Jamie Blamire is the solitary Cumbrian due to start in Newcastle Falcons’ Greene King IPA Championship game at Cornish Pirates.

Seaton-born Blamire, a former Workington Zebras player, replaces the injured Charlie Maddison at hooker in one of four changes to director of rugby Dean Richards’ starting line-up.

Having scored two tries from the bench in last weekend’s 45-7 win against Hartpury, Ben Stevenson will start for Falcons on Sunday (kick-off at 2.30pm).

The 21-year-old was only on the field for 12 minutes against Hartpury. But he dotted down twice in Newcastle’s comprehensive victory, a result which left the Falcons and Cornish Pirates as the top two teams in the division.

Elsewhere, Sean Robinson returns in the second row and John Hardie comes in on the open-side flank for what Richards acknowledges will be Newcastle’s toughest test so far this season.

“Having had a good look at Cornish Pirates, I think they’re the closest thing you’ll get to a Premiership team in the Championship,” Richards told the Falcons website.

“They’re very well-drilled, they’ve got a great balance to their team and it will be a very hard test for us.”

Not shocked in the least at Pirates’ table-topping early-season form, Richards, who once again names former England fly-half Toby Flood as captain, added: “Some people have said that their home victory over Ealing in the opening round was a surprise result, but we certainly don’t feel that way.

“We picked them out right from the start as being one of the teams to beat and, on their home soil, that becomes even more difficult for any visiting side.

“We’re certainly not taking them lightly because you just can’t afford to do that, and we’re in for a really good and exciting game down there.”

Former Carlisle Rugby Club man Gary Graham has been selected among Newcastle’s replacements.

In June, 21-year-old Blamire, who enjoyed a spell with Tynedale, was one of three players from Newcastle’s academy squad in their 2018/19 campaign to make the step up into the senior ranks, doing so alongside George Wacokecoke and Stevenson.

Blamire is also a former England Under-18 and Under-20 international.