This Weekend

v
Titans v Albion
Saturday 08 March
K.O. 3 pm

There was also to have been a Warriors match at Redruth this Sunday but this has been postponed presumably due to the County Under 20 Championship match when Devon travel to Gloucestershire in the second round. And a number of Warriors are expected to feature.

Gareth

James

George

Chris

Colin

Tom

Brett

Jannie

Nigel

Brad

Nic

Ross

Arran

Ed

Nat

Bench from

Emyr

Keni

Ross

Daniel

Scott

Richard

Kyle

Mike

Rotherham have not won at home in their last 4 league matches and Albion not won away from home in the league in their last 5 trips. Albion have seen yellow 10 times this season against Titans 14, with  3 - 1 on Penalty tries in Albion's favour.

Albion although they lost last week against Donny it was a match that they could have won and if they can put in a similar or better performance in Rotherham then the should come away with the second win at Clifton Lane in 15 days. Having won in the EDF Energy National Trophy. 

With Mike Denbee travelling to Scotland for Friday's Student match it is unclear as to whether he will be available for selection for his club. Brad Davies has been doing well at the number 10 slot over the past few weeks but will Ross Laidlaw return to the place he has occupied for most of the season.

There is no travel club transport this week end but there are special offers on the final two trips £5 for Pirates and £15 for London Welsh. 

Officials - G Knox has been named as referee for the day and will be only his second NL1 match this season. And sorry but I don't even know his first name.

National League One Data

This table shows the for and against for each team. eg Tries 74/17 is 74 tries scored and 17 conceded. Con Rate is the percentage tries converted.

Side by Side

NL1 fixture this weekend

Predictions above from Rugby Times - RugbyRoundup.com show Titans beating Albion by three points

Recent Meetings

23 February 08 (EDF)
Rotherham 8
Plymouth Albion 19

Team: Nat Saumi, Ed Lewsey, Arran Cruickshanks, Keni Fisilau, Nic Sestaret, Brad Davies, Nigel Cane, Tim Mathias, Richard Oxley, Scott Zimmerman, Colin Stewart, Tom Hayes, Adam Kettle, Brett Stroud, Jannie Bornman Replacements: Emyr Lewis(used), Ross Allen(used), Kyle Marriott(used), George Davis(used), James Owen(used), Chris Lowrie(used), Gareth Evans(used)

Scorers :- Tries Adam Kettle Brett Stroud Nat Saumi Conversions 2x Brad Davies

03 November 07
Plymouth Albion 15
Rotherham 0

Attendance: = 2695

Albion are back to winning ways coming in with a 15 - 0 win.

All but two penalties within kicking range were kicked for the points and 5 out of six went between the posts.

Ed Lewsey made yards a number of times off the back of the scrums, rucks and mauls but the team was unable to get any benefit of them.

Albion gave a way few penalties and made use of the times Rotherham did. Titans spent the last few minutes trying to get over the Albion line without success.

Rotherham did not seem to be the side that had done reasonable well last season and for the second week running failed to trouble the scorer.

This is ... Report

Team: Emyr Lewis, Liam Gibson, Arran Cruickshanks, Brad Davies, Nic Sestaret, Ross Laidlaw, Ed Lewsey, Tim Mathias, James Owen, Steve Barretto, Tom Hayes, Ben Gulliver, Chris Lowrie, Brett Stroud, Jannie Bornman Replacements: Nigel Cane, Wihan Neethling, Richard Oxley(used), George Davis, Mike Lewis(used), Colin Stewart, Adam Kettle(used)

Scorers :- Penalties 5x Ross Laidlaw

10 March 07
Rotherham 35
Plymouth Albion 27

Attendance: = 1328

Albion start well on a bright March afternoon with a slight cross wind.

Albion took the first 10 minutes or so with a try for Nic before Titans got into the match. Graham Dawe had said that Albion must start well and they did but allowed Titans to come back to lead 22 - 13 at half time. Not before Regardt had picked up a drop goal and a penalty.

The first 15 minutes or so in the second half was quiet until Titans pulled ahead 25 - 13. Albion stayed in the game and defended well for most of the half.

With only one minute of normal time left Albion were 30 20 behind then took the score to 30 27 with a second try to Nic, his 21st of the season, and Regardt converted with a drop kick.

Albion were still in it in the last play of the match when the ball was dropped in the Titans 22. The kick clear by Titans enabled them to take a run away try and all the spoils of the match.

This is ... Report

Team: Nat Saumi, Tom Arscott, Regardt van Eyk, Keni Fisilau, Nic Sestaret, Ed Barnes, Ed Lewsey, Tim Mathias, Richard Oxley, Scott Zimmerman, Mike Lewis, Tom Hayes, Brett Stroud, Danny Thomas, Chris Lowrie Replacements: Matt Newman, Arran Cruickshanks(used), Wihan Neethling(used), Andy Williams(used), James Owen(used), Dan Smith(used), Jake Childs

Scorers :- Tries Ed Barnes 2x Nic Sestaret Penalties Regardt van Eyk Drop Goals Regardt van Eyk Conversions 3x Regardt van Eyk

04 November 06
Plymouth Albion 14
Rotherham 11

Attendance: = 2964

To day 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

More ...    Opponents Report

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

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