Plymouth Albion face tough test against Warriors
Sep
PLYMOUTH Albion open their home campaign tomorrow with a match against title favourites Worcester Warriors at Brickfields (3pm).
Albion will be hoping to pull in a big crowd for the game, having not played a competitive match on home soil since their televised play-off victory over the Cornish Pirates on April 16.
Worcester, relegated from the Premiership in May, will start as favourites. They opened their Championship campaign last Saturday with a convincing 48-3 victory Birmingham-Solihull at Sixways.
Albion, meanwhile, had little to cheer about last weekend when they went down 51-3 at Bedford Blues.
But it means Plymouth will have something to prove tomorrow in front of their home supporters.
"This is a fresh challenge," said chairman of rugby Graham Dawe, who celebrates his birthday tomorrow. "And every player should be mentally strong enough to take it on.
"I believe our players will rise to the challenge of playing Worcester.
"We have got a very enthusiastic team and they want to respond at home.
"The team will be giving it their best shot."
Worcester, now coached by Dawe's former Bath and England team-mate Richard Hill, have not visited Plymouth for a league game since 2003.
Albion hope to have fly-half Alex Davies back in their side.
The Brickfields club were without a specialist number 10 last Saturday at Bedford with Davies and Kieran Hallett both ruled out.
But while Davies should be back, club captain Hallett is still likely to be a couple of weeks away from fitness after suffering a serious foot infection. Influential duo Keni Fisilau and Martin Rice also remain on the sidelines for Albion.
Worcester are likely to include two players to have once pulled on an Albion shirt in their side.
Plymouth-born Tom Arscott started his career at Brickfields. Dawe handed him a league debut just 11 days after his 18th birthday back in 2005.
Prop Callum Black has also turned out for Albion.
Worcester allowed Black to move to Brickfields on loan during the 2008-09 season when Albion were suffering a front-row crisis.
Tickets for tomorrow's game are available at www.plymouthalbion.com.
