Cornish Pirates sign Holland from Loughborough Students

Cornish Pirates have further increased their links with National One club Loughborough Students with the signing of back Craig Holland.

The 21-year-old, who can play at full-back or wing, is the third player from the club to move to the Mennaye.

Back-row forwards Joe Atkinson and Jake Parker joined the club last week.

"If a player has studied at Loughborough University and played 1st XV rugby you know they've been well coached," said Pirates boss Ian Davies.

Holland, who has been a member of Harlequins' and London Irish's academies, scored 12 tries and kicked three conversions for Loughborough last season and was part of the team that won promotion to National One in 2012.

Pirates fly-half Kieran Hallett, and former players Grant Pointer and Phil Burgess, have all come through the Loughborough ranks, and Davies says he expects this new trio of players to be just as good.

"There will be a lot of the core skill building blocks already in place," he said.

"When Phil and Grant arrived with us they already understood the core values of honesty and hard work on which we try to build our squad down here at the Pirates and it will be the same case with the three new recruits."