Pirates must be at their best against bottom side Nottingham

CORNISH Pirates face winless bottom side Nottingham today in Round 6 of the Greene King IPA Championship (kick-off 12.30pm).

Losing their four games played to date, Nottingham presently lie at the foot of the league table. However, the Pirates will be aware that, other than a hefty opening match defeat against Ealing Trailfinders, results for the Green & Whites have since been closer.

The Pirates make several changes to their starting line-up as a result of injuries and a wish to rotate the squad and rest certain players.

In the pack, Hayden King is selected at loose-head prop for his first league game in the campaign, Josh Caulfield moves up into the second row to partner Danny Cutmore, and John Stevens and Matt Bolwell form the flanker pairing.

In the backs, Will Cargill starts at ‘10’ and, with Shae Tucker picking up an injury, Tommy Wyatt will partner Rory Parata in the centre – Rory changing to the inside berth. AJ Cant is named at full-back and Harry Davey slots in on the left wing for what will be his first Championship appearance of the season.

On the bench, another player keen to make his first league outing in the present campaign is a fit again Tom Cowan-Dickie, while a new face is that of centre Will Butler, who has arrived on loan from Worcester Warriors.

Speaking ahead of today’s contest, Cornish Pirates’ joint head coach Alan Paver has said: “Naturally keen to right a lot of wrongs that we have seen over the past couple of weeks, at the same time we know it is going to take a real effort if we are to go up there and get a win, as Nottingham are traditionally always strong at home.”

“Our need and aim will be to put our best foot forward otherwise, as we have seen in the past, you can be tripped up pretty easily.”

Cornish Pirates XV: 15 AJ Cant, 14 Robin Wedlake, 13 Tommy Wyatt, 12 Rory Parata, 11 Harry Davey, 10 Will Cargill, 9 Alex Schwarz; 1 Hayden King, 2 Dan Frost, 3 Jay Tyack, 4 Josh Caulfield, 5 Danny Cutmore, 6 Matt Bolwell, 7 John Stevens, 8 Tom Duncan (captain).

Replacements: 16 Tom Cowan-Dickie, 17 Jack Andrew, 18 Sam Rodman, 19 Fa’atiga Lemalu, 20 Paddy Ryan, 21 Jean-Baptist Bruzulier, 22 Harry Bazalgette, 23 Will Butler.

■ The fixture is being live streamed on a pay-per-view basis, priced at £10. To watch, visit www.championshiprugby.co.uk/ live-streams