Can the Cornish Pirates Turn the Tide Against Hartpury at the Mennaye?

Published On: 14 February 2025Last Updated: 14 February 2025By CornishStuff

The Cornish Pirates are set to face Hartpury at the Mennaye Field this Saturday (kick-off 2.30pm) in their final Pool E match of the Premiership Cup. With the home side eager to respond after two previous defeats to Hartpury this season, fans will be watching closely to see if the Pirates can seize the advantage on home turf.

Aiming for Redemption at Home

The teams have already clashed twice this season, both times at Hartpury. The home side emerged victorious in November’s Cup fixture with a 41-26 win, before securing a 34-10 victory in their January league encounter. With the Pirates now playing at home, they’ll be looking to turn the tables.

Joint head coach Alan Paver acknowledged the strength of the opposition, saying:

“Now for this weekend we will be welcoming a strong Hartpury side to the Mennaye Field who have deservedly done well. They have a settled group and a good spine in their team and have been playing some admirable rugby. From what we have experienced they will be very difficult to beat but we are at home and with the boys motivated they aim to be in contention.”

Squad Changes for the Pirates

The Cornish Pirates have made several changes from last weekend’s outing at Sandy Park. In the backs, Iwan Price-Thomas comes in at full-back, with Bruce Houston shifting back to fly-half, partnering with scrum-half Cam Jones. The return of Matt McNab from injury sees him join Charlie McCaig in the centre.

Up front, Sol Moody gets the nod at hooker, while Harry Hocking starts at number 8. Chris Mills, having made three recent appearances off the bench, earns his first start at flanker.

Among the replacements, new arrivals Sam Cantwell and Louie Sinclair will be keen to impress. Sinclair, a 20-year-old fly-half/full-back from Exeter Chiefs, previously played for Sydney University and Royal Wootton Bassett.

A Crucial Break Ahead

Following Saturday’s fixture, the Pirates will have a break—something Alan acknowledged as both a benefit and a challenge:

“Following this weekend, we will have a break that in one respect has come at the right time for us, but in overall terms it is not ideal generally because the club needs pennies through the gate. However, if we can get a lot of the lads back in good health, and with dual registered players returning, then with 10 league games remaining it gives us a chance to push for a strong finish.”

Cornish Pirates Squad to Face Hartpury

The match will be officiated by Sara Cox, with Jonathan Healy and Kevin Williams assisting, and Scott Baker serving as the official fourth.

Backing from Sponsors

The Pirates’ match day sponsor is Premier Contractors Ltd, while the match ball is sponsored by Nevada Construction.

With the home crowd behind them, the Pirates will be aiming to end their Premiership Cup campaign on a high. Can they break Hartpury’s winning streak and deliver a strong performance at the Mennaye?