Pirates to Seek Another High Level of Performance

This Saturday will see the Cornish Pirates travel to Doncaster Knights for a Round 2 match in the Greene King IPA Championship (ko 2.30pm).

The Knights, under their experienced Director of Rugby Clive Griffiths, won their competition opener 20-8 away to Hartpury RFC and after finishing tenth in the Championship last season will be looking for an improved campaign in 2019/20.

The Travelling Pirates have emerged victorious on their last three league visits to Castle Park, including an excellent 46-19 win there at the end of last season, so the trend is one that they will naturally be keen to maintain.

Hooker Tom Cowan-Dickie will be making his 50th appearance for the Cornish Pirates, the starting XV showing only one change from the team that won well, 30-10, at home to Ealing Trailfinders on Sunday.

Loose-head prop Marlen Walker takes the place of Jack Andrew, who for Saturday’s encounter is selected on what is also an otherwise unchanged bench.

Looking forward to this weekend’s fixture, Director of Rugby Chris Stirling has commented:

Doncaster have a big, tough and physical team who will come around the corner hard at us and test our set piece.

Against Ealing Trailfinders it was a great start in terms of performance, so for this weekend our aim is to achieve a high level once more.

Chris added:

Conversations around selection with our coaches have been outstanding, and in a good space at present there is both depth in positions and competition for places.