Cornish Pirates have 'more rounded' squad says Gavin Cattle

Cornish Pirates captain Gavin Cattle says his club's squad for the forthcoming Championship season is "more rounded" than last year's side.

The Pirates lost in the Championship final for the second successive season after going down 66-41 on aggregate to London Welsh in May.

Since then the Pirates have seen 16 members of that squad leave the Mennaye and 11 new players join it.

"In terms of position recruitment we're a more rounded team," he said.

"Last year we were maybe a bit more one-dimensional in the midfield whereas we have ball-carriers and playmakers in there now," he added to BBC Sport.

Pirates have added the likes of Wasps' Alex Cheeseman and Nottingham fly-half Kieron Hallett.

But they have seen leading kicker top-try scorer David Doherty and Ian Nimmo leave for the Dragons.

With Newcastle coming down from the Premiership and sides like Leeds strengthening, Cattle was asked if last season was the best chance the Pirates have had to claim the Championship title.

"Yes arguably I'd say that. Newcastle are a renowned Premiership team who've been around for a while with a bigger budget than we have.

"Last season was more of a level playing field in that sense, so it's going to be a massive challenge to compete with the big boys, but it's something you relish.

"You want to play against top quality opposition so it's exciting times for the Championship and for us."