Painter available for selection with Pirates

Tighthead prop Ehren Painter will be available for selection with Champ Rugby side Cornish Pirates this weekend.

The 28-year-old front-rower recently returned to the pitch for the first time in 15 months when he started Chiefs’ friendly against the Royal Navy at Sandy Park.

Chiefs’ director of rugby Rob Baxter said: “We’re incredibly keen to get Ehren playing and getting genuine game-time because that makes him much more selectable in our line-up.

“Coming back from a long-term injury without some solid game-time to then go into a Gallagher PREM game or a European one, that would be tough. We probably saw that in some of our other guys who returned in the Gloucester game last weekend.

“So, it’s worked out well that Pirates are in a position to need a prop to help them out. It’s a great chance to get Ehren some really valuable game-time and hopefully get him back ready to play regularly.

“It’s all a positive for us because the one thing we’re seeing is that the bigger the squad, the more capable players we have ready to go then the more opportunities we’ll have to win things.”

Cornish Pirates currently sit seventh in the Champ table and face Coventry at the Mennaye Field this Saturday afternoon [KO 14:30].