For the second weekend running, we’ll be facing off against the Cornish Pirates this weekend. Only this time, it’s at our place.
Our squad gained invaluable experience from their visit to Penzance last Saturday, competing well and grabbing a try at the end in a 45-5 defeat.
The score was irrelevant. Coming up against a full-time, Championship side was always going to be tough and, contrary to the suggestion given by the score line, the Pirates were pushed hard by our tenacious pack.
There are plenty of positives and a ton of optimism to bring into this weekend – our final pre-season fixture before it all gets underway next weekend in London.
Rosslyn Park await on match day one of the 2023-24 National League 1 season on 2 September, so Saturday will provide another 80 important minutes for our side to learn, practice and run around before the serious business begins.
We had taken victory in all three pre-season games prior to our trip to the Mennaye Fields – beating Redruth, Devonport and Barnstaple in games that will all have given Ryan Lamb and Aaron Jarvis different bits of important information as we approach the new campaign.
Past Meetings:
The Pirates took victory in a friendly in 2018 – the last meeting before last weekend in Cornwall. We have played them 20 times competitively in the last 18 years, taking five wins. Two of them came in a double over the Pirates in 2006-07.
Team News:
Dan Pullinger comes back into the side after sustaining a shoulder problem against Devonport Services. He is joined in the front row by Gabe Mead and Jenson Boughton, who makes his first start since arriving over the summer.
Craig Duncan is also back in the starting 15 for the first time since April, while new signing Sonny Hirini – who arrived earlier this week from New Zealand – starts on the bench.
Here is the starting line-up in full:
- Dan Pullinger
- Gabe Mead
- Jenson Boughton
- Dan Collier
- Brad Howe
- Angus Hodges
- Jack Wickham
- Sam Daly
- Jack Oulton ©
- Tom Putt
- Kyle Speare
- Archie Hill
- Pita Ratukadru
- Shea Cornish
- Craig Duncan
Replacements:
- Tom Cowan-Dickie
- Ramaz Rukhadze
- Callum Davies
- Torin Clarke
- Morgan Stone
- Phil Jones
- Sonny Hirini
- Seta Raumakita
- Billy Orchard
- Charlie Groves
