For
Cornish rugby supporters, the main west country rugby trail this weekend will
lead across the River Tamar to the Brickfields, home of Plymouth Albion, where
another keenly fought 'derby' encounter is to be expected. It's
eighth versus seventh in the league, with both sides going into the game on the
back of encouraging wins last weekend. Indeed, the home team will be looking to
make it five home league wins on the trot, which is something that the record
books indicate is within their grasp. The teams have met
six times at the Brickfields, with the Pirates winning just once, and that a narrow
26-23 points victory back in December, 2005. For Saturday,
the Cornish Pirates team welcomes back Ed Fairhurst at scrum-half, him having
returned to Cornwall after playing in recent autumn internationals for Canada.
He takes over the number nine shirt from Jimmy Moore, who
moves out to the wing in place of Aisea Havili, whilst other changes from the
team that started against Sedgley Park last Sunday sees Steve Winn picked at inside
centre and Alan Paver at prop, them swapping places with Tom Luke and Peter Cook
who are named on the bench. In the back-row, Chris Morgan
is recalled in the absence of flanker Iva Motusaga who has returned to New Zealand
to attend his father's funeral. Also listed among the replacements
is hooker Rob Elloway, who has recovered from injury, and lock Mike Burak - another
who returns from international duty with Canada. Yet another
'Canuck', prop Scott Franklin, is, however, unavailable having picked up a thumb
injury in the game against Scotland last Saturday. Nicky
Griffiths is still among the list of players injured, and returning close to fitness,
but not selected this weekend, are Adryan Winnan and Rhys Jones. Kick-off
at the Brickfields on Saturday is at 5.15pm. Cornish Pirates:
M.
Vakacegu, J. Moore, M. Ireland, S. Winn, B. Tuohy
S. Whatling, E. Fairhurst,
M. Evans, S. Betty, C. Morgan
B. Gulliver (capt), H. Senekal, S. Heard, D.
Dawidiuk, A. Paver. Replacements: R. Elloway, P. Cook, D. Seal, M. Burak,
B. Bedes, P. Devlin, T. Luke. Referee: Roy Maybank (RFU) Assistants: Eric
Woodmason & Lloyd Jackson. Assessor: Tony Spreadbury. | 
