CORNISH Pirates newcomer Fintan Coleman goes straight into their starting line-up ahead of tomorrow’s Championship clash at Hartpury (2.30pm).

After a three-week break, the Pirates resume league action looking to maintain their rich vein of form at the end of 2024, where they won five games on the bounce.

Coleman, 25, only arrived in the county earlier this week, but his arrival is timely after the Exeter Chiefs recalled on-loan duo Lewis Pearson and Martin Moloney for their latest Champions Cup fixture against Ulster.

Pirates joint head coach, Alan Paver, has welcomed the arrival of Coleman, saying: “Fintan has had to integrate immediately. For us, it’s obviously helpful that we can access someone of his quality in such short time. We’re delighted to welcome him into the squad. He’s a bright and ambitious young man, who can play both in the second and back row, which is always good.”

The Irishman will pack down alongside Josh King in one of a number of changes the visitors have made to their winning formula.

Also included from the outset tomorrow will be Robin Westlake and Bruce Houston in the back division, while up front James French returns at tight-head and Alex Everett and Tomiwa Agbongbon are included in the back-row.

On the bench, there are also news faces in the shape of Alfie Bell (Exeter Chiefs) and Chris Mills (Redruth).

Looking ahead to the task of facing Hartpury, who beat the Pirates at the same venue in the Premiership Rugby Cup earlier this season, joint head coach Gavin Cattle added: “Coming back after the break, I think the rest was needed, and the mood following a good run of results has understandably been a positive one.

“Having said that, we have two tough challenges in the league ahead of us, starting with the trip to Hartpury, then travelling to Ealing the weekend after. Hartpury have a stable pack and a stable team, plus they are also playing well as we experienced in the Cup earlier this season.

“Their pack, plus their general physicality proved superior to us in the second half of that game, so that’s the challenge ahead of us going up there on Saturday.”

Cornish Pirates: Will Trewin; Arthur Relton, Charlie McCaig, Harry Yates, Robin Wedlake; Bruce Houston, Dan Hiscocks; Billy Young, Harry Hocking, James French; Josh King, Fintan Coleman; Alex Everett, Tomiwa Agbongbon, Hugh Bokenham (capt). Replacements: Sol Moody, Oisin Michel, Ollie Andrews, Alfie Bell, Chris Mills, Cam Jones, Joe Elderkin, Iwan Price-Thomas