Cornish Pirates

RFU Championship Round 5

Saturday 3rd October 2009
Kick-off 3pm

Phil Westren's Preview

Scrum-half and club captain Gavin Cattle makes a welcome return from injury to lead a side that in the past has struggled to perform at Albion's developing Brickfields base.

Indeed, from seven matches played there the Pirates have won just once – 26-23 on Boxing Day, 2005. .

It is a battle the Pirates will enter without either Blair Cowan or Jonny Bentley, as the Kiwi pair are unfortunately injured. Matt Evans replaces Cowan on the blind-side berth and Rhys Jones is chosen at fly-half in place of Bentley

There are a number of other changes in the side from the one that started against Coventry last Sunday. Prop Paul Andrew takes over from Carl Rimmer and flanker Tyrone Holmes replaces Sam Betty, Mark Ireland starts at centre ahead of Steve Winn, whilst Rob Cook takes over from an injured Jimmy Moore on the wing.

The team line-ups are as follows:-

Plymouth Albion:
G. Kingdom, B. Mercer, K. Fisilau, S. Tu'ipulotu, L. Gibson
K. Hallett (capt), R. Cushion, K. Marriott, D. Clayton, S-M Stephen
T. Hotson, T. Skelding, R. Hopkins, J. Clark, D. Porte.

Replacements
(from): M. Lee, J. Nava, A. Davies, M. Rice, D. Morton, J. Owen, M. Lewis, R. Watts-Jones, W. Sprangle, J. Waterhouse.

Cornish Pirates:
W. Davies, R. McAtee, N. Jackson, M. Ireland, R. Cook
R. Jones, G. Cattle (capt), L. McGlone, T. Holmes, M. Evans
L. Collins, R. Labuschagne, R. Brits, R. Elloway, P. Andrew.

Replacements:
C. Rimmer, D. Ward, A. Paver, S. Betty, B. Jones, S. Winn, A. Havili.

Referee: D. Rose (RFU)