Pirates Expect a Really Good Test Against the Falcons

Next up for the Cornish Pirates is a Round 13 match in the Greene King IPA Championship away to unbeaten league leaders Newcastle Falcons on Sunday (ko 3pm).

For the present third-placed Pirates, it will be a second visit to Kingston Park, the teams having first met there in February 2013 when the Falcons emerged comfortable 50-3 points winners. Missing several influential senior players through injury added to the difficulty of the task on that occasion, but despite the result the commitment displayed could not be faulted.

The last time the teams faced each other was, of course, at the Mennaye Field in October, when at the end of a fairly closely fought affair the Falcons returned home with a 18-9 points victory under their wings.

The starting XV selected by the Pirates for this weekend’s encounter shows just two changes in the line-up from the one that ran out against Doncaster Knights on Sunday, with Jack Andrew and Craig Mitchell named as the propping pair.

Speaking ahead of the game, Cornish Pirates’ Director of Rugby Chris Stirling has commented:

The Falcons have a team that can roll along to get results, plus one that can step up further when it is felt needed, which is the one we expect to face on Sunday.

This fixture will be a really good test for us, showing where we are and indicating where we can be. We are looking forward to it.