| Match Of The Day - Live!! | ||||
| Cornish Pirates v Rotherham CORNISH Pirates coach Jim McKay is hoping his side can serve up their own tea-time treat as they prepare to welcome Rotherham to Camborne for Sunday's televised clash at the Recreation Ground (4pm). Lights, camera and action will be the order of the day as the Pirates look to showcase their talents and their brand to a much wider audience, courtesy of the visiting Sky Sports cameras. Never before have the satellite channel headed this far West to screen a live match, the closest they have come was the recent England Saxons clash with Italy A at Sandy Park. However, the Pirates clearly intend to make sure their TV debut doesn't suffer a bout of stage fright. And as McKay readied his stars to hit the screens, the Australian yesterday predicted a "crackerjack" of a game for those wishing to watch from the comforts of their armchairs. For those who pack into the Rec, however, the live feed promises to be even more absorbing. The Cornish club insist they are going to pull out all the stops in a bid to show the world the true feeling for the game in these parts. Rotherham and Sky, please take note. Having warmed up for the game with a battling 20-8 home success over Nottingham last Sunday, McKay is calling for a similar outcome this weekend.
Only twice before have Sky screened games from English rugby's second tier. The first was when Rotherham defeated Worcester 21-9 in their promotion-winning 2002/03 season, then more recently Bristol's 68-15 trouncing of Exeter Chiefs in the 04/05 campaign. "For Sky to put a game on like this is really good, not only for us, but for all the clubs in our division," added McKay. "A lot of credit has to go to Dicky Evans for the work he has put in to help facilitate all of this. He is a real supporter of First Division Rugby and he is always trying to promote it at the highest levels. "Sunday won't just be about the Pirates, it will be about showing the support there is for the game in Cornwall. There is a real desire in our camp to go out there and really produce a big performance." The home side will be boosted by the return of Seal, McKeen and the division's top points-scorer Alberto Di Bernardo. McKay will finalise his line-up following a training run today. Pirates Team A Winnan, R McAtee, J Hylton, D Bell, D Roke, S Winn, L Vinnicombe, A Di Bernardo, J Moore, G Cattle (capt), R Wells, A Paver, G Anderson, N Makin, V Ma'asi, D Seal, S Heard, H Senekal, J Inglis, J Beardshaw, S McKeen, T Cowley, C Cracknell, I Motusaga, M Evans.
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