Championship Weekend Preview
Team news ahead of the latest round of The Championship.
As we head into the final straight of the season, with five matches remaining and three teams still in the mix for top spot, Saturday’s Ealing Trailfinders v Cornish Pirates clash is set to be a pivotal encounter in the context of deciding the 2021/22 Championship title. Saturday’s other match takes place five miles down the road from the Trailfinders Sports Ground at The RAG, as eighth-placed Richmond take on ninth-placed Coventry: a game which will see Championship stalwart Mark Bright make his 200th appearance in the league.
Here's a look at how the sides line up.
15:00 Ealing Trailfinders vs Cornish Pirates
Ealing Trailfinders will have home advantage in a match which is pivotal to the outcome of The Championship, as Cornish Pirates travel to the capital for the penultimate game of the season for both sides. Director of Rugby Ben Ward has stayed true to the starting XV that beat Ampthill by 33 points almost two weeks ago, making zero changes to the starting lineup, and even keeping the exact same bench the side took to Ampthill.
Cornish Pirates make five personnel changes to last weekend’s starting line-up that secured them a win over Hartpury. Marlen Walker starts at loose-head prop, whilst the duo of Danny Cutmore and Antonio Kiri Kiri are deemed fit and return at lock and open-side flanker respectively. In the backs there is also a return for winger AJ Cant and Joe Elderkin will partner Tommy Wyatt in the centre.
15:00 Richmond vs Coventry
The headline from the Richmond Athletic Ground this weekend will undoubtedly be Championship stalwart Mark Bright making his 200th league appearance as Richmond host Coventry. Richmond will field a largely unchanged side to the team that last played two weeks ago. There are two changes in the front row as in-form hooker James Hadfield and Irish prop Ntinga Mpiko replace the unavailable Jack Musk and Jimmy Litchfield. There is a single change in the backline, as Lennox Anyanwu’s unavailability means Ronnie McLean steps into the 12 jersey.
Coventry’s visit to the RAG will be their final league match of the season as the side will look to leapfrog Richmond in the league table. Director of Rugby Rowland Winter has made three changes to the starting XV who played in last weekend’s high-scoring game against Jersey Reds. Two props return for Coventry. Toby Trinder, who was named to start against Jersey but was unable to play last minute, returns at loosehead, dropping Luc Jeannot to the bench. Matt Johnson is also welcomed back at tighthead after being recalled last weekend from Exeter Chiefs. Senior Academy player Tom Ball is also introduced to the lineup due to flanker Senitiki Nayalo being recalled by the Army. The backline remains the same, but usual fly-half Tony Fenner, who was unwell last weekend, is featured on the bench.