Dawe hails 'inspirational' Cornwall captain Matavesi

Cornwall head coach Graham Dawe says “inspirational” captain Sam Matavesi was a key reason for his side’s County Championship success.

The Black and Gold won the Bill Beaumont Cup for the first time in four years when they beat Lancashire 39-24 at Twickenham on Saturday.

Camborne’s Fiji international forward Matavesi returned to the side this year, a decade after helping the Duchy win the 2016 title.

In between, he won a Premiership title with Northampton, played for Lyon in the French top flight and featured in the past two World Cups.

“Sam Matavesi is an inspirational person, absolutely inspirational,” Dawe told BBC Radio Cornwall.

“He’s galvanised them [the squad] and he’s demanded good standards. He knows I want good standards, I don’t want to keep repeating that.

“It’s the little things like in the tackle area, I work very hard to be good in that area, you don’t need a lot of skill to do it, it’s just hard working.

“Sam knows that and he instils it in the team, and the game is easier when everybody’s on the same hymn sheet.”

Related internet links

• Cornwall RFU