Western Morning News (Saturday)
Cornish Pirates hoping to create a bit of history
CORNISH Pirates play their final home Championship league game of the season today, in what will be a third versus eighth contest against Ampthill.
The match for the Cornish Pirates (KO 2pm) will form part of a unique double-header.
The team is unbeaten at home in the Championship league this season, while the Pirates Amateurs, who in their final home game in the Tribute Cornwall & Devon league will face North Tawton (KO 3.45pm), are also similarly unbeaten. For each, should they emerge victorious, it would be a congratulatory first such achievement.
Against a team that the Pirates cannot take lightly, remembering that their last defeat at home in the league was against Ampthill last April, the Pirates have made four changes to their starting XV from the one that ran out at Ealing last weekend.
Selected at loose-head prop is Garyn Phillips, who will make his first start on loan from Welsh Pro 14 side Ospreys, while a young secondrow pairing combines Cory Teague and Lewis Pearson. There is just the one change in the backs, where the experienced Tom Kessell will wear the ‘9’ shirt.
Speaking ahead the encounter, Cornish Pirates’ joint head coach Gavin Cattle said: “Hoping to bounce back from last weekend, this game on Saturday is very important as it enables us to create our own bit of history.
“Ampthill, though, are a tricky team, especially set-piece wise, and they will be striving for win to move up a place or two in the table.
“However, our boys have trained well, and if we can achieve a victory to become the first Cornish Pirates side to stay unbeaten at home in the league during a season it would be pretty special.”
Gavin added: “Our home form is something we are very proud of, helped in part by our fantastic crowd of supporters.
“After Covid denied them supporting us ‘live’ last season it was great to welcome them back, and in growing numbers.”
Cornish Pirates: 15 Carwyn Penny, 14 Robin Wedlake, 13 Tommy Wyatt, 12 Joe Elderkin, 11 AJ Cant, 10 Arwel Robson, 9 Tom Kessell, 1 Garyn Phillips, 2 Tom Channon, 3 Alfie Petch, 4 Cory Teague, 5 Lewis Pearson, 6 Matt Bolwell, 7 Antonio Kiri Kiri, 8 Tom Duncan (captain). Replacements: 16 Syd Blackmore, 17 Marlen Walker, 18 Jack Andrew, 19 Josh Caulfield, 20 John Stevens, 211 Ruaridh Dawson, 22 Harry Bazalgette, 23 Shae Tucker.