Expect another Mennaye thriller

PIRATES coach Alan Paver knows it will come down to fine margins again today against high-flying Bedford.

Matches between the Pirates and the Blues are invariably high-scoring and entertaining affairs – their last meeting at the end of April ended 40-40 at the Mennaye Field.

Blues have moved up to third in the table following an impressive November in which they defeated Nottingham and Hartpury, and drew away at Doncaster.

Pirates are now seventh after wins over Hartpury and Richmond, and Paver said: “Bedford are going superbly well with a sprinkling of talented and experienced players adding to their squad tremendously.

“Both teams are, I feel, evenly matched and not too dissimilar. They are an expansive side who like to play, plus they’ve got speed across the backline, but so have we. I think it will come down to small aspects determining a win or loss.”

Wing Nicolas Coronel gets his first Championship start while Tom Lawday and Josh Caulfiel- return to the forwards.

Former England U18 hooker Dan Frost starts after arriving on loan from Taunton.

Bedford change four, with Michael Le Bourgeois and Dean Adamson returning to the backs and Sean McCarthy and George Edgson to the front row.

Player-coach Lee Dickson said: “Our accuracy let us down once or twice in Hartpury’s 22 but overall it was a very good controlled performance.

“Our aim is to improve our away form and deliver to the same level on the road. Pirates, after a slow start, have started to pick up some significant wins so we’ll need to bring plenty on the day.”