Pirates aiming for a three-peat over lowly Cambridge

CORNISH Pirates and Cambridge meet for the third time this season today with the hosts hoping to bolster their top three aspirations, while the visitors desperately need points in their bid to move off the bottom.

Cornish Pirates triumphed 64-17 away at Cambridge in the Premiership Cup in September, and followed that up with a much closer 40-33 league win at Cambridge’s Ellgia

Fields ground in January.

Cambridge have played the Pirates at the Mennaye Field just once before, when in 1998 they lost 32-13 in a Tetley’s Bitter Cup tie.

There are several changes in the Cornish Pirates line-up from the one that started in last Saturday’s 30-25 win at Hartpury.

Tom Pittman, right, is named at fly-half, Arthur Relton is selected on the wing, and Tom Georgiou will this week partner Ioan Evans in the centre.

In the forwards, Fin Richardson comes in at tighthead and Hugh Bokenham moves up into the second row.

Bokenham’s place at No.8 is taken by skipper John Stevens, who played in the 7 shirt last week, which will be worn by Will Gibson.

On the bench, and keen to make his debut for the Pirates, is Exeter Chiefs loanee back rower Hallam Chapman.

Pirates joint head coach Gavin Cattle said: “As ever, we will this weekend look to push our game on. We have created some real positive stuff with one on ones in tight scenarios, but with there still a need to work hard and progress.

“I feel we have generally been going in the right direction but ultimately need strive to keep improving, with a focus on our speed at the breakdown and, as always, maintaining a sound set piece.

“The weather also looks to be set fair, which is great news. It will hopefully enable both teams to play with expression and entertain.”

Cambridge have won at Mennaye Field before but by beating previous incumbents Mount’s Bay 28-3 in January 2009.

They make the trip off the back of a heavy defeat to London Scottish at home last weekend, where they ended up on the wrong end of 43-13 score line.

Kwaku Asiedu returns on the wing after a three-match suspension for dangerous play in a ruck, while Kieran Duffin comes in at scrum-half.

In the pack, Ben Brownlie returns at hooker and Nahum Merigan is drafted back in at No.8.

Director of rugby Richie Williams said: “There’s been a lot of soul searching from everybody who was involved last week, it’s the worst people have felt at the end of any game so we’re trying to right those wrongs.”