'Exceptional permission' given by RFU for Champ Rugby ground switch

Cornish Pirates have been given ‘exceptional permission’ by the RFU to play this weekend’s home Champ Rugby game against Ampthill at Camborne RFC, the scene of one of the club’s greatest triumphs.

The Pirates’ Mennaye Field ground was hit by the full force of Storm Goretti the week before last, and the scale of the damage is such that it would be unsafe to host the game there.

On this occasion, the RFU have waived the requirement to have floodlights in place, allowing the temporary move to take place, with an earlier kick-off time of 2pm agreed.

A club statement said: “Making the Mennaye safe for Saturday became untenable today with the assessment of the electrics. Water getting into places it shouldn’t has made the electrics unsafe.

“The RFU came on Friday to assess the damage to the Mennaye and to review other clubs for exceptional permission for us to play elsewhere. Camborne Rugby Club facilities, with some temporary provision of head injury video technology (Hawkeye) were deemed acceptable. The RFU has given a special dispensation to move kick off to 2pm and play without floodlights.”

Pirates’ last game at Camborne’s Recreation Ground was the 23-14 win vs Munster A in the final of the 2010 British & Irish Cup. The match was watched by over 6,000 people and featured starts for current joint head coaches, Gavin Cattle and Alan Paver.