Match Preview - Pirates v Bees

By Dick Straughan
April 21 2007

Just one week after lifting the EDF Trophy at Twickenham the Cornish Pirates entertain Pertemps Bees in their final home game of the season looking for their first league win in five attempts.

Not since Nottingham were defeated at the Rec in early March have the Cornishmen taken the spoils in a Division One clash, a run that has tonight seen them slip to seventh place in the league.

The Pirates will start tomorrow as comfortable favourites against a Bees team that has not won away in the league since they defeated Otley 11-7 at the end of November. Their chronic injury crisis eased sufficiently to ensure a late onslaught against Exeter in the cup final last Sunday but further knocks for Sam Heard, Rhodri McAtee, and Duncan Roke are likely to see the trio miss out on the end of season finale at Camborne.

The Pirates kick-started the weekend festivities with an open top bus parade through Penzance this afternoon. A large crowd is expected for the game against Bees on a day when the Pirates home faithful will bid fond farewells to among others hooker Vili Ma`asi, fly-half Alberto Di Bernardo, and centre Duncan Roke. With unconfirmed reports that scrum-half and captain Gavin Cattle has decided to accept an offer from Llanelli Scarlets, emotions on and off the field will be running high.

The fixture between these two sides in the January mud was edged by the Pirates courtesy of two Tim Cowley tries in a 17-8 triumph. The Cornish side will be keen to repeat the league double achieved against the Bees last season. Indeed, the Bees have not beaten the Pirates on Cornish soil since a try-fest at the Mennaye during the Pirates first season in Division One. On a day when defences stayed at home the Midlanders romped home by 53-32.

Despite their expectations the Pirates will need to be on their guard against a Bees side that has amassed 192 tries in twenty-eight league games. Fijian wing Akapusi Qera has top scored with fifteen including two at Coventry a fortnight ago when the Bees recovered from a 17 point half-time deficit to draw 33-33.

On the road again last weekend they fared less well in a 14-47 thumping at Newbury.

With the possibility of drizzle in West Cornwall tomorrow afternoon the expected feast of running rugby may not materialise. The home team should still have far too much in their locker regardless of the conditions.

The match kicks-off at 2.30pm and will be covered by BBC Radio Cornwall on Medium Wave and Online.