Tetley Bitter County finals at Twickenham tomorrow.

Kelly Bray's Dean (Deano) Shipton, Launceston's big No 8, has the honour of leading Cornwall for the second year in a row and has said the team are determined not to come back home empty handed again.

Youngsters throughout the county who play at junior level and are Cornwall's future in the sport, are doubly delighted because the Under 21's have also qualified for their final, to be played before the big clash.

None are prouder than the 200 plus lads at Liskeard/Looe Junior RFC, for the 21 year old captain, Geoff Arnold from Millbrook, has played for the club since he was aged 11. He was the colts captain before leaving for Loughborough University where he is studying for a sports science and maths degree.

He is part of a well known rugby playing family for brothers Jon (19) and Danny (17), are also from the Liskeard/Looe set up. Jon, who was captain of Cornwall Colts squad last season has just left to study for a sports science degree at Ywic, University of Wales, and Danny is still at the club where he plays in the colts side. A 7's specialist he also plays for the CRFU U'18's Colts 7's, being runners up in the plate at Chippenham. He is also in the U'17's county development squad.

But tomorrow is Geoff's day, and accompanying his brothers up the motorway to Twickenham, will be his proud parents, Andy and Janet, and his 75 year old grandma from Plymouth, Madge Bunce. Also going is a larger than usual contingency from the Liskeard/Looe Club who are absolutely delighted with Geoff's success and the honour he has brought the club.

The biggest game he has played so far has been the annual match between Loughborough University and the Leicester Tigers. Geoff who plays at No 7 outside flanker says they were thrashed but it was quite an experience facing some well known internationals.

A former pupil of Torpoint School, he first played rugby at the town's St Columba Youth Rugby Club, aged nine, and before entering university he was a student at Liskeard's 6th Form. Geoff has spoken of his pride in wearing the famous black and gold Cornwall rugby shirt and says that tomorrow he will be giving his best for the team, the supporters and his club.

by Viv Twornicki