Pirates Announce The Signing Of Richard Bolt

By Dick Straughan
May 24 2007

The Cornish Pirates have continued their pre-season shopping spree with the signing of promising scrum-half Richard Bolt, from Devon rivals Exeter Chiefs. The highly rated 19 year old has earned Representative Honours at Junior Level for England and recently competed for them in the IRB Under-19 World Championship held in Belfast.

Having spent last season primarily as an understudy to Kevin Barrett at the Chiefs, Bolt has clearly seen his move to the Cornish Pirates as an opportunity to further his career at an ambitious club.

Following the departures of Gavin Cattle and his scrum-half deputy, Rhodri Wells, Pirates Head Coach Jim McKay has moved quickly to secure strength in depth for this key position. Having already signed Canadian international Ed Fairhurst from Cardiff, Bolt has a massive opportunity to stake a claim for the first team shirt during the period of the Rugby World Cup.

Waiting in the wings, should they be needed, are talented ex-Coventry utility back James Moore and the Pirates very own Welsh Whippet - Rhodri McAtee.

In other news the Pirates have announced that popular Centre, Steve Winn, has become the 18th member of last season`s squad to agree a new deal. The others are;

Joe Beardshaw, Sam Betty, Tim Cowley, Chris Cracknell, Darren Dawidiuk, Matt Evans, Sam Heard, Scott Hobson, Rhodri McAtee, Stan McKeen, James Moore, Iva Motusaga, Sam Parsons, Alan Paver, Dan Seal, Heino Senekal, Adryan Winnan, and Steve Winn.  

Richard Bolt adds to a list of new signings currently including;  

Richard Bolt (Exeter Chiefs), Nick Buckley (Moseley), Bruce Cumming (Massy), Rob Elloway (Gloucester), Ed Fairhurst (Cardiff Blues), Salesi Finau (Bourgoin), Nathan Kemp (Jersey), Aliini'u Koko (Montpellier), Gareth Steenson (Earth Titans), Brian Tuohy (Earth Titans), Ollie Thomas (Moseley).

Players confirmed as having left the Cornish Pirates are;

Grant Anderson (London Irish), Henry Barratt, Duncan Bell, Gavin Cattle (Llanelli Scarlets), Alberto Di Bernardo (Leeds Carnegie), Owen Hambly (Cornish All Blacks), Jonny Hylton, James Inglis, Viliami Ma'asi (Leeds Carnegie), Nick Makin , Adam Nicholls, Mike Provis (Cornish All Blacks), Duncan Roke, Mike Rawlings, Gareth Tedstone, Lewis Vinnicombe (Redruth), Lewis Webb, Rhodri Wells.