PREMIERSHIP CUP Cornish Pirates vs Bath team news
- Details
- Created on Friday, 08 September 2023 11:08
- Last Updated on Friday, 08 September 2023 16:28
- Published on Friday, 08 September 2023 11:08
- Written by SWSN rugby desk
Pirates name four summer arrivals in their starting XV.
Full-back Kyle Moyle, who has made a welcome return to the club from Gloucester, centre Matt McNab, fly-half Tom Pittman, and prop Leftheri Zigiriadis all start.
As for the bench, six of the eight who featured in the pre-season friendlies versus Plymouth Albion, will be ready to play their first competitive match fixtures for the Pirates.
They are hooker Rhys Williams and lock Josh King, the pair having officially joined the Pirates this week, prop Fin Richardson, backrower Harry Dugmore, fly-half Iwan Jenkins and centre Ioan Evans.
Cornish Pirates’ joint head coach Gavin Cattle said: “It is great for us to have the opportunity to welcome an historic club such as Bath to the Mennaye Field, remembering too that is many years since they would have last visited.
“We are also fully aware that it will be a test for our squad, but everyone is quite rightly looking forward to the challenge.
“From our perspective, at this starting stage of the season there will be playing combinations to learn more about, and it will be interesting to see our overall level of performance against such quality opposition.
“To their credit all the lads have worked very hard during the summer, and for them, the supporters, and everyone involved it should be a great occasion.”
Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan has selected a blend of youth and experience for the Far West trip to Penzance.
Ewan Richards has been named captain and will lead the team for the early stages of the competition.
Wing Will Muir, returning for his first game since suffering a season-ending injury early last year, dons the 11 jersey.
Number eight Jaco Coetzee also returns to play after a long stint on the sidelines last season.
Opting for a five-three split on his bench, van Graan gives Mikey Summerfield his debut, the prop having joined Bath Rugby earlier this summer from London Irish.
Cornish Pirates starting 15 Kyle Moyle, 14 Will Trewin, 13 Matt McNab, 12 Joe Elderkin, 11 Arthur Relton, 10 Tom Pittman, 9 Ruaridh Dawson, 1 Leftheri Zigiriadis, 2 Morgan Nelson, 3 Marlen Walker, 4 Alex Everett, 5 Will Britton, 6 John Stevens (captain), 7 Will Gibson, 8 Ben Grubb.
Replacements: 16 Rhys Williams, 17 Fin Richardson, 18 Jack Andrew, 19 Josh King, 20 Harry Dugmore, 21 Alex Schwarz, 22 Iwan Jenkins, 23 Ioan Evans
Bath Rugby XV 1 Arthur Cordwell, 2 John Stewart, 3 Archie Griffin, 4 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Ewan Richards (c), 6 JJ Tonks, 7 Ethan Staddon, 8 Jaco Coetzee, 9 Tom Carr-Smith, 10 George Worboys, 11 Will Muir, 12 Will Butt, 13 Max Wright, 14 Gabe Goss, 15 Sam Harris
Replacements: 16 Jasper Spandler, 17 Mikey Summerfield, 18 Kieran Verden, 19 Nahum Merigan, 20 Thompson Cowan, 21 Murdoch Lock, 22 Ciaran Donoghue, 23 Louie Hennessey
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
