Cornish Pirates boss Ian Davies happy with scrum-half options

Alex Day is a former England Under-20 international and was signed from Northampton in April

Cornish Pirates head coach Ian Davies is happy with his scrum-half options despite losing Mike Pope and Stu Townsend to "pretty serious" injuries.

Alex Day will deputise in the number nine shirt as they host London Scottish in the Championship on Sunday.

"We've still got Rob Coote, Jack Oulton and old man of the sea Gavin Cattle if we really need him," said Davies.

"Alex was really good at the start of the season, so I'm sure he'll carry on from there this weekend."

Pirates have not won since the opening game of the season and are only off the bottom on points difference.

Pope broke his jaw in two places in their defeat by leaders Yorkshire Carnegie, while Townsend is likely to be sidelined for a few weeks with a knee injury.

"He's (Pope) been operated on so he's going to be out for a while," Davies told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"We're not a million miles away from a win so why can't it be this weekend."

Flanker Alex Cheesman returns for Pirates, and skippers the side, while Kieran Hallett will form the half-back pairing with Day.

Brett Beukeboom, Aaron Carpenter and Matt Evans are unlikely to feature for a couple weeks despite Canada being knocked out of the World Cup.