Having
gone mightily close to toppling league leaders Leeds Carnegie last time out, the
Cornish Pirates are at home again this Sunday, when we welcome Sedgley Park to
the Recreation Ground, Camborne. A combination of reasons
means that the squad shows several more changes than of late, but there also a
positive in that it provides certain players with an opportunity to take their
chance and impress. The exciting young half-back duo, Rhys
Jones and Nicky Griffiths, are both injured, so Jimmy Moore and Simon Whatling
will line up at 9 and 10 respectively. For Simon, it's a welcome return to league
action, having played very well against the Cornish All Blacks in last Monday's
Cornwall 'Super Cup' encounter. Of other changes in the
backs, there is a return for wing Aisea Havili, who scored two tries at Polson
Bridge, whilst Mark Ireland replaces Paul Devlin in the centre, and Marika Vakacegu
switches from wing to full-back in place of Adryan Winnan. In
the forwards, Peter Cook starts at loose-head, and in the back-row there are places
for flanker Sam Betty and No. 8 Matt Evans. Alan Paver, Chris Morgan and Bertrand
Bedes drop to the bench alongside Dan Seal, Steve Winn and Paul Devlin, and there
is also a place there for promising youngster Richard Bright. Included
in the list of Cornish Pirates players who are unavailable for this match are
four who are on international duty. The Canadian trio of scrum-half Ed Fairhurst
(capt), prop Scott Franklin and lock Mike Burak (who is named as a replacement)
are on duty against Scotland on Saturday at the Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen, whilst
Rhodri McAtee will be training with the Wales Sevens squad ahead of their IRB
World Sevens tournaments which will take place on the following two weekends in
Dubai and George (South Africa). In the Sedgley Park team
for Sunday, player-coach Tim Fourie, aged 40, is likely to be as influential as
ever, as is fly-half Phil Jones, who has represented England and formerly played
rugby league for Wigan and Leigh. At the other end of the age scale, youngsters
in their squad such as Peter Swatkins and Paul Wilcock have proved themselves
to be potent finishers. The 'Tigers', who won their opening
two games in this season's campaign against Rotherham Titans (20-12) and Manchester
(35-51), had to wait until last Saturday before they won again, it a confidence
boosting 27-26 win at home to Esher. They are presently 13th in the league, with
their best performance probably one of their defeats - a narrow 32-24 loss away
to Nottingham, which gives a clear indication of what they are capable of. The
named line-ups for Sunday are as follows:- Cornish Pirates:
M. Vakacegu, A. Havili, M. Ireland, T. Luke, B. Tuohy
S. Whatling, J. Moore,
M. Evans, I. Motusaga, S. Betty
B. Gulliver (capt), H. Senekal, S. Heard,
D. Dawidiuk, P. Cook. Replacements: D. Seal, A. Paver, B.
Bedes, C. Morgan, S. Winn, P. Devlin, R. Bright. Sedgley
Park:
M. Riley, P. Swatkins, J. Weeden, T. Lisiate, C. Wilkinson
P. Jones,
W. Cliff, O. Cook, J. Jones, J. Crous
G. Townson, T. Fourie, P. Du Plessis,
J. Roddam, G. Evans. Replacements: D. Greenhalgh, G. Roberts,
A. Livesey, S. Woods, A. Newton, C. Hall, P. Wilcock. Referee:
Adrian Hartwell (RFU)
Assistants: Luke Pearce & Kevin Obern Mascots:
Kian Andrews & Jodie Stevens - the Warburtons Healthy Eating 'Champions' Match
Day Sponsor: Mango Tango
Match Day Collection:
This weekend's match collection is for CLIC SARGENT - in what is again the
moustache growing month of Mo-vember. 
CLIC
Sargent is a charity close to the heart of Cornish Pirates hooker Darren Dawidiuk,
as his younger brother, Jack Mylam, aged eight, has a brain tumour and is presently
receiving radiotherapy treatment. The collection on Sunday will take place
both at half-time and on the exit gates, with all present at the game asked to
please give what they can. For further information reference CLIC Sargent please
visit www.clicsargent.org.uk
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