Focus for The Pirates is to Bounce Back

Next up for the Cornish Pirates is a third versus seventh in the Greene King IPA Championship contest at home to Doncaster Knights on Sunday (ko 2.30pm).

In welcoming their Yorkshire opponents, the third-placed Pirates will be keen to bounce back from last Saturday’s narrow defeat away to Coventry, however they will rightly once again take nothing for granted.

The Pirates were comfortable 44-25 winners when the teams met at Castle Park back in October, but since then the respected Knights have performed well and climbed to seventh in the league table.

Changes for the Pirates this week include a return on the wing for AJ Cant and there a fresh pair of starting props in Hayden King and Jay Tyack. Josh Caulfield, who was unavailable last week because of Exeter Chiefs commitments, is named in the backrow.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Round 12 contest, coach Gavin Cattle has commented:

Looking back to last week we were disappointed and frustrated with the outcome at Coventry. The level of performance was ultimately not what we hoped for or expected, thus the focus for us this week is to bounce back.

Doncaster’s is an established Championship team, which is renowned for a strong set piece. They have a big pack, so we’re going to have to nullify the threat, get a foothold in the game and endeavour to impose our tempo to hopefully have a better day than last weekend