Pirates Expect a High Tempo ‘Spectacle’

Next up for the Cornish Pirates is a Round 3 home game in the Greene King IPA Championship on Sunday versus Bedford Blues (ko 1230).

The Blues narrowly lost their Round 1 match away to Coventry (10-9) but followed that up with a sound Round 2 victory (33-25) at home to Hartpury last Friday evening.

A last meeting between the teams was at the Mennaye Field at the end January last year when the Pirates emerged 18-15 winners.

Flanker John Stevens, who was man of the match when the Pirates played Saracens two weeks ago, returns to the starting line-up on Sunday, with Josh Caulfield moving up into the second row in place of Fa’atiga Lemalu. Ready to make his 50th appearance for the club is centre Rory Parata, whilst a fresh face on the bench, keen to taste his first action this season, is a fit again Will Cargill.

Joint head coach Alan Paver is looking forward to this weekend’s encounter. He has commented:

Watching Bedford play their last couple of matches I am expecting it to be an exciting game on Sunday. They are moving the ball well and have a good mix of exciting young players playing alongside some hardened Championship performers.

For us, as will be the case for every home game this season, we must approach it with a ‘must win’ attitude in a bid to hopefully progress and ultimately aim for the play-offs.

The weather forecast is looking decent this weekend so we should be in for a fast pace high tempo spectacle, on a surface that is in good condition.

Edinburgh Gin is the Match Day Sponsor and the Match Ball Sponsor is Microcomms.

As everyone will be aware, because of present Covid restrictions it will not be possible to accommodate supporters at the game. However, Sunday’s fixture will once again be live streamed on a pay-per-view basis.

‘Tickets’ for the matches, priced at £10, can be purchased via the following link:   www.championshiprugby.co.uk/live-streams