NEW loan signing Alife Petch goes straight into the Cornish Pirates starting line-up ahead of Sunday’s Championship clash with Doncaster Knights at the Mennaye Field (2.30pm).

The 24-year-old prop returns to the Pirates from Gallagher Premiership side Gloucester, whom he joined in June of this year following previous spells with Northampton Saints, Biarritz and Exeter Chiefs .

It was during his time with the Chiefs that Petch, who started his rugby journey as a youngster with Bude Rugby Club, first featured for the Pirates in the 2021-22 season, when he made 23 appearances whilst on dual-registered terms.

He is one of three changes the Pirates have made to their starting line-up from that which inflicted a first defeat of the season on Coventry a week ago. Petch comes in at tight-head for James French, Matt Cannon returns in the second row for Charlie Rice, while the fit-again Harry Yates takes over in the centre from Chester Ribbons.

Whilst Petch is returning, Sunday will see a final home outfit for back-row forward Will Gibson, who confirmed earlier this week he will be leaving the club at the end of the month to move to Australia, where he is set to join club side Sydney University.

Looking ahead to the visit of the Knights, who sit seventh in the standings, a place and two points below the Pirates, joint head coach Alan Paver assessed the threat of the visiting Yorkshiremen.

“Doncaster have a quality side with some outstanding individuals,” he said. “To date they probably haven’t fired as much as they would have hopes, so for us that clearly makes them dangerous opponents.

“We’re at home and are obviously playing some decent rugby at present, but there is no danger of us being carried away because it is undoubtedly going to be a very tough encounter.”

Cornish Pirates: Will Trewin; Arthur Relton, Charlie McCaig, Harry Yates, Matt McNab; Bruce Houston, Dan Hiscocks; Billy Young, Harry Hocking, Alfie Petch; Matt Cannon, Lewis Pearson; Martin Moloney, Will Gibson, Hugh Bokenham (capt). Replacements: Sol Moody, Oisin Michel, Craig Williams, Josh King, Tomi Agbongbon, Cam Jones, Iwan Jenkins, Iwan Price-Thomas.