Post by Jamie Crawford on Nov 29, 2021 11:00:56 GMT
Cornish Pirates preview
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 10, Mennaye Field, Penzance on Sunday 5th December, 2021 – 2.30 pm KO
Potentially two of the toughest games this season consecutively, initially first-placed Ealing Trailfinders were toppled next third-placed Cornish Pirates lie in wait eager to bounce back after losing last Saturday.
The Cornish Pirates – An Vorladron Gernewek
The Pirates are going to move from Mennaye Field to the Stadium for Cornwall at Threemilestone, hopefully construction will begin early in 2022.
The Stadium for Cornwall is a proposed multi-purpose stadium at Threemilestone, Cornwall, England. There are no major sports stadia in Cornwall. £47 million was received from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund to build the Truro Northern Access Road. The Pirates need £14 million from the Government after receiving funding from Cornwall Council and elsewhere of £11 million to bring the Stadium for Cornwall to fruition. Plans for a smaller stadium with temporary stands are a contingency if the £14 million isn’t received.
The Stadium for Cornwall is intended to be a stunning new home for Truro City FC (taken over by the Pirates in March 2019), the Cornish Pirates, Truro & Penwith College – and all of Cornwall. This enhances the Pirate’s intentions for promotion.
Generous club owner Richard “Dicky” Evans made no secret of wanting to emulate the success of Exeter Chiefs both on and off the pitch and see his beloved Cornish Pirates achieve Premiership greatness too. Dicky wants it to be his legacy after unfortunately being diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Recent head to head performances
Last season in what was dubbed as Bode’s (Steve Boden Doncaster Knights Director of Rugby) first major test, the Knights beat the Pirates 17-15 at Caste Park. The win marked the Knights’ first win since 2016 against another fully professional team with a major budget that have announced their intention of playing in the Premiership.
March 2021 Knights 17-15 Pirates
February 2020 Pirates 27-10 Knights
October 2019 Knights 25-44 Pirates
April 2019 Knights 19-46 Pirates
September 2018 Pirates 31-24 Knights
Last time out…
Then second-placed Pirates travelled to Jersey to play the then third-placed Jersey Reds and lost 15-5. This swaps their league positions to leave the Cornish Pirates in third.
The Knights toppled league leaders Ealing Trailfinders 22-5 in very windy conditions that the Knights coped better with. The fortress Castle Park moniker remains intact and the Pirates will be nervous. The Knights played excellently and will need to replicate that next Saturday.
Pirate danger men
Pirate winger Callum Sirker has scored five tries over eight games, hooker Thomas Channon has scored four tries and fly-half, ex- PRO14 Dragon’s Arwel Robson is the Championship’s seventh highest points scorer.
Robson’s strike rate was 89% after five games.
Team strengths and weaknesses
The Pirates have scored the second highest number of points and conceded the second lowest number of points at home. Their Mennaye Field home is also a fortress that hasn’t been breached yet this season.
Sunday's game
Is a big ask for the Knights to face the current third best team in the Championship after playing the best team last week. Looking at the positives for the Knights, the Pirates are in third place after losing to Jersey Reds last Saturday and the Knights beat the Reds earlier this season. Both Doncaster Knights and the Cornish Pirates have won six and lost two of their eight games played, plus they have a very similar points difference. The Pirates are essentially above the Knights courtesy of scoring four bonus points to the Knights’ two.
The rest of the Championship
Hartpury (6) v Richmond (7)
Coventry (9) v Bedford Blues (5)
Nottingham (10) v Jersey Reds (2)
Ealing Trailfinders (1) v Ampthill (8)
London Scottish BYE
Doncaster Knights are fourth and the Cornish Pirates are third, a Knight win Could see them rise to first, however unlikely! Unlikely because Ampthill (8) would have to beat Ealing (1) and Nottingham (10) would also have to beat Jersey (2).
A Knight loss could see them drop to fifth if, or probably when Bedford Blues (5) beat Coventry (9). Last week the previously yet-to-win in eight games London Scottish beat Coventry in their ninth. All teams will have played nine games after this weekend.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
For those unable to travel to Cornwall, the game is being streamed live.
Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights
Click here to purchase stream: link
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 10, Mennaye Field, Penzance on Sunday 5th December, 2021 – 2.30 pm KO
Potentially two of the toughest games this season consecutively, initially first-placed Ealing Trailfinders were toppled next third-placed Cornish Pirates lie in wait eager to bounce back after losing last Saturday.
The Cornish Pirates – An Vorladron Gernewek
The Pirates are going to move from Mennaye Field to the Stadium for Cornwall at Threemilestone, hopefully construction will begin early in 2022.
The Stadium for Cornwall is a proposed multi-purpose stadium at Threemilestone, Cornwall, England. There are no major sports stadia in Cornwall. £47 million was received from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund to build the Truro Northern Access Road. The Pirates need £14 million from the Government after receiving funding from Cornwall Council and elsewhere of £11 million to bring the Stadium for Cornwall to fruition. Plans for a smaller stadium with temporary stands are a contingency if the £14 million isn’t received.
The Stadium for Cornwall is intended to be a stunning new home for Truro City FC (taken over by the Pirates in March 2019), the Cornish Pirates, Truro & Penwith College – and all of Cornwall. This enhances the Pirate’s intentions for promotion.
Generous club owner Richard “Dicky” Evans made no secret of wanting to emulate the success of Exeter Chiefs both on and off the pitch and see his beloved Cornish Pirates achieve Premiership greatness too. Dicky wants it to be his legacy after unfortunately being diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Recent head to head performances
Last season in what was dubbed as Bode’s (Steve Boden Doncaster Knights Director of Rugby) first major test, the Knights beat the Pirates 17-15 at Caste Park. The win marked the Knights’ first win since 2016 against another fully professional team with a major budget that have announced their intention of playing in the Premiership.
March 2021 Knights 17-15 Pirates
February 2020 Pirates 27-10 Knights
October 2019 Knights 25-44 Pirates
April 2019 Knights 19-46 Pirates
September 2018 Pirates 31-24 Knights
Last time out…
Then second-placed Pirates travelled to Jersey to play the then third-placed Jersey Reds and lost 15-5. This swaps their league positions to leave the Cornish Pirates in third.
The Knights toppled league leaders Ealing Trailfinders 22-5 in very windy conditions that the Knights coped better with. The fortress Castle Park moniker remains intact and the Pirates will be nervous. The Knights played excellently and will need to replicate that next Saturday.
Pirate danger men
Pirate winger Callum Sirker has scored five tries over eight games, hooker Thomas Channon has scored four tries and fly-half, ex- PRO14 Dragon’s Arwel Robson is the Championship’s seventh highest points scorer.
Robson’s strike rate was 89% after five games.
Team strengths and weaknesses
The Pirates have scored the second highest number of points and conceded the second lowest number of points at home. Their Mennaye Field home is also a fortress that hasn’t been breached yet this season.
Sunday's game
Is a big ask for the Knights to face the current third best team in the Championship after playing the best team last week. Looking at the positives for the Knights, the Pirates are in third place after losing to Jersey Reds last Saturday and the Knights beat the Reds earlier this season. Both Doncaster Knights and the Cornish Pirates have won six and lost two of their eight games played, plus they have a very similar points difference. The Pirates are essentially above the Knights courtesy of scoring four bonus points to the Knights’ two.
The rest of the Championship
Hartpury (6) v Richmond (7)
Coventry (9) v Bedford Blues (5)
Nottingham (10) v Jersey Reds (2)
Ealing Trailfinders (1) v Ampthill (8)
London Scottish BYE
Doncaster Knights are fourth and the Cornish Pirates are third, a Knight win Could see them rise to first, however unlikely! Unlikely because Ampthill (8) would have to beat Ealing (1) and Nottingham (10) would also have to beat Jersey (2).
A Knight loss could see them drop to fifth if, or probably when Bedford Blues (5) beat Coventry (9). Last week the previously yet-to-win in eight games London Scottish beat Coventry in their ninth. All teams will have played nine games after this weekend.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
For those unable to travel to Cornwall, the game is being streamed live.
Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights
Click here to purchase stream: link
