Rotherham v Pirates

Rotherham v Pirates
Saturday November 11th 2006 - Kick Off 2pm

IT may have been a change of scenery for the Cornish Pirates this week, but according to influential skipper Gavin Cattle, match-day focus remains as spot-on as ever.

	Having decided to base themselves in the depths of Sherwood Forest following last Sunday's away win at Nottingham, the Pirates will head for Rotherham tomorrow not only buoyed by that sixth consecutive league win, but fully-charged after a strong week working on the training pitch. "It's been a bit different to normal, but the boys are really looking forward to Saturday," said Cattle ahead of tomorrow's top-of-the-table tussle with the Earth Titans (2pm). "By staying up here we've been able to cut out a lot of the travelling time, as well as prepare for the game like we would have normally," said the Welshman. "It's been pretty relaxed, really, we've tried to keep it as normal as possible, but come Saturday we'll all be tuned in for the game and hopefully we can get the right result."
Capt Gavin Cattle

Certainly the Pirates will head into the game as the division's in-form outfit. Since losing narrowly at Leeds back in late September, Jim McKay's side have gone on a six-match winning streak.

It's a run which has lifted the Cornish club to second in the table, just a solitary point behind the Titans, who last week went down 14-11 at Plymouth Albion. Although had the Pirates picked up a bonus point at Nottingham, they would have headed into tomorrow's match as the league leaders.

"There were good and bad parts to the Nottingham game," conceded Cattle. "Of course we were happy to have got the win and the four points, but when we looked back at the chances we had in the game, we probably should have got the bonus as well.

"There were a few errors that crept into our game and perhaps with a bit more composure we could have got those other two tries. That said, we lost up there last year, so to win this time round shows the strides we've made as a team this season."

	It was a point echoed by coach McKay, who added: "Nottingham are a very good side and of course we were very happy to get the win. The disappointing thing was, when we had them on the ropes, we weren't able to deliver that knockout blow." The Aussie hopes his side have learnt from that experience and that they are able to deal with a Titans side, whom he watched at first hand last weekend. "They are a very good side," said McKay. "They are well balanced, they throw the ball around a bit and they are very good as a counter-attacking side. Like us, they've scored a lot of points this season, so it should be a good game on Saturday. "Our focus, though, will be more on ourselves, not on them. We're a good side and whatever 22 we put out, it will be very strong. We've had a very good week and the boys are really up for it."
Coach Jim McKay

Part of the preparation for tomorrow's clash has seen the Pirates using the facilities at Mansfield Rugby Club. McKay added: "They have been great. The facilities were very good and it's meant we've been able to get in some good work ahead of the game."

As yet McKay has yet to finalise his match-day 22, although Duncan Bell (unavailable) and Heino Senekal (international duty) are definite non-starters for the visitors. He said: "We've got one or two bumps and bruises in the camp, so we'll finalise things nearer the time."

Senekal, meanwhile, will be on international duty for Namibia tomorrow when they face Morocco in the second leg of a World Cup qualifier in Casablanca. Nambia won the first leg in Windhoek 25-7.

Pirates (from): A Winnan, J Hylton, R McAtee, H Barratt, D Roke, S Winn, L Vinnicombe, J Moore, A Di Bernardo, G Cattle (capt), G Anderson, A Paver, V Ma'asi, O Hambly, N Makin, S Heard, J Inglis,

J Beardshaw, S Hobson, T Cowley, S Betty, C Cracknell, S McKeen, I Motusaga, M Evans.

Adryan Winnan	Jonny Hylton	Rhodri McAtee	Henry Barratt	Duncan Roke
Steve Winn	Lewis Vinnicombe	James Moore	Alberto Di Bernardo	Gavin Cattle (Capt)
Grant Anderson	Alan Paver	Viliami Ma’asi	Owen Hambly	Nick Makin
Sam Heard	James Inglis	Joe Beardshaw	Scott Hobson	Tim Cowley
Sam Betty	Chris Cracknell	Stan McKeen	Iva Motusaga	Matt Evans