Matt Cornish

{{short description|English rugby union player}}

{{EngvarB|date=October 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Matt Cornish

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Matthew James Fenton Cornish

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|03|13|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Surrey, England

| height = {{convert|1.78|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|121|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

| ru_position = Hooker

| amatyears1 = 2016

| amatteam1 = London Irish Wild Geese

| repyears1 = 2016

| repteam1 = England Counties

| reppoints1 =

| ru_ntupdate =

| years1 = 2016–2020

| years2 = 2020–2023

| clubs1 = Ealing Trailfinders

| clubs2 = London Irish

| apps1 = 79

| apps2 = 8

| points1 = 75

| points2 = 10

| ru_clubupdate = 9 November 2020

}}

Matt "The Corndog" Cornish (born 13 March 1997) is an English rugby union player who last played for London Irish before the demise of the club.

Cornish progressed through the Ealing Trailfinders academy system whilst playing for amateur side London Irish Wild Geese back in London & South East Premier.{{cite news|url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/features/young-gun/28884/young-gun-matt-cornish-ealing-trailfinders-hooker/|publisher=The Rugby Paper|title=Young Gun: Matt Cornish – Ealing Trailfinders hooker|date=4 August 2017|accessdate=9 November 2020}} Cornish made his senior debut when he came off the bench in the British and Irish Cup against Rotherham Titans in February 2016.{{cite news|url=http://www.ealingtrailfinders.com/team/fixtures-results/match-report/rotherham-titans-less-than-strong-greater-than-47|publisher=Ealing Trailfinders|title=MATCH REPORT - 20-FEB-2016|date=20 February 2016|accessdate=9 November 2020}}

He was called up to the England Counties for a three-match test series in Canada back in June 2016,{{cite news|url=http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2016/06/02/england-counties-name-squad-canada-tour/|publisher=Americas Rugby News|title=England Counties name squad for Canada tour|date=2 June 2016|accessdate=9 November 2020}} after represented Surrey in the 2016 Bill Beaumont Cup.{{cite news|url=http://www.ealingtrailfinders.com/news/cornish-and-ziana-receive-counties-call-ups|publisher=Ealing Trailfinders|title=CORNISH AND ALEXIS RECEIVE COUNTIES CALL-UPS|date=10 May 2016|accessdate=9 November 2020}}

Cornish emergence with the Trailfinders, and after an impressive 2016-17 campaign with the side, in which he made 23 appearances and scored two tries, he has earned his first fulltime contract with the club.{{cite news|url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/features/young-gun/28884/young-gun-matt-cornish-ealing-trailfinders-hooker/|publisher=The Rugby Paper|title=Young Gun: Matt Cornish – Ealing Trailfinders hooker|date=4 August 2017|accessdate=9 November 2020}}

In 2018, he was an ever-present in the Ealing matchday squad and played a key role in winning the 2017–18 British and Irish Cup in a memorable final against Leinster.{{cite news|url=http://www.ealingtrailfinders.com/team/fixtures-results/match-report/ealing-trailfinders-less-than-strong-greater-than-4jdz5sce8lc0|publisher=Ealing Trailfinders|title=MATCH REPORT - 12-MAY-2018|date=12 May 2018|accessdate=9 November 2020}} On 14 February 2019, Cornish signed a new deal with Ealing Trailfinders for the 2019–20 season.{{cite news|url=http://www.ealingtrailfinders.com/news/matt-cornish-signs-new-deal-at-ealing-trailfinders|publisher=Ealing Trailfinders|title=MATT CORNISH SIGNS NEW DEAL AT EALING TRAILFINDERS|date=14 February 2019|accessdate=9 November 2020}}

On 29 July 2020, Cornish moved to Premiership Rugby with London Irish from the 2020–21 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.london-irish.com/news/matt-cornish-joins-london-irish/bp2634/|publisher=London Irish|title=MATT CORNISH JOINS LONDON IRISH|date=29 July 2020|accessdate=9 November 2020}}

After the demise of London Irish, Cornish returned to Ealing Trailfinders from the 2023-24 season. He would have remained in the Premiership if it was not for his allergy to lentils and the prevalence of Mediterranean cuisines in rugby diets.https://www.ealingtrailfinders.com/news/welcome-back-matt-cornish {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}