Cornish Pirates prop Alan Paver has confirmed his team to face a Cornwall County XV in his Testimonial game at the Mennaye Field, Penzance on Sunday (2.30pm) on a day when many old Pirates favourites will take the field again.
Former club skipper Tim Cowley returns to lead the side at Number 8 in a back row which includes the ever popular Tongan Viliami Ma`asi. Ian Nimmo and Luke Collins make up a powerful engine room in the second row whilst Nick Adams, James Owen and Dan Seal, fresh from the RFU Championship Final this week with Bedford Blues, make up a formidable front row.
Rhodri McAtee and Ceiron Thomas form an all-Welsh pairing at half-back with Simon Whatling and Mark Ireland at centre. Redruth`s Craig Bonds gets the nod at full-back.
A sizeable raft of replacements who are all expected to see action during the game include Keni Fisilau, Brian Andrew, Owen Hambly, Pale Nonu and current Pirates Assistant Coach Harvey Biljon.
Tickets for the fixture are £5 and are available on the gate.
Alan Paver XV:- Bonds, Mercer, Ireland, Whatling, Matchett, Thomas, McAtee; Seal, Owen, Adams, Collins, Nimmo, Ma`asi, Thomas, Cowley
Replacements - Neil Douch, Darren Semmens, Wayne Reed, Danny Clackworthy, Richard Humphries, Adam Nicholls, Owen Hambly, Brian Andrew, Adam Clayton, Ian Morgan, Steve Walklin, Pale Nonu, Keni Fisilau, Paul Gadsdon, Andy Birkett, Harvey Biljon plus others to be confirmed.
In other news from the Mennaye Field the Cornish Pirates have made three key off-field appointments ahead of the playing squad reporting back for pre-season training on June 10th.
Steve Davies has been given the pivotal role of Head of Sales, Marketing and Communications with James Coles the new Community Manager. Physiotherapist Tracey Russell joins the back room medical team.
Davies has previously worked at Southampton FC and Plymouth Argyle. He was a Marketing Consultant for Plymouth`s successful 2018 FIFA World Cup bid and has recently been with St Helens RLFC during which time they have relocated to a new stadium at Langtree Park.
Coles, 28, returns to Cornwall following a spell as Rugby Development Officer with Hertfordshire. A proud Cornishman he has strong links with Bude RFC he is a qualified coach and his CV also includes a spell as Sports Development Manager for the Saracens Sports Foundation.
Tracey Russell hails from the East Midlands and has recently worked with Doncaster Knights and Leicestershire CCC. Having gained an MSc in Sports & Exercise Medicine from the University of Nottingham she moved from a career with the NHS in Leeds into full-time professional sport.
Cornish Pirates CEO Josh Lewsey said: "We are delighted to be appointing Steve, Tracey, and James who are obviously key in establishing our organisational infrastructure necessary to deliver our new progressive strategy.
"These three stood out in terms of their professional capability but more so, everyone involved in the process also believed them to be a great cultural fit to what is and will remain a close knit environment."
