CORNISH Pirates have signed Chatham-born prop forward Billy Young, writes Phil Westren.

The 24-year-old is a former Saracens Academy member who has played for Canterbury, besides featuring for Kent in their 2022/23 County Championship-winning campaign.

Ahead of the 2023/24 season he had an opportunity to join Jersey Reds and was expecting to play against the Cornish Pirates in a scheduled Premiership Rugby Cup game at the Mennaye Field in September, only for that chance to be thwarted by the Jersey club’s sudden demise.

Pirates’ joint head coach Alan Paver said: "Following the disappointing and awful news concerning Jersey, Billy got in touch with me, and it is clear he is ambitious and wants to be at the best environment possible.

"He is a strong young man and builder by trade and, with Jack Andrew presently unavailable through injury, there is definitely space for another prop.

"We are looking forward for him to quickly integrate, get in, and get going.”