The 2011–12 season was the Cornish Pirates 9th season in the second tier of the English rugby union league system, the RFU Championship and their third in the British and Irish Cup. The Pirates finished 3rd in Stage One of the Championship, allowing them to qualify for the promotion stages, where they were losing finalist to London Welsh RFC. They also reached the semi–finals of the British and Irish Cup losing to Cross Keys in Wales. Pre–season Friendlies RFU Championship Stage One matches Stage one is a league programme of 22 matches starting on Saturday, 3 September 2011 and completed by Saturday, 25 February 2012. Each team play 11 matches at home and 11 away. Top eight teams play in the promotion play–offs, bottom four play in the relegation play–off. 24 September H v Leed Carnegie televised on Sky Sports Stage One final table Stage Two matches Stage Two: The promotion play–offs are played in two groups of four with the top two teams qualifying for the knock–out stages. The relegation play–offs consist of one group of four teams with the bottom team being relegated. Each team plays three matches at home and three away. The top two teams in each group qualify for the semi–finals. Group B table (Promotion) * Adj – refers to number of points awarded before the start of the play-offs. Points per match are awarded as follows: Four points for a win Two points for a draw 1 bonus point for scoring four tries and/or losing a match by seven points or less Knock-out stages consist of two-legged semi–finals and final with the highest league finisher from Stage One being the home team Semi–final Final British and Irish Cup The Cornish Pirates were drawn in Pool one and played the teams in Pool two. The Pool winners and the two best runners–up qualified for the Quarter–finals. Pool one fixtures Pool one final table Quarter–final Semi–final Squad 2011–12 Dual Registration Tom Cowan–Dickie (Exeter Chiefs) David Ewers (Exeter Chiefs) Lloyd Fairbrother (Exeter Chiefs) Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs) Drew Locke (Exeter Chiefs) Alan Paver (Exeter Chiefs) Charles Walker–Blair (Exeter Chiefs) Internationally Capped Players Andrew Suniula joined the Pirates after the 2011 World Cup. Transfers 2011–12 Players In Tom Cooper (from Newport Gwent Dragons) David Doherty (from Jersey) Tom Kessell (from Plymouth Albion) Ben Maidment (from Moseley) Matt Smith (from UWIC Ryan Westren (from Launceston) moved to London Scottish