Preview - Albion v Pirates

By Dick Straughan
November 23 2007

Two great rivals of National Division One go head to head at Brickfields tomorrow as Plymouth Albion entertain the Cornish Pirates (3pm). This is never a match for the faint-hearted and tomorrow promises to be no different as the sides clash for the first time this season.

Albion claimed the spoils of a league double last season winning at Camborne to inflict the Pirates only home defeat of the campaign, before pummeling a distinctly under-strength Pirates side at Brickfields in April. The relatively narrow margin of a 19-9, three tries to nil defeat for the Pirates a bit of a let off on the day.

With hindsight you could argue that the Pirates claimed the victory that counted in the EDF Trophy Semi-Final winning 17-9 at Camborne en route to their Twickenham triumph, but that was then and this is now. With the race to secure Premiership status steadily intensifying league points count.

Albion are a little off the pace at present having under-performed in the league at the start of the season. They currently sit two places below the Cornishmen in the league and 11 points shy of them, but only a fool would bet against Plymouth Albion when playing in front of their adoring fans.

Albion are on a three match unbeaten run since losing at home to Coventry and away to Doncaster on successive weekends, but the Pirates bring a proud unbeaten away record with them stretching back to April 7th - the last time they visited Brickfields.

Pirates Head Coach, Jim McKay, had strong words for his team at half-time last weekend as they stuttered against a resurgent Rotherham Titans but the wisdom worked as the Pirates rallied to claim all five points. Albion Coach Graham Dawe was in the crowd and has given credit to the Cornish pack in the local media this week.

He told the Western Morning News, "They`ve got a cracking back row with the likes of Cowley, Motusaga and Evans. But its not just about those players, Heino Senekal is a powerful player and Joe Beardshaw is a real cog in their wheel with his line-out prowess and work in the loose. Thats five players who would get into most teams in this division."

Dawe may be relieved to hear that Joe Beardshaw starts on the bench tomorrow but his place is taken by arguably the Pirates player of the season thus far - Bruce Cumming. The big South African is one of four changes to last Sunday`s starting line-up. The others see Ed Fairhurst return at scrum-half, Jimmy Moore on the wing to counter the threat of Nic Sestaret, and stalwart prop Alan Paver return at loose-head.

With Sam Heard and Chris Cracknell returning to fitness and named on the bench, McKay will be confident he has the weapons in his arsenal to nullify a powerful Albion threat.

As usual, this shoot-out will be down to whoever blinks first.

I will plump for the Pirates by 2 points.

 

Teams:-

Albion

Lewis, Lewsey, Cruickshanks, Davies, Sestaret, Laidlaw, Cane, Mathias, Owen, Barretto, Stewart, Gulliver, Hayes, Stroud, Bornman (capt)

Reps - Zimmerman, Oxley, Lewis, Lowrie, Kettle, Saumi, Neethling

 

Pirates 

Thomas, Moore, Lilo, Buckley, Koko, Steenson, Fairhurst, Pver, Kemp, Seal, Senekal, Cumming, Cowley (capt), Motusaga, Evans

Reps - Dawiduik, Cook, Heard, Beardshaw, Cracknell, McAtee, Tuohy

 

Referee - M. Wilson (RFU)