Following trips to Yorkshire Carnegie and to Coventry, the Cornish Pirates will this Sunday end the month with a welcome home match against Hartpury RFC, writes Phil Westren.

Their first at the Mennaye Field in 2019, the kick-off is at 2.30pm.

For this 5th versus 12th clash in Round 13 of the Greene King IPA Championship, the Cornish Pirates will take nothing for granted against opponents who at present prop up the league table.

Although the Pirates starting backs are the same as featured at Coventry last weekend, there are though several changes in the forwards. Selected in the back-row are flankers Matt Bolwell and Dan Lee, plus No. 8 James McRae. Danny Cutmore will partner skipper Brett Beukeboom in the second-row and Tom Concu is named at tight-head prop. As announced earlier this week the Pirates were delighted to welcome back prop Christian Judge from his loan spell at Saracens, however he has since picked up and injury in training and is not available to play this weekend.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s contest, Cornish Pirates’ co-coach Gavin Cattle said: “This weekend’s game is between to two sides desperate to win - our opponents in a search of league points and for ‘us’ because we have been below par the past couple of matches.

“The boys have been through the mill this week and having prepped best can they now have to transfer that onto the pitch. It is something we haven’t done these past couple of games so we’re hanging on that disappointment and want to put things right.”

The Cornish Pirates full selection for Sunday is as follows:

Cornish Pirates: 15 Kyle Moyle, 14 Alex O’Meara, 13 Rory Parata, 12 Callum Patterson, 11 Robin Wedlake, 10 Javier Rojas Alvarez, 9 Alex Day; 1 Marlen Walker, 2 Sam Matavesi, 3 Tom Concu, 4 Danny Cutmore, 5 Brett Beukeboom (c), 6 Dan Lee, 7 Matt Bolwell, 8 James McRae.

Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Jack Andrew, 18 Toby Freeman, 19 Jake Clemson, 20 Alex Schwarz, 21 Dan Koster, 22 Matt Evans.

Referee: Tom Foley (RFU)

Assistants: Peter Brunt & Philip Watters

Official 4: James Milliner-Woodcock

Assessor: Sam Collins

Match Day Sponsor: Vospers

Match Ball Sponsor: Mounts Bay Laundry

Match Day Collection: By Bolingey Barbarians – For Youth Charities in Cornwall

Tickets for the game will be available at the gates on the day (open 12.30pm), whilst they can also be purchased online. For further information please visit: www.cornish-pirates.com/tickets

  • Cornwall’s ‘Tick Box Bus’ will also be rockin’ up to the match on Sunday.

Kitted out with a Cornish Embassy upstairs and a beer tasting pub (Ticky’s Tavern) downstairs, one and all are invited onboard to take the Cornish Citizenship Test, get their Cornish passport and enjoy a few tasty samples of great Cornish beer, which include a range of St. Austell Ales. Soft drink alternatives will also be available.

The Tick Box Bus is a friendly and open space to discuss Cornish identity, and to raise awareness of Cornwall’s ‘national minority’ status and the ongoing campaign for a Cornish tick box on the 2021 census. The bus will be in the main car park from midday on Sunday, so along with certain Cornish Pirates players pop aboard either before or after the match!