Packet Sport
Cornish Pirates' Tom Cooper and Matt Evans to be given starts against London Welsh
12:30pm Friday 27th January 2012
The visit of a team like London Welsh always provides an extra buzz about, and the 'Dragons' and their supporters will receive a warm welcome at the Mennaye Field on Sunday.
This is a fourth versus third clash, with the two teams quite obviously evenly matched, as was the case when they drew 17-all at Old Deer Park in October.
Many will also have fresh in their minds the memory of seeing the teams involved in a mightily tough Championship semi-final encounter played at the Mennaye Field last season, when on May Day the Pirates won a pulsating contest. With over an hour of the match gone they were staring defeat in the face with the scoreline reading 3-10, but led by Captain Cattle the Pirates made an admirable comeback to win 18-10.
The Pirates team shows a number of changes from the one that started in the cup against Nottingham last weekend. Centre Tom Cooper and wing Matt Evans come into the side in place of Sam Hill and David Doherty, who are both unavailable, and in the forwards Dave Ward takes over at hooker from young Tom Cowan-Dickie. Two other changes in the pack are both in the back-row, where flankers Kyle Marriott and Phil Burgess replace Dave Ewers and Chris Morgan.
Kick-off at the Mennaye Field on Sunday is at 2pm, and the Cornish Pirates selection is as follows:- Cornish Pirates: R. Cook, R. McAtee, A. Short, T. Cooper, M. Evans, A. Penberthy, G. Cattle (capt), B. Maidment, P. Burgess, K. Marriott, I. Nimmo, L. McGlone, R. Brits, D. Ward, C. Rimmer.
Replacements: A. Paver, T. Cowan-Dickie, M. Smith, M. Myerscough, T. Kessell, C. Thomas, G. Pointer.