The Update - Can Coventry repel boarders?

Cornish Pirates visit the BPA on Saturday. Why this is a great chance for a win by Coventry's young dogs.

This week Cornish Pirates visit the BPA, and as SportsNetwork requires a new ‘editorial’ piece today it seems appropriate to consider and discuss their visit.

I will start though by saying this is a piece coloured by my personal views on Cornish Pirates, and they are views that have changed for the worse in the past few years. Cornish Pirates, and before that name, Penzance and Newlyn have always played a robust game, one I’ve enjoyed watching over they years. Their supporters have been passionate, and thee paired towns where they are based have provided a welcoming break for holiday weekends, albeit a long way from Coventry, and in rain or shine. I think of the 280 miles to Penzance as a long drive. They think of the same distance to Coventry as one of their shorter distance trips in the Championship.

In many ways too, they are a club like Coventry. They don’t appear to have harnessed themselves into becoming an academy playground of a Premiership club, they have said similar things about the state of the RFU, and they have, like Coventry, had to cut their coat to fit their pocket during the straightened times of the pandemic, and now also the economic downturn. No spending to get out of trouble, to buy promotion. So why then have I taken against them?

Like Coventry, they have ambitious plans for their ground although unlike Coventry it would have involved moving to another town, Truro. They had previously dipped their toe in the water with four years in Cambourne, a bus ride from Newlyn, and  Truro could have provided larger home crowds. The development has been planned to be on a new development, but appears now to have fallen through - largely it seems, due to the club relying on public funding for their ‘Stadium for Cornwall’ - something their county council finds itself unable to provide. This seemed to come as a betrayal to followers of the club. It could alternatively be seen as a bubble being burst. I guess a publicly funded county stadium in a different town has resonances that do not appeal to someone in Coventry.

Cornish Pirates ‘robust’ game is, as I said, something that appealed to me in the past, but in the pandemic era has turned me away from enjoying thor games. In recent seasons they have taken their game over a number of lines, beyond where I consider acceptable. In the ‘behind closed doors’ match at the BPA players abused an assistant referee with foul language which could be heard over the broadcast relay, and caused an apology from Coventry. Yes, the referee had made a mistake i the laws in awarding Coventry a try, which was rectified when the AR spoke to the referee, but no action appeared to be take against the players concerned.

Last season too their consistent abuse of the offside line, also went largely unpunished, and was also remarked on by supporters of other Championship clubs throughout the season. 

This season however something seems to have changed. It is something tat gives me hope that Coventry could do better against Cornish Pirates than in recent times.

They come to the BPA from below Coventry in the league table. It’s only one place, like Coventry 3 wins from 5, but on only 12 points against 15. It isn’t this though that gives me more hope for Coventry; it is discipline. The Pirates’ discipline has been atrocious. I doubt that the referees are treating the Pirates more severely than in previous seasons, or are ‘keeping an eye out’ for them in particular. From what I’ve seen of this season so far Championship refereeing has not become stricter this season; if anything the opposite. So, if Corish Pirates are not being singled out what has changed? Has their squad lost its discipline? In Coventry’s case losing experienced players has not had this effect - if anything the opposite - but certainly over the first block of the season Pirates have spent too much time with players off the pitch.

I’m very much looking forward to seeing Coventry’s two new players from Worcester taking part on Saturday. Obviously I’ve no idea if either or both will start. It’s harsh on our young players who have made what I think is a better start to the season than many had expected, but a little bit more high-quality experience should relieve a little pressure on the squad. One or two returns from injury would be very welcome too even if some may well take until November or later. 

So, in all, Is this a great opportunity to get a victory over these challenging opponents? I believe so. Coventry’s team spirit seems high at the moment, the squad, although small in numbers, and currently depleted is performing well. Cornish Pirates do not seem to be quite  the effective squad of the last few seasons. It can be won.

Of course I could be wrong. What do you think?Remember i=, in the end it is what happens o the pitch that matters. Do you see a Coventry win on Saturday? Will you be there on Saturday?