Cornwall RLFC demise 'heartbreaking' says head coach
Cornwall RLFC head coach Mike Abbott says his players were keen to fulfil their fixtures before the League One side folded.
Cornwall went out of business on Wednesday after new owner Kenny Stone was unable to bring in new investment to the Penryn-based club.
But Abbott, who has been part of the coaching team since the club was founded in late 2021 and head coach since the 2023 season, says his players would have fulfilled Sunday's fixture at North Wales Crusaders.
"The players were still very much for the club," he told BBC Sport.
"They were willing to travel to Wales at the weekend and play and then sort of go about it then on a week to week basis to keep the club going and see if backers could come in, because phone calls were happening in the background.
"They were fully engaged on North Wales away this weekend and then we'll see from there."
Cornwall RLFC fold because of finance issues
Cornwall RLFC taken over by new owners
Abbott, like most of the team, had a full-time job as well as his rugby league commitments.
He only found out about Cornwall's demise when a colleague at the school where he is a deputy headteacher told him about the news after reading it online.
"I'm just concerned about the boys," added an emotional Abbott, who was keen to pay tribute to Sam Wickets, Ben Gregor, Sam Gilder and John Beach who had worked behind the scenes to keep the club going.
"Some of them have moved from Australia to play for the county and the commitment and effort they've put in, it's just gutting that that's not been matched by certain people at the club.
"The amount of work that goes on in the background week to week to get a rugby club to function and to get into the next game and get them ready after that game to the next one it's non-stop.
"They've all got full-time jobs as well, it's heartbreaking for them."
Abbott hopes the sport can be resurrected in some way in the county.
Despite being more known as a rugby union hotbed, the rugby league side had been well-received both locally and among Abbott's contemporaries in the 13-man code.
"There's a home for rugby league in Cornwall, and I know it comes with challenges for travelling and everything else like that, but it's untapped," he said.
"It just needs someone to come in and do it the right way.
"Myself and John Beach have been screaming for a foundation to be set up, let's get it playing in schools, let's do all these really solid foundations that give you a conveyor belt of players - really focus the money underneath it to make it secure.
"There's a place for rugby league in Cornwall, it's untouched, no one's been into it and done it properly to try and make it work.
"I hope it carries on, I hope there's someone out there who thinks we can go about this the right way, whether that's with me or someone else I'm not bothered, just come and do it properly and make it work."
Cornwall RLFC
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mitsubishi plans battery swapping tech for electric CVs in Tokyo
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus (MFTBC), in collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors, Ample, and Yamato Transport, is set to roll out an EV battery swapping initiative in Tokyo, Japan, by September 2025. The plan includes introducing more than 150 battery-swappable commercial electric vehicles (EVs) and creating 14 modular battery swapping stations across the city. This major move towards sustainable transportation follows a smaller pilot in Kyoto last year and will feature MFTBC's eCanter light-duty truck and Mitsubishi Motors' Minicab EV, targeting commercial delivery fleets. Yamato Transport will be the first major customer, focusing on last-mile delivery applications. Ample, a US-based battery swapping company, will provide the technology for the EV platforms and will be responsible for installing and operating the swapping stations. The Tokyo Metropolitan Environment Public Corporation is backing the project through its "Technology Development Support Project for Promoting New Energy", aligning with Japan's climate goals. Japan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46% from 2013 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. With the transportation sector responsible for nearly 19% of the country's CO₂ emissions in 2022, commercial fleet electrification is a strategic priority for Japan's decarbonisation efforts. The consortium in Tokyo is targeting battery swapping times of just five minutes, offering a fully automated service where drivers do not need to exit their vehicles. Ample's compact and rapidly deployable stations are a practical solution for high-utilisation fleets in dense urban areas like Tokyo. Future expansions of this initiative may include grid services, such as renewable energy storage, to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative builds on previous collaborations, with Yamato Transport pioneering commercial EV battery swapping since 2022 and a successful pilot involving commercial delivery and battery swapping taxis in Kyoto in 2024. "Mitsubishi plans battery swapping tech for electric CVs in Tokyo" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Your CBD Store and Small Business Owners Call on Governor Abbott to Veto SB 3, Citing Devastating Economic Consequences
Sunmed™ | Your CBD Store® urges Texas Governor Greg Abbott to Veto Senate Bill 3 AUSTIN, Texas, June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunmed™ | Your CBD Store®, along with its small business hemp retailers across the state, are urging Governor Greg Abbott to veto Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) in account of depriving law-abiding small businesses the opportunity to offer Texans wellness and therapeutic products that foster the Texas economy. Unless Governor Abbott issues a veto against it, SB 3 will ban most hemp-derived cannabinoid products currently sold at over 7,500 licensed retail establishments throughout Texas. Sunmed | Your CBD Stores are owned by independent small businesses that rely on the sale of legal and wellness hemp-derived cannabinoid products to make a living and support their families. Ralph Paul, who owns a Sunmed | Your CBD Store in Keller, Texas, warns: "If SB 3 is signed into law, I'll have no choice but to shut down my businesses. This isn't just about product bans, it's about laying off employees, defaulting on leases, and losing everything we've built. We operate legally and transparently under the Texas Hemp Program. We don't deserve to be collateral damage in a political agenda." Across the state, retailers are bracing for closures. Gary Brandt, owner of a Sunmed | Your CBD Store in Lakeway, Texas, adds: "I've invested my savings, hired local staff, and served customers who depend on our wellness products. This bill doesn't just hurt businesses, it devastates families, communities, and the state's fiscal health. We're urging Governor Abbott to veto SB 3 and stand with small businesses." According to the 2025 Economic Impact of Hemp Cannabinoid Processing and Manufacturing on Texas report by Whitney Economics, the hemp-derived cannabinoid industry is a cornerstone of the Texas economy: 53,300 Texans employed $2.1 billion in wages paid $5.5 billion in revenue generated $267 million in retail sales tax contributed $10–10.5 billion total economic impact The Whitney report underscores that this industry's influence extends beyond storefronts and into rural farming, supply chains, distribution, and manufacturing. Over 8,500 total licenses, spanning retail, wholesale, and manufacturing, will be rendered obsolete. Sunmed | Your CBD Store and its affiliate network support responsible regulation and consumer safety. However, SB 3 amounts to a prohibition and wipes out a thriving, tax-contributing industry that operates under a clear legal framework. Call to ActionWe urge all Texans to oppose SB 3. Contact Governor Abbott and request that he veto this harmful legislation: Call Governor Abbott: (512) 463-2000 Email the Governor: Contact Form Sign the Texas Hemp Business Council Petition: Sign Petition Sign the U.S. Hemp Roundtable Petition: Sign Petition Sunmed stands with small businesses and the Texas communities they serve. We believe in protecting consumer access to safe, effective hemp products and supporting the local entrepreneurs who provide them. Join us in defending our industry, our economy, and our right to choose. Contact Patrick ShatzerSunmed l Your CBD Storecustomersupport@ About Sunmed™ | Your CBD Store® Sunmed | Your CBD Store, an affiliate of Sunflora, Inc., is the largest hemp retailer in the United States and the exclusive home of award-winning, hemp-derived Sunmed products. With 260+ nationwide locations across 39 states, the brand offers a premium in-store customer experience with access to 150+ nonpharmaceutical wellness formulas, including clinically proven sleep gummies, pain relief topicals, USDA-organic oil tinctures, and CBD for pets. Through in-store education, community involvement, and groundbreaking clinical research, Sunmed strives to empower modern wellness and enhance people's lives with natural science-backed products. Learn more at View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Sunmed
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Prime Healthcare cutting 100 jobs across its Illinois facilities, months after acquiring hospitals from Ascension
Prime Healthcare, which bought eight Illinois hospitals earlier this year, is eliminating more than 100 jobs, the hospital system confirmed Monday. Prime made most of the reductions Friday, and will continue cutting other jobs through July. 'As we continue to offer and create opportunities, we are also evaluating alignment with best practices and support from our national and regional teams,' Prime said in a statement. 'Through this process, there is a small number of positions that are duplicated or not aligned with the care model and service line offerings – most of them not directly providing patient care – that will be consolidated.' None of the affected jobs are union positions, according to Prime. Prime hired 13,000 workers from Ascension when it bought the hospitals from that health system, and has created nearly 1,000 new jobs since the acquisition. The job cuts represent less than 1% of the combined 14,000 employees, according to the statement. 'Importantly, these efforts will not affect the quality of care we deliver to the communities we serve and in fact will help expand best practices from across the nation,' Prime said in the statement. 'All decisions made at our Illinois facilities are guided by our mission to improve quality, strengthen care delivery, preserve access in underserved areas and ensure long-term sustainability.' The California-based Prime bought the Illinois hospitals for more than $370 million in March. Six of the hospitals sold to Prime changed from being nonprofit hospitals to for-profit hospitals as part of the sale. Hospitals that were sold include St. Mary's Hospital in Kankakee, Holy Family Medical Center in Des Plaines, Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago, St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin, Mercy Medical Center in Aurora and St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago. The job cuts are the latest in a string of changes Prime has made since closing the deal, drawing criticism from elected officials and a nurses' union. Prime announced in April that it planned to suspend inpatient pediatric care at St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, saying at the time that the unit had been averaging less than one patient a day, while the need for other services such as advanced surgical, neurosurgical and spinal care had grown. The Illinois Nurses Association condemned the move arguing it would hurt the community, which only has one hospital. Also, Mercy Medical Center in Aurora lost its designation in April as a Level II trauma center. Prime also suspended obstetrical services at St. Mary's in Kankakee after the hospital's 'nearly sole obstetrics physician' retired, and because of low demand, Prime has said. Sen. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth sent a letter to Prime's chairman, founder and CEO Dr. Prem Reddy, in May expressing concern about those changes and asking Prime to elaborate on the reasons behind them and its future plans for the hospitals. Prime responded to that letter last week, emphasizing its mission of turning around struggling community hospitals across the country. Prime said that before it bought the hospitals in Illinois they were losing about $200 million a year. Prime said maintaining services with low patient demand is not sustainable, nor good for the quality of care. Prime also told the senators it plans to expand behavioral health care services for seniors at its Illinois facilities. In its statement Monday, Prime said it has started fulfilling a previously stated commitment to invest $250 million across the Illinois hospitals. Prime said those affected by the job cuts are invited to apply for any of the more than 900 open positions across its Illinois facilities. The job cuts were first reported by the Herald News.
