THE Cornish Pirates will be looking to return to winning ways at the first attempt when they play host to lowly Cambridge in the Championship at the Mennaye Field on Sunday (2.30pm).
Although undone at Bedford Blues last time out, the Pirates will be hoping a return to home comforts will provide the necessary spark for them to overcome their visitors who, back in October, won the corresponding fixture 29-22.
That was one of just three victories all season for the division’s basement club, while the Pirates were victorious on their last home outing, defeating London Scottish to claim their seventh league victory.
Ahead of kick-off in Penzance, the hosts are forced into changes. Wing Arthur Relton and hooker Sol Moody were both injured against the Blues at Goldington Road, so their places are filled respectively by fit-again Robin Wedlake and Harry Hocking.
In the second-row, Charlie Rice is selected to play alongside Josh King, with Alfie Bell this week named on a bench, which also includes Michael Etete, ready to make his first appearance for the Cornish Pirates in the Championship, plus a fresh face in Exeter Chiefs’ scrum-half Will Becconsall.
The 22-year-old Cornishman, who joins on loan, started his career as a youngster at Falmouth and is a nephew of Garry Becconsall, formerly of Leicester Tigers and the Pirates.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s contest, Cornish Pirates’ coach Joe Walsh said: “After last Saturdays’ game at Bedford we were disappointed with most areas of our performance, and we have had some pretty honest reflections since.
“We will be looking for a reaction this week to set the record straight and to show that we are a better team overall than what was witnessed both last week and, of course, when we lost to Cambridge away earlier in the season.
“Improvement will be sought generally around our set-piece, our defence and in the collision area which, if we can achieve the sought after result, would obviously boost our confidence and enable us to hopefully progress and carry that momentum forward.”
CORNISH PIRATES: Will Trewin; Robin Wedlake, Charlie McCaig, Chester Ribbons, Matt McNab; Bruce Houston, Dan Hiscocks; Billy Young, Harry Hocking, Jay Tyack; Josh King, Charlie Rice; Matt Cannon, Alex Everett (captain), Tomiwa Agbongbon. Replacements: Dylan Irvine, James French, Ollie Andrews, Alfie Bell, Michael Etete, Will Becconsall, Iwan Jenkins, Harry Yates.