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Pirates To Make Flying Visit
 

Otley v Cornish Pirates

Saturday September 20th
Kick Off 2:30pm

Exeter Chiefs
 

Young fly-half Rhys Jones, who was injured in the Cornish Pirates pre-season friendly against Redruth, will make his league debut for the club in the match away to Otley on Saturday

The former Wales U20s international, who has played at senior level for both Sale Sharks and Cardiff Blues, replaces Samoan international Doug Sanft in a side that shows four changes overall from the one that started against Exeter Chiefs.

Cross Green

The other three changes are all in the forwards, where in the back-row flankers Iva Motusaga and Bruce Cumming replace Chris Morgan and Matt Evans, whilst in the second-row Heino Senekal drops to the bench to give 24 times capped Canadian international Mike Burak his first National One start.

The match will be the Cornish team's fourth in this season's league campaign, it literally a flying visit to Otley, departing Cornwall from Newquay to travel to Leeds-Bradford airport, and then on to Otley's Cross Green ground by bus.

The home side, who have made a swift return to National One after having been relegated at the end of the 2006-07 season, will be desperate for win on their home patch.

Their record of three losses to date will give them extra incentive, whilst the Pirates, who have won just one game, will also feel a need to come away from Yorkshire with league points in the bag.

During the second half of their game with Exeter, the Pirates showed what they are capable of, and will need to reproduce much of the same for a full 80 minutes on Saturday.

They will also, of course, know that nothing can be taken for granted, remembering that Cross Green is a venue where they have faltered before. Indeed, from four previous visits they have only won once, and that a narrow 13-7 points victory in April, 2006.

Cornish Pirates:
A. Winnan (capt), M. Vakacegu, P. Devlin, T. Luke, A. Havili
R. Jones, E. Fairhurst, B. Bedes, I. Motusaga, B. Cumming
B. Gulliver, M. Burak, S. Heard, R. Elloway, A. Paver

Replacements:
D. Dawidiuk, D. Seal, H. Senekal, C. Morgan, N. Griffiths, R. McAtee, S. Winn.


 

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