Next up for the Cornish Pirates is a Championship Round 15 home game this Sunday against Cambridge at the Mennaye Field (ko 2.30pm).

Despite the visitors being presently the basement side in the Championship, nothing will be taken for granted against the ‘Blood & Sand’ (as Cambridge are nicknamed), remembering that the Pirates lost 29-22 in the away fixture played back in October.

One thing appearing favourable ahead of the Round 15 encounter is a good weather forecast for an afternoon when there should be no lack of atmosphere, or entertainment, as the sixth-placed Pirates seek to acquire points that will give them a chance of climbing up the league table.

There are three changes in the starting line-up from the one that ran out at Bedford last weekend. Wing Arthur Relton and hooker Sol Moody were injured in that match, so their places are filled respectively by fit again Robin Wedlake and Harry Hocking. In the second-row Charlie Rice is selected to play alongside Josh King, with Alfie Bell this week named on a bench which also includes Michael Etete, ready to make his first appearance for the Cornish Pirates in the Championship, and a fresh face in Exeter Chiefs’ scrum half Will Becconsall. Arriving at the Mennaye Field on loan, 22-year-old Cornishman Will started his career as a youngster at Falmouth and is a nephew of Garry Becconsall, formerly of Leicester Tigers, who made a dozen appearances for Penzance & Newlyn RFC back in 2002/03.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s contest, Cornish Pirates’ coach Joe Walsh said:

“After last Saturdays’ game at Bedford we were disappointed with most areas of our performance, and we have had some pretty honest reflections since.

“We will be looking for a reaction this week to set the record straight and to show that we are a better team overall than what was witnessed both last week and, of course, when we lost to Cambridge away earlier in the season.

“Improvement will be sought generally in our set piece, in defence, and in the collision area, and if we can achieve the sought after result then that would obviously boost our confidence and enable us to hopefully progress and carry that momentum forward.”

The Cornish Pirates full selection is as follows:

Cornish Pirates:   15 Will Trewin 14 Robin Wedlake 13 Charlie McCaig 12 Chester Ribbons `11 Matt McNab 10 Bruce Houston 9 Dan Hiscocks; 1 Billy Young 2 Harry Hocking 3 Jay Tyack 4 Josh King 5 Charlie Rice 6 Matt Cannon 7 Alex Everett (captain) 8 Tomiwa Agbongbon.

Replacements:   16 Dylan Irvine 17 James French 18 Ollie Andrews 19 Alfie Bell 20 Michael Etete 21 Will Becconsall 22 Iwan Jenkins 23 Harry Yates.

Referee:   Mike Hudson

Assistants:   Andy Wigley & Kevin Williams

Official 4:   Paul Box

Match Day Sponsor:   Varfell Farms

Match Ball Sponsor:   Cornish Chillies

Match Day Collection:   The Chy Sawel Project