Western Morning News (Saturday)
Pirates up for final home game
THE Cornish Pirates run out at the Mennaye Field for the final time this season when they host Hartpury in the penultimate fixture of their Greene King IPA Championship campaign today (ko 3.30pm).
Ninth placed Hartpury have won two and lost five of their seven matches played to date, while the Pirates, sitting in fourth place, have won five and lost three.
The Pirates’ line-up sees several changes from team that won at Coventry last time out. In the backs, with a fit-again Maliq Holden returning on the wing, Will Butler reverts to inside centre. After several appearances off the bench, Jean-Baptist Bruzulier returns to the starting lineup at scrum half.
Among the forwards, Hayden King is set to wear the number ‘1’ shirt, while Tom Cowan-Dickie, who has made three appearances as a replacement since recovering from injury, will make his first start of the season. The pack’s back five remain the same.
Speaking ahead of today’s encounter, Pirates’ joint head coach Gavin Cattle said: “Since our win at Coventry, when the team displayed quite considerable character, the boys enjoyed just a few days off.
“Our focus in training had gone up a level and, on their return, they again hit the ground running and are hungry to do well.
“We still have certain players unavailable because of injury, but there is an internal pressure for us to continue to perform and that will be the aim in our last two games.”
Continuing Covid restrictions again means spectators cannot attend the game, but the fixture is being live streamed on a pay-perview basis. ‘Tickets’ for the match, priced at £10, can be purchased at www.championshiprugby.co.uk/ live-streams
Cornish Pirates: 15 Tommy Wyatt, 14 Alex O’Meara, 13 Rory Parata, 12 Will Butler, 11 Maliq Holden, 10 Arwel Robson, 9 JeanBaptist Bruzulier; 1 Hayden King, 2 Tom Cowan-Dickie, 3 Jay Tyack, 4 Josh Caulfield, 5 Danny Cutmore, 6 Matt Bolwell, 7 Antonio Kiri Kiri, 8 Tom Duncan (captain). Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Marlen Walker, 18 Sam Rodman, 19 Fa’atiga Lemalu, 20 Paddy Ryan, 21 Rhodri Davies, 22 Will Cargill, 23 Shae Tucker.