Match Preview - Coventry v Cornish Pirates

By Dick Straughan
April 27 2007

Coventry have endured a miserable run of late shipping 142 points in their last three league games alone. They have not won in the league at the Butts Park Arena since out-muscling Plymouth Albion in the January mud - The Pirates, now with Twickenham glory almost purged from their systems, will once again have to focus on a league campaign that worryingly ran out of gas after Christmas

Coventry have endured a miserable run of late shipping 142 points in their last three league games alone. They have not won in the league at the Butts Park Arena since out-muscling Plymouth Albion in the January mud, and last Sunday sank to an embarrassing low point with a 54-0 capitulation at Nottingham. A performance that was for many of their loyal supporters, the worst in living memory. The Midlanders currently sit in tenth place in the Division with the potential to climb above their nemesis from the East Midlands if Nottingham slip up at the Bees. The Pirates, now with Twickenham glory almost purged from their systems, will once again have to focus on a league campaign that worryingly ran out of gas after Christmas. Currently fifth in the table, Head Coach Jim McKay will expect another five point haul in the pursuit of South West bragging rights. The likelihood of Exeter slipping up at home to Sedgley Park is slim, but with Plymouth Albion and Bedford both still capable of overhauling the Pirates McKay knows that a win on the final day of the season is a must. The Pirates won the league fixture between these two sides at Camborne by a slender 16-15, courtesy of a late Gavin Cattle try and a conversion and penalty from Alberto Di Bernardo. Nobody who witnessed this match played in the worst storm of the winter will forget it on a day when Coventry were unlucky to lose. Last time out at Coventry the Pirates triumphed 28-21 with a brace of tries for the Welsh whippet - Rhodri McAtee, and further scores from Cattle and Tim Cowley. The fit again McAtee will feature tomorrow in place of last Sunday`s hat-trick hero, and ex-Coventry man Jimmy Moore, who has an ankle injury. Other changes to the Pirates line-up see Lewis Vinnecombe come in for the injured Jonny Hylton and Heino Senekal replace James Inglis at lock. Teams:- COVENTRY - Russell (capt), Toft, Geraghty, Sanders, Dixon, Dorrian, Walls, Treston, Friswell, Rimmer, Campton, Nimmo, Venter, O`Connor, Johnson, Reps - Protherough, Britts, Tonkin, Johnson, James, Binham, Montague PIRATES - Winnan, Vinnecombe, Bell, Winn, McAtee, Di Bernardo, Cattle (capt), Paver, Ma`asi, Seal, Senekal, Beardshaw, Cracknell, Motusaga, Cowley, Reps - Anderson, Makin, Inglis, Evans, McKeen, Barratt, Parsons Referee - Terry Hall (RFU)