Cattle thrilled to be facing the Haka for the first time

Cornish Pirates scrum-half Gavin Cattle describes his inclusion in the RFU Championship squad to take on the Maori All Blacks at Doncaster this Saturday as “awesome”.
The 32-year-old Welshman, a five-time member of the Championship's annual  Dream Team, is one of the elder statesmen of a 23-man squad named by Bedford Blues boss Mike Rayer which sees all 12 second tier clubs represented.
Cattle is joined by fellow Pirates Phil Burgess and Alan Paver, while Nottingham and Bedford will also have three players on duty.
Bedford's England U20 wing Josh Bassett gets a chance to impress alongside two other Blues youngsters in Jake Sharp and Luke Baldwin, while Nottingham provide the more experienced trio of Tim Streather, Rhys Crane and Nic Rouse.
Championship leaders Newcastle are not over-burdened by call-ups, with just Richard Mayhew and Oliver Tomaszczyk summoned south, while fellow league newcomers Jersey are represented by lock forward Nathan Hannay.
There is a good blend of youth and experience in the squad and Cattle, a leading contender to captain the side when Rayer finalises his selection with fellow coaches Ian Davies (Pirates) and Diccon Edwards (Leeds), is delighted to be involved.
He told The Rugby Paper: “It's awesome – what an occasion! International selection doesn't come around very often and having played in the Championship for god knows how many years, it's going to be a very special occasion.
“I hope lots of Championship supporters will come and the Maori bring that special heritage and tradition. Everybody wants to see the Haka and I've never faced it, so it makes the event all the more unique and I hope we can put on a show.
“It's a big ask because we'll only have a couple of days together beforehand, but it's one of those occasions you've just got to relish and enjoy. It'll be a bit like the Barbarians in a way, so we'll just go out there and give it a good crack.”
Rayer believes it is vital for all 12 teams to be represented and he hopes such fixtures will become a regular, and valuable, part of the Championship calendar.
With adult tickets from £5, kids gaining entrance for a quid and beer at £2-a-pint, Doncaster are certainly doing their bit to ensure the day is a roaring success.
Rayer said: “I feel this match is a landmark occasion for the Championship and I hope it leads to regular international fixtures each year.
“There's genuine excitement among the players and they want to be part of it. There's a good mix and it potentially represents a stepping stone for some players while rewarding others who've been around the Championship for a while.
“We've picked good players in their own right, guys who are playing well and can hopefully blend quickly. We'll meet in Doncaster on Wednesday and have a light run-out that evening, then train twice on Thursday before our team run on Friday.
“It's about bringing the group together quickly because we're going in against a side with huge history.”
The Squad
Backs: Dante Mama (Doncaster), Jack Tovey (Bristol), Josh Bassett (Bedford), Rhys Crane (Nottingham), Charlie Hayter (Moseley), Tim Streather (Nottingham), Tristan Roberts (Bristol), Jake Sharp (Bedford), Gavin Cattle (Pirates), Luke Baldwin (Bedford).
Forwards: Mark Irish (London Scottish), Tom Davies (Doncaster), Alan Paver (Pirates), Oliver Tomaszczyk (Newcastle), Dan Baines (Rotherham), Jon Vickers (Plymouth), Nathan Hannay (Jersey), Calum Green (Leeds), Nic Rouse (Nottingham), Phil Burgess (Pirates), Jacob Rowan (Leeds), Richard Mayhew (Newcastle), Ben Pienaar (Moseley).
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