The Cornish Pirates include three players making their final appearances for the club as they conclude their RFU Championship season against Jersey at the Mennaye Field tomorrow (3pm), writes Dick Straughan.
Prop Paul Andrew (Worcester Warriors), flanker Phil Burgess (England 7s) and wing Wes Davies (retiring) have all confirmed that they will be leaving the Cornish club during the close season and will line-up against Jersey, whose own survival in this league was confirmed in midweek when Doncaster lost at Bedford.
Victory for the Pirates will secure a sixth-place finish in the league while Jersey could climb up to ninth with a win and favourable results elsewhere. But after scoring four tries in each of their last two Championship games the Pirates will be looking to finish on a high on home soil, having lost five of their last six matches in all competitions.
Davies and Kieran Hallett are the only two changes to the backs who started at Nottingham last Sunday, with Kyle Moyle deservedly keeping his place at full-back. Up front Darren Semmens is recalled at hooker with Gary Johnson slotting into the second row in place of Darren Barry.
The back row is reshuffled with Burgess and James Tyas starting on the flanks and Ben Maidment taking over at No8. Alex Cheesman and Laurie McGlone drop to the bench, with Kyle Marriott missing out.
Jersey have injury and illness problems forcing changes after their win against the Knights a week ago. Prop Richard Barrington, lock Nathan Hannay, ex-Pirates back row Charlie Walker-Blair, full-back Barry Davies and scrum-half Nicky Griffiths all miss the trip to Cornwall but another former Pirates loanee Joe Buckle will start.
Director of Rugby Ben Harvey also names two Championship debutants on his bench in prop Myles Landick and scrum-half Joel Dudley.
Cornish Pirates: Moyle, Davies, Riley, Hill, Evans, Hallett, Cattle (capt); Andrew, Semmens, Joyce, Lyons, Johnson, Tyas, Burgess, B Maidment. Replacements – Storer, Tanner, M Maidment, McGlone, Cheesman, Kessell, Mercer.
Jersey: Bryce, Foster, Stelling, Bishop (capt), Dawson, Le Bourgeois, McCormack; McCarthy, Taione, Brennan, Anderson, Markham, Silcock, Buckle, Thompson. Replacements – Landick, Felton, Gethings, Voss, Dudley, Sanders, Copsey.
Referee: T Foley (RFU).
* Saturday's match will also make history as it will become the first rugby union match ever to be streamed live via Twitter.
After three weeks of voting in a poll conducted by the RFU for supporters to select which Championship match people wanted covered on the final day of the season, Cornish Pirates v Jersey claimed the majority of the 7,000 votes cast.
As well as the live streaming, viewers will be able to choose the RFU Championship Man of the Match and submit interview questions to both head coaches before the fixture.
The Twitter feed is available via @RFUChampionship
