Cornish Pirates Keen to Get Back on Track

It is Round 8 in the Greene King IPA Championship this weekend, with the third-placed Cornish Pirates primed to welcome fourth-placed Bedford Blues to the Mennaye Field on Sunday (ko 2.30pm).

Changes in the Cornish Pirates side from the team that lost away to Jersey Reds last weekend sees Harry Strong and Dan Koster named as the centre pairing. They replace Callum Patterson and Rory Parata who have been ever-present performers this season.

Selected in the Flying Fijians squad for their forthcoming autumn tour of Europe, hooker Sam Matavesi returns to a front-row that also this week includes prop Jack Owlett in the starting line-up. In the back-row, James McRae is selected at blind-side flanker.

Among the replacements, having recovered from an injury suffered in pre-season, Argentine international Javier Rojas Alvarez is poised to make his debut off the bench.

Cornish Pirates co-coach Gavin Cattle, keen for his team to get back on track, has commented:

After a frustrating and no excuses performance against Jersey Reds, our motivated, hungry and united group is keen to re-focus and get back to where we were.

Offering contrasting styles to last week the Blues like to keep the ball on the pitch, as do we, so it promises to be an entertaining game.

The match is always one we look forward to, a good challenge played in the right spirit, and back down at the Mennaye it provides us with a chance to get back on track as quick as we can.