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Cornwall R.L.F.C.
Defunct English rugby league club, based in Penryn, Cornwall From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Cornwall RLFC was a British professional rugby league team based in Penryn, Cornwall, England. The club competed in the third-tier RFL League One from 2022 to 2025, when the club withdrew from the league and ceased operations mid-season.[2]
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History
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2019–20: Ottawa Aces
It was first announced in March 2019 that a consortium from Canada, led by Toronto Wolfpack founder Eric Perez, had purchased the Rugby Football League membership of club Hemel Stags and planned to relocate their licence to Canada.[3]
More due diligence took place during 2019 to decide if the club was ready to join League 1 for the 2020 season along with the New York City Rugby League,[4] however at the end of July 2019 it was announced that the club would not enter the league in 2020 and would instead work towards joining the league in 2021.[5]
On 9 March 2020, Ottawa announced they would push back their debut season and enter League 1 in 2021.[6] However, due to travel restrictions between Canada and the United Kingdom resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Aces and the RFL agreed to defer entry to the League 1 another year again, until 2022.[7]
Come March 2021, it was announced Ottawa would compete in the newly founded North America Rugby League along with the Toronto Wolfpack, however Perez said the club still expected to play in League 1 in 2022 and suggested the club could play as a 2nd team in the NARL.
On 22 October 2021, it was announced that Ottawa Aces would relocate back to the United Kingdom permanently due the "unstable operating environment" of running a club in the British leagues from Canada during a pandemic.[8] They would also withdraw from the NARL effectively disbanding as the Ottawa Aces.
2021–25: Relocation to Cornwall
On 2 November 2021 the club was officially relocated to Penryn, Cornwall and rebranded as Cornwall RLFC. The club were allocated a place in League 1, the third tier of the British rugby league system.[9]
On 8 December 2021 it was announced that Neil Kelly had been appointed as head coach,[10] and Anthony Mullally, a former Super League winner with Leeds Rhinos and Ireland international was the first player signing.[11] On 25 June 2022, Cornwall earned their first competitive win defeating West Wales Raiders 22–4.[12] It was their only win of the season. in October 2022, Mike Abbot took over as head coach having previously been the assistant to Neil Kelly.[13]
2024–25: Cornish ownership and financial trouble
On 27 November 2024, the consortium led by Eric Perez sold the club to Cornish businessman Kenny Stone. Stone aimed to make the RFL League 1 side a community-based club.[14] However, on 2 April 2025 it was announced that Cornwall RLFC had folded due to financial issues. Their last match was a 78–6 defeat by Whitehaven at Penryn - a record home loss.[15]
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Coaches
- Neil Kelly 2021–2022
- Mike Abbot 2022–2025
Seasons
See also
References
External links
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