Cornish Pirates coach Joe Walsh says the next month will go a long way to determining their season in the Champ.
The Pirates face the top three sides in their next four games – starting with a trip to second-placed Worcester Warriors on Saturday.
They then host third-placed Bedford the following Friday and meet unbeaten league leaders Ealing at the Mennaye on 27 December after a trip to mid-table Chinnor.
Pirates then begin 2026 with a trip to ninth-placed Coventry who finished fifth last season.
After failing to win any of their first three games, Pirates have won their past five matches with try-scoring bonus points and have risen to fourth in the Champ.
“I think this is an opportunity for us to go and show where we’re at in terms of those top four, top six spots that we want to be in come the end of the season,” Walsh told BBC Radio Cornwall.
“This is probably the foundation point of the season in terms of where you’re going to sit yourself when the league reaches that exact halfway point after Coventry.
“It’s not often that the league finishes exactly at the halfway point at New Year’s so we will be at that exact marker and we’ll get a really solid understanding of where we’re at positionally.”
