After A Week Off – The Pirates Are ‘Ready to Go’

This Sunday will see Bedford Blues make a quick return to the Mennaye Field, Penzance, where three weeks previously they were narrow 30-29 victors in the Greene King IPA Championship.

An exciting contest is again expected, this time in the new Championship Cup competition, and on a day when 100 years since the end of WW1 is to be commemorated.

In the absence of Cornish Pirates’ skipper Brett Beukeboom, who is one of four players away on international duty, Tom Duncan will captain a side that includes a fit again Dan Lee. The back-rower will be making his first appearance of the season, whilst also selected at full-back is Maliq Holden who will be keen to make a first competitive match appearance in a Pirates shirt. Player-coach Chris Morgan is named on the bench.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s opening Cup match encounter, when in the new Championship Cup a tackle height trial is being introduced, Cornish Pirates’ co-coach Gavin Cattle has commented:

After a week off we are ready to go for the start of our Cup campaign, with an opportunity for us to see certain players who have trained extremely well and now have a chance to show of themselves.

With reference to the tackle height trial it’s basically an aim to stop the head on head collisions, the directive instigated in the interests of player welfare. For the coaches it does provide a challenge, changing players usual behaviour in a week, but it is something we have been working on and is also both exciting and interesting.

We expect the trial will lead to a lot more one on one tackling and provide more of a contest at the breakdown. From an attacking perspective the offloads will be more prominent and will also of course be a challenge for the referees.

At this stage of the season a Cup competition is good, as nowadays you can’t play the same league team every week. It’s crucial that other boys in the squad get involved, and be given an opportunity to put their hands up.

The Cornish Pirates fixture against Bedford Blues is a group match in the new Championship Cup competition. Cup matches are ‘All Pay’, with entry for those who purchase their tickets in advance being just £10, sit or stand anywhere on a first come first served basis. Entry on the day will be £15 and £1 for children under 16.

For this year’s Remembrance Sunday there is also a special discount admission price for personnel serving in the Armed Forces, the Fire and Ambulance Services, the Police, plus Doctors, Nurses, the RNLI and the Coastguard Service.

Admission to individuals wearing their uniform and/or displaying their ‘ID’ card, can on the day purchase a £5 terrace ticket via Gate 4, which is situated in the clubhouse corner of the ground.

For awareness, the gates at the Mennaye Field will be open at 12.30pm and just ahead of the 2.30pm kick-off there will be a minute’s silence. There will also collection on the day for the Royal British Legion.