Match Preview - London Welsh v Cornish Pirates

By Dick Straughan
March 29 2007

The Cornish Pirates resume their league campaign against London Welsh at Old Deer Park on Saturday, just one week after the high emotion of booking a place in the EDF Trophy Final at Twickenham on April 15th.

The fixture kicks-off a hectic spell of three games in seven days for the battle weary Pirates, before any thoughts of Twickenham and that Cup Final can be entertained again. Hot on the heels of Saturday`s clash in south-west London comes the re-arranged fixture at Bedford on the following Wednesday, and then a return dogfight with Plymouth Albion at Brickfields on Easter Saturday.

Pirates Head Coach Jim McKay may well want to rotate his squad starting with the trip to the Exiles as he bids not only to keep his first choice line-up fresh, but also allow the squad players to lay down their markers for a starting berth in the Twickenham XV. With both scrum-halves injured against Albion, Duncan Roke forced from the field and Rhodri McAtee currently on Wales 7`s duty in Hong Kong the question is surely, just how many changes will McKay make?

London Welsh currently sit twelfth in the league with eight wins to their name. They are currently one victory from guaranteed Division One survival this season. Their recent form is patchy with just two wins out of their last six matches in all competitions, and last weekend surrendered a 7-17 advantage in the 31-27 defeat at Pertemps Bees. They have however racked up eight tries in their last two home fixtures which included a narrow 35-38 reverse against the Titans. London Welsh are not a team to be taken lightly and their opening day victory at Leeds Tykes, and draw at Doncaster in January are testament to their unquestionable resolve against the bigger teams.

The Pirates met the Welsh at Camborne on November 19th on a day when the home side were shaken to the core by the Exiles determination. They deservedly led 12-13 at the break through a try for Shaw and eight points from the boot of Sam Ulph, their leading points scorer this season. The Pirates were forced to play rugby in the second half and eventually notched six tries, including three for Rhodri McAtee, in a 41-13 victory in front of a crowd of 2,458.

Last time out at Old deer Park the Pirates edged home by 17-20 in a nail-biting encounter many felt they were fortunate to win. The contest was settled by a Tom Barlow penalty in the dying minutes although even then the Welsh could have snatched a draw if Mark Meenan`s stoppage time penalty attempt had been successful.

Saturday`s action gets underway at Old Deer Park 3pm.