Spy in the Titans Camp.
By Frank Stormont
March 9 2007
Albion have named 30 year old teacher on the bench. Albion make the trip to face Titans at Clifton Road in the hope that they can continue on their winning ways. Also news on Georgina Rozario, who has been named to start for England against France on Sunday
Squad to play Rotherham
Tim Mathias
Richard Oxley
Scott Zimmerman
Mike Lewis
Tom Hayes
Federico Genoud
Danny Thomas
Chris Lowrie
Ed Lewsey
Ed Barnes
Nic Sestaret
Keni Fisilau
Regardt van Eyk
Tom Arscott
Nat Saumi
Matt Newman
Arran Cruickshanks
Wihan Neethling
Andy Williams
James Owen
Dan Smith
Brett Stroud
Bench
Spy in the Titans Camp
Saturday 10th March 3pm
Earth Arena Clifton Lane
Rotherham
S60 2SN
Tele 01709 388 540
In all the confusion over the last few days it would not be hard to forget that this weekend holds a crucial match for both Albion and Titans.
Titans are on a high and are looking to challenge Leeds for the title, although Leeds appear to think that they have already won and are building their team for the premiership. After loosing to Exeter and Doncaster mid December they have not lost a match in the league since. They even managed to win against current favourites Leeds on 30th December. Every match they have had this year they have walked away with 5 points!
Albion on the other hand will see that this match is crucial in ensuring that we finish above other south west sides.
Captain Joe Bedford has already signed for Leeds but has he jumped ship to find the grass is not greener on the other side. He has declared that will still give everything to Titans but who can tell.
Head Coach Andre Bester who was in deep water after speaking out at the end of their visit to Brickfields, has also declared that he will not with Rotherham next season. Report
Rotherham who finished ahead of Albion last season it 4th place have had two brief periods in the Premiership and are looking for a third and hoping it will be longer this time.
Last time out
4th November 2006
Albion 14 Titans 11
Attendance: = 2964
Predications of this result said it was going to be close
and it was.
The game was played wide and at a fast pace with Nic Sestaret scoring his
7th try of the season early on. Albion defended well apart from early in the
second half when Rotherham took the scores to 11 – 11. But Wihan quickly
retook the lead with a penalty.
The manicurists will certainly be doing business when they open on Monday as
I expect that many fingernails will have been bitten short.
When Nigel Cane came off in the first half Tom Arscott came on and Ed Lewsey
moved to the scrum half role.
The result was in doubt right up to the final whistle as Rotherham drove
closer and closer to the line but when the ball eventually went over the ref
judged the ball to have been held up and blow up for the 5 metre scum before
the final whistle was blown, much the relief of the Albion fans
Team: Wihan Neethling, Ed Lewsey, Regardt van Eyk, Keni Fisilau, Nic Sestaret, Ed Barnes, Nigel Cane, Martin Rice, Richard Oxley, Scott Zimmerman, Colin Stewart, Ben Gulliver, Federico Genoud, Danny Thomas, Tom Hayes Replacements: Jon Fabian, Arran Cruickshanks(used), Tim Mathias(used), James Owen, Chris Lowrie, Tom Arscott(used), Brett Stroud
Scorers :- Tries Nic Sestaret Penalties 3x Wihan Neethling
alllbion report This is .. report Rotherham report
Last time in Rotherham
24th September 2005
Titans 35 Albion 30
With three different kickers on the Albion side this was a close match that Albion pulled back in the second half after being 25-7 down at the turnaround. With a few decisions going different ways it could have been a win but Titans held on and gained the win points. Albion had to be happy with coming away with 2 bonus points. I know its ifs and buts but a win there on that day would have meant that Albion would have finished ahead of Titans last season. What it goes to show is that every single point needs to be worked for and is important at the end of the season.
Of the starts last time Albion went to Rotherham only 5 are likely to be available to start on Saturday.
Team: Nick Defty, Nic Sestaret, Keni Fisilau, Luke
Arscott, Jon Fabian, Ed Barnes, Mat Albina , Martin Rice, Stuart Friswell ,
Ryan Hopkins , Nic Rouse, Tom Hayes, Martin Schusterman, Danny Thomas, Alfie
Tooala.
Replacements: Regardt van Eyk, John Henry Brown, Chris Lowrie, Nat
Saumi(used), Nigel Cane(used), Graham Dawe(used) Scott Zimmerman(used)
Scorers Tries: Martin Schusterman, Keni Fisilau, Nic Rouse, Martin Rice; Conversions: Nick Defty 2; Penalties: Nick Defty, Nat Saumi
How to get there and costs
Travel club still have plenty of room on the coach
From Junction 33 on M1 onto Rotherway, at the roundabout turn right onto A631 marked Bawty. Go straight ahead at Whiston traffic lights onto the dual carriageway. At the next roundabout, turn left onto B6410, Broom Lane, then left onto A6021, Broom Road. In 1/2 mile there is a roundabout, turn right into Badsley Moor Lane. The club house is the second entrance on right.
Admission
Adult £10
Concessions £7
Under 16 £3
Seating Supplement £2
Programme £2.50
Predictions
BetFred
Titans to win by 7
Terrace talk
Not yet available
Rugby Times
Titans by 8
Rugby round up
Not yet available
Frank's
It should be a close match with one side gaining the loosing bonus point. I do not expect a high scoring match, going down to the wire, with neither side gaining a try bonus. As an Albion fan I put my trust in the team and back them for a win by 5 points.
Weather
Albion maters
Cornish Pirates have been the topic of most Albion fans since they were pulled out of the bag to play at Camborne. With confusion about where we can get tickets from still running as I type this. Albion have announced that they will not be selling any tickets and Pirates saying we can not buy from them we must buy the tickets they are sending to Brickfields later this week.
With the injury list growing last week Albion will have to work hard to pull off this win. It will have to be the motivation and attitude of the team that will come away with a win.
Wihan Neethling appears to be coming back to form but his kicking before the match against Coventry was not as good as Regardt's. Lets hope that if picked to start he will have improved his strike rate over this week.
Ben Gulliver, who proudly wore the Albion red shirt on the pitch against his old club Coventry, is still working on his way to recovery and is on at least light training. I expect that he will not be fully match fit for several weeks yet although it would be nice to see him fit for at least one of the matches against Pirates.
Richard Oxley was pulled from the squad last week with back problems and Nigel Cane with knee problems.
Tom Arscott is recovering from glandular fever played just under two thirds of the match against Cov. He will need to make sure that he is fully fit, but when on form he is a difficult man to catch.
Andy Williams, 30 year old school teacher is named on the bench and set ready for his debut for the club. Andy has played in a number of positions in the forwards but has stepped up to the Prop position this season.
Frank's Team. Wihan Neethling, Tom Arscott, Regardt van Eyk, Keni Fisilau, Nic Sestaret, Ed Barnes, Ed Lewsey, Tim Mathias, James Owen, Scott Zimmerman, Mike Lewis, Tom Hayes, Federico Genoud, Danny Thomas, Chris Lowrie.
Replacements. Mat Newman/Nigel Cane, Arran Cruickshanks, Nat Saumi, Gareth Evans, Dan Smith, Brett Stroud, Graham Dawe/Richard Oxley
Warriors went down to Glamorgan Wanders 18-27 last weekend. Playing at the same time as Albion against Coventry they had to give up some players that would normally have had a run out to cover injuries in the main squad. They have no match in the next week and the next two planned matches are Bristol away on 19th March and Royal Navy at Brickfields on 21st March.
Ladies, like Warriors they failed to win last week and also have a week off playing this weekend. Many of the team will however be travelling to St Albans on Sunday to watch Georgina Rozario start as scrum half for England A against France A.