 | |
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Cornwall RLFC |
| Nickname | The Choughs[1] |
| Colours | Black and Gold |
| Founded | 2021; 4 years ago (2021) |
| Exited | 2025; 0 years ago (2025) |
| Former details | |
| Ground |
|
Cornwall RLFC was a Britishprofessionalrugby league team based inPenryn,Cornwall,England. The club competed in the third-tierRFL League One from 2022 to 2025, when the club withdrew from the league and ceased operations mid-season.[2]
It was first announced in March 2019 that a consortium from Canada, led byToronto Wolfpack founder Eric Perez, had purchased theRugby Football League membership of clubHemel 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 joinLeague 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 theCOVID-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 foundedNorth America Rugby League along with theToronto 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.
On 2 November 2021 the club was officially relocated toPenryn,Cornwall and rebranded as Cornwall RLFC. The club were allocated a place inLeague 1, the third tier of theBritish rugby league system.[9]
On 8 December 2021 it was announced thatNeil Kelly had been appointed as head coach,[10] andAnthony Mullally, a former Super League winner withLeeds Rhinos andIreland international was the first player signing.[11]On 25 June 2022, Cornwall earned their first competitive win defeatingWest Wales Raiders 22–4.[12] It was their only win of theseason. in October 2022, Mike Abbot took over as head coach having previously been the assistant to Neil Kelly.[13]
On 27 November 2024, the consortium led by Eric Perez sold the club to Gloucestershire-based businessman Kenny Stone. Stone aimed to make theRFL 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, which Stone attributed to an unstable American investment market. Their last match was a 78–6 defeat byWhitehaven at Penryn - a record home loss.[15]
| Season | League | Play-offs | Challenge Cup | RFL 1895 Cup | Ref. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | |||||
| 2022 | League 1 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 276 | 864 | 2 | 10th | Did not qualify | Did not participate | Did not participate | [16][17] |
| 2023 | League 1 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 257 | 712 | 10 | 9th | Did not qualify | R2 | Did not qualify | [17][18][19] |
| 2024 | League One | 20 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 306 | 787 | 6 | 8th | Did not qualify | R3 | Did not participate | [17][20][21] |
| 2025 | League One | Did not complete season | R2 | PR1 | [22][23] | ||||||||
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