Post by Jamie Crawford on Mar 8, 2022 12:57:23 GMT
Cornish Pirates preview
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 21, Doncaster Knights v Cornish Pirates Castle Park 12th March, KO 2.30 pm
It’s another top-of-the table clash but this time at the business end of the season. First-placed Doncaster Knights welcome second-placed Cornish Pirates to Castle Park in the hope that Castle Park remains a fortress after so-nearly losing that moniker last time out. A penalty kick after the clock went red was the saving grace.
Cornish Pirates
Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn RFU, the Cornish Pirates play and train at their home ground, the Mennaye Field in Penzance. They are the principal rugby team in Cornwall and will soon move to a purpose-built stadium called the Stadium for Cornwall.
The stadium at Langarth, outside Truro was granted planning permission over nine years ago and the latest news from the club is that construction could start this year. This announcement was received with much cynicism.
The Pirates travel to Doncaster with their renowned away supporters, the Press Gang looking to do the double over the Knights after beating them 29-7 in what all thought was a below-par performance for the Knights. It was below for the Knights after toppling the league leaders the Saturday before but also Pirate supporters thought that their performance was decidedly average and were surprised to win.
Recent head to head performances
The Pirates have been the victors on the last five occasions the sides have met.
02/09/18 Pirates 31-24 Knights
27/04/19 Knights 19-46 Pirates
19/10/19 Knights 29-44 Pirates
27/04/19 Knights 19-46 Pirates
12/05/21 Pirates 29-7 Knights
The Knights are therefore the under-dogs for this fixture.
Last time out
The Pirates beat fourth-placed Jersey Reds 21-17. All tries were converted and the Pirates beat the Reds 3-2 on the try-count, but the Reds also scored a penalty kick just before half time to score a losing bonus point. The Pirates kept their unbeaten home record in the league this season against a team that they hadn’t beaten since 2015. The Reds were 14-0 up within nine minutes and it looked depressing for the Pirates but a catch and drive try scored by hooker Tom Channon before half time restored their confidence. They started the second half 7-17 and a driving line-out led to Channon’s second try of the game after 50m minutes. The Pirate’s third try was scored by replacement scrum-half Tom Kessell.
The Knights came home in jubilant mood after beating Ealing Trailfinders 17-25 in their own back yard, a performance that they want to emulate on Saturday.
Pirate danger men
Hooker Channon is the equal-third top try-scorer in the Championship after scoring a dozen tries. Fly half Arwel Robson is the Championship’s sixth top points-scorer after scoring over 100 points for the Pirates. Both were scored after most teams have played two more games.
Team strengths and weaknesses
The Pirate rolling maul is legendary, two of their three tries scored against Jersey Reds were scored this way. Their Tom Channon (hooker) - Danny Cutmore (lock) conveyor belt provides clean, rapid and regular possession for the backs. Channon is the most frequent try-scoring recipient from their rolling mauls or breaking off the set piece. Channon has scored 12 tries from 16 games but virtually all will have been from a collective forward effort.
Saturday’s game
Another must-win game for the Knights to keep prospects of promotion alive. The Knights are top, four points above the Pirates, who have two games in hand. The Knights play Nottingham (10) for their last game. The Pirates play Hartpury (6), Ealing Trailfinders (3) and Ampthill (7). The Knights have won 15 of their 18 games played and the Pirates have won 13 of their 15 games but they have two extra bonus points than the Knights.
Glass half empty – the Pirates are only four points below with two extra games to play, so possibly 8-12 extra points to win.
Glass half full – one of their games is against Ealing Trailfinders in Ealing plus anything can happen against opposition lower in the table, at least the Knights have already recorded their wins.
It is a must-win game for the Knights but even if they do win, either the Pirates or the Trailfinders could win the Championship if they win the rest of their fixtures. Here’s no point relying on other fixtures, all the Knights must do is win their last two games by five points and make it as difficult as they can to be overtaken.
The rest of the Championship
Saturday
Richmond (8, 1 game in hand) v Hartpury (6)
Jersey Reds (4) v Nottingham (10)
Ampthill (7) v Ealing Trailfinders (3, 2 game in hand)
London Scottish BYE
Sunday
Bedford Blues (5) v Coventry (9, 1 game in hand)
A Knights win could see them remain in pole position and goes a long way towards winning the Championship. The Pirates would need a bonus point win to leapfrog the Knights, they would remain second on equal league points but two wins below the Knights without the winning bonus point. However, they have two games in hand.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
sponsored by Twenty Four IT Services (www.twentyfourit.co.uk)
Round 21, Doncaster Knights v Cornish Pirates Castle Park 12th March, KO 2.30 pm
It’s another top-of-the table clash but this time at the business end of the season. First-placed Doncaster Knights welcome second-placed Cornish Pirates to Castle Park in the hope that Castle Park remains a fortress after so-nearly losing that moniker last time out. A penalty kick after the clock went red was the saving grace.
Cornish Pirates
Formerly known as Penzance & Newlyn RFU, the Cornish Pirates play and train at their home ground, the Mennaye Field in Penzance. They are the principal rugby team in Cornwall and will soon move to a purpose-built stadium called the Stadium for Cornwall.
The stadium at Langarth, outside Truro was granted planning permission over nine years ago and the latest news from the club is that construction could start this year. This announcement was received with much cynicism.
The Pirates travel to Doncaster with their renowned away supporters, the Press Gang looking to do the double over the Knights after beating them 29-7 in what all thought was a below-par performance for the Knights. It was below for the Knights after toppling the league leaders the Saturday before but also Pirate supporters thought that their performance was decidedly average and were surprised to win.
Recent head to head performances
The Pirates have been the victors on the last five occasions the sides have met.
02/09/18 Pirates 31-24 Knights
27/04/19 Knights 19-46 Pirates
19/10/19 Knights 29-44 Pirates
27/04/19 Knights 19-46 Pirates
12/05/21 Pirates 29-7 Knights
The Knights are therefore the under-dogs for this fixture.
Last time out
The Pirates beat fourth-placed Jersey Reds 21-17. All tries were converted and the Pirates beat the Reds 3-2 on the try-count, but the Reds also scored a penalty kick just before half time to score a losing bonus point. The Pirates kept their unbeaten home record in the league this season against a team that they hadn’t beaten since 2015. The Reds were 14-0 up within nine minutes and it looked depressing for the Pirates but a catch and drive try scored by hooker Tom Channon before half time restored their confidence. They started the second half 7-17 and a driving line-out led to Channon’s second try of the game after 50m minutes. The Pirate’s third try was scored by replacement scrum-half Tom Kessell.
The Knights came home in jubilant mood after beating Ealing Trailfinders 17-25 in their own back yard, a performance that they want to emulate on Saturday.
Pirate danger men
Hooker Channon is the equal-third top try-scorer in the Championship after scoring a dozen tries. Fly half Arwel Robson is the Championship’s sixth top points-scorer after scoring over 100 points for the Pirates. Both were scored after most teams have played two more games.
Team strengths and weaknesses
The Pirate rolling maul is legendary, two of their three tries scored against Jersey Reds were scored this way. Their Tom Channon (hooker) - Danny Cutmore (lock) conveyor belt provides clean, rapid and regular possession for the backs. Channon is the most frequent try-scoring recipient from their rolling mauls or breaking off the set piece. Channon has scored 12 tries from 16 games but virtually all will have been from a collective forward effort.
Saturday’s game
Another must-win game for the Knights to keep prospects of promotion alive. The Knights are top, four points above the Pirates, who have two games in hand. The Knights play Nottingham (10) for their last game. The Pirates play Hartpury (6), Ealing Trailfinders (3) and Ampthill (7). The Knights have won 15 of their 18 games played and the Pirates have won 13 of their 15 games but they have two extra bonus points than the Knights.
Glass half empty – the Pirates are only four points below with two extra games to play, so possibly 8-12 extra points to win.
Glass half full – one of their games is against Ealing Trailfinders in Ealing plus anything can happen against opposition lower in the table, at least the Knights have already recorded their wins.
It is a must-win game for the Knights but even if they do win, either the Pirates or the Trailfinders could win the Championship if they win the rest of their fixtures. Here’s no point relying on other fixtures, all the Knights must do is win their last two games by five points and make it as difficult as they can to be overtaken.
The rest of the Championship
Saturday
Richmond (8, 1 game in hand) v Hartpury (6)
Jersey Reds (4) v Nottingham (10)
Ampthill (7) v Ealing Trailfinders (3, 2 game in hand)
London Scottish BYE
Sunday
Bedford Blues (5) v Coventry (9, 1 game in hand)
A Knights win could see them remain in pole position and goes a long way towards winning the Championship. The Pirates would need a bonus point win to leapfrog the Knights, they would remain second on equal league points but two wins below the Knights without the winning bonus point. However, they have two games in hand.
COYK
DONNY, DONNY, DONNY…
