CORNISH Pirates joint head coach Gavin Cattle feels tomorrow’s clash with fellow play-off chasers Worcester Warriors (3pm) will ‘provide a good marker of how far we’ve come’ in this season’s Champ Rugby campaign.

The fifth-placed Pirates host a Worcester outfit who arrive at the Mennaye Field in fine fettle themselves, sitting second and also looking a good bet to finish in the all-important top six which will give sides the chance to battle for promotion to the Premiership.

A big crowd is expected, and supporters should be in for a treat between two sides who arrive at Round 21 of the competition having scored points aplenty last weekend. The Pirates won 66-13 away to Richmond, while the Warriors were 76-10 winners at home to Cambridge.

There are four changes in the Pirates’ starting line-up from the one that ran out at the Richmond Athletic Ground. In the backs, Joe Elderkin will partner Chester Ribbons in the centre and Matty Ward is selected on the wing, whilst in the pack Sol Moody slots in at hooker and Josh King is added to the second row.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s game, which kicks-off at 2.30pm, Cattle said: “We are in a good run of form and at this stage of the season have been a bit more like a Pirates team. Energy and application levels last Saturday were commendable and there has been some real progress, though having said that we are also aware there are some real challenges ahead.

“In the away game against Worcester, despite playing some good rugby we were well beaten, so Saturday should provide a good marker as to how far we have come since.”

Cattle also reserved praise for front-rower Alfie Petch, who started his journey at Bude. He said: “Alfie is a real character and a proud Cornishman, who has really applied himself during his time here.”

CORNISH PIRATES: 15 Angus Mawson; 14 Arthur Relton, 13 Chester Ribbons, 12 Joe Elderkin, 11 Matty Ward; 10 Arwel Robson, 9 Dan Hiscocks; 1 James French, 2 Sol Moody, 3 Alfie Petch; 4 Matt Cannon, 5 Josh King; 6 Alex Everett (capt), 7 Luke Ratcliff, 8 Tomi Agbongbon. Replacements: 16 Morgan Nelson, 17 Billy Young, 18 Ben Woodmansey, 19 Rory Suttor, 20 John Stevens, 21 Will Becconsall, 22 Louie Sinclair, 23 Harry Yates.

Referee: Jamie Parr; Assistants: Mike Lamb and James Milliner-Woodcock; Official 4: Kevin Williams.