Cornish Pirates

Cornish Pirates v Otley At Camborne -Sun 3rd September Kick off 2pm

Admission £12 for adults and £5 for children

CORNISH Pirates coach Jim McKay has called on the people of Cornwall to embrace his side as they look to fulfil their dream of bringing top-flight rugby to the county.

Having upped sticks for a second successive season, this year the Pirates have set-up base at Camborne's Recreation Ground, McKay is looking for his new-look squad to build-on last season's best-ever league finish and push for the Premiership this term. The Australian knows such a feat will be tough, particularly as the standard of National League One is rising each year, but he is confident the personnel he has in place, plus the support of the Duchy's rugby-mad public could prove key ingredients in their quest for glory. "I don't feel we're just representing the Pirates, I feel we're representing Cornwall ," said McKay yesterday.

"This is a great opportunity for us to really make our mark and stick our heads above the parapet. After last season this is our chance to really push for something and we want the people of Cornwall to get behind us and support us."

Certainly McKay believes the club's move to Camborne will be beneficial, he added: "We're right in the hotbed of Cornish rugby. Unlike Kenwyn, this is a real rugby club and it has that rugby club feel about the place."

With Otley the first league visitors to the Rec this Sunday (2pm), McKay will not have to wait long to test out his new theory.

Last season the Pirates - who finished third behind champions Harlequins and Bedford - completed a league double over the Yorkshire outfit, winning 39-22 at Kenwyn, then recording a 13-7 win at Cross Green back in April.

A similar outcome this weekend will certainly satisfy McKay, who hands debuts to summer signings Jon Hylton, Henry Barratt, Duncan Bell, Alberto Di Bernardo and Stan McKeen. Fellow newcomers Sam Heard, Scott Hobson, James Moore and Lewis Vinnicombe are named on the bench.

All of them have featured in the Pirates' build-up to the new season which, according to the coach, has been good. He said: "We've brought in a lot of new faces, but I'm pleased with the way things have come together. I've had a lot of good support from Mark [Hewitt], Adrian [Edwards], Simon [Raynes], Robin [Cowling] and Tom [Bradley] - they've taken some of the workload, which has really helped.

"Everyone has trained very well over the last couple of months, but the real test comes on Sunday. Last season was good, but it's gone now. Everybody has a clean sheet of paper and we're all starting again. Otley are a very good side, they are well coached, and they will be a very tough proposition first up."

Last season the visitors held Bedford to a 16-16 draw on the opening day, before coming within a whisker of defeating Harlequins a week later at Cross Green.

"They really frightened Quins' last season and they did the same to Worcester two years ago," added McKay. "They have a great nine and ten in Andy Brown and Simon Binns, while people like Rob Whatmuff and Ian Shuttleworth are really dangerous players if you give them room to work in. But it's not all about their back line, though, their pack is also pretty renowned and we have to show them great respect."

Pirates
D Roke; J Hylton, H Barratt, D Bell , R McAtee; A Di Bernardo, G Cattle (capt); A Paver, V Ma'asi, D Seal; H Senekal, J Beardshaw; S McKeen , S Betty, M Evans.

Duncan Roke	Jonny Hylton	Henry Barratt	Duncan Bell	Rhodri McAtee
Alberto Di Bernardo	Gavin Cattle (Capt)	Alan Paver	Viliami Ma’asi	Dan Seal
Heino Senekal4	Joe Beardshaw	Stan McKeen8	Sam Betty	Matt Evans

Replacements: S Heard, O Hambly, S Hobson , I Motusaga, J Moore, L Vinnicombe, AN Other.

Sam Heard	Owen Hambly	Iva Motusaga	James Moore	Lewis Vinnicombe

Otley:
I Shuttleworth (capt); D Smith, K Dench, R Whatmuff, S Parsons; S Binns , A Brown; A Livesey, B Steele,
B Fear; D Whitehead, P Williams; M Stockdale, D Hyde, M Maifea.

Replacements: D Sayers, A Walker, J Tiffany, N Bland, P Mooney, X Andre, A Monks.