By Frank Stormont
September 17 2009

A full weekend of rugby at Brickfields, so lets get behind the boys, and ladies, and give them our support.  

This Weekend

A full weekend for Albion that will see 5 matches over three days. Albion take on Bedford in their third match of the Championship while Devonport Warriors travel East to take on Barking in a reversed fixture on Saturday with both matches kicking off at 3pm.

The Ladies take on Richmond II at Brickfields on Sunday in Championship South 1 whilst the under 18 and 15 sides travel to Tavistock to take on hosts and Columpton.

And finally Warriors play hosts to Launceston on Monday night with a 7:30 kick-off.

Bedford are now the only side not to have let the opposition over their try line and Albion will be hoping that they will be the first after a disappointing performance last week in the north.

Bedford finished a creditable third in National League One last season loosing only 7 times in the season and picking up 124 tries but their conversion rate was the worst in the season with only 56% of tries converted. Albion on the other hand only collected 64 tries but had equal best conversion rate with London Welsh of 78% an advantage that we will need to take advantage of.

Bedford picked up 19 bonus points against Albion's 10 last season and finished with a points difference of 420 points against Albion's deficit of 62 points. 

On these figures any impartial observer will put their money on Bedford taking the spoils but that was last season and everything, as always , will depend on the performance on the day and how well both sides play on the day.

Home support will mean a lot to Albion and the verbal shouts of Albi Albi Albi will encourage the team to give their best.

In the head to head record Albion have collected 5 wins to Blues 10 in NL1 and trophy matches since 2002 and we have to go back to December 2006 for the last time Albion had bragging rights.

Actual results

28 March 09 - Albion 14 Bedford 31
15 November 08 - Bedford 37 Albion 9
09 February 08 - Albion 6 Bedford 13
13 October 07 - Bedford 13 Albion 10
21 April 07 - Bedford 30 Albion 13
30 December 06 - Albion 22 Bedford 8
25 March 06 - Bedford 34 Albion 28
19 November 05 - Albion 28 Bedford 23
16 April 05 - Albion 13 Bedford 14
02 April 05 - Bedford 39 Albion 21
13 November 04 - Albion 19 Bedford 9
31 January 04 - Bedford 6 Albion 26
27 September 03 - Albion 15 Bedford 24
23 March 03 - Bedford 31 Albion 16
07 September 02 - Albion 49 Bedford 29

CD’s prediction: Exactly as last season - close one, win by 3 points for…..hopefully Albion, but Bedford could steal it

Warriors

Yet again London Welsh pull out of the Canterbury Shield after the fixtures have been fixed. It brings the league down to 10 teams but will leave the Warriors with a number of free weekends. They have arranged four fixtures against Redruth and All Blacks during the season and this is on top of the two preseason agianst Redruth. The Reds matches are on a Sunday with the All Blacks playing evening matches during the week.

This Weekend then Warriors travel to Barking in this rearranged match, I think Barking are new to this league and run 4 or 5 teams, a "real" Rugby Club. Warriors come in stronger to the start of the season after finishing bottom third last season. Against Redruth last week they showed their better condition in a youthful team at Brickfields, the report of the match is still outstanding on this site and I hope to have it up before they play again!

Monday night sees them play Launceston on Monday night with a 7:30 kick-off but this side may include some of the bench players against Bedford and Barking to give them game time. This time on the pitch is important at the beginning of the season as we try to build the sides.

Ladies

The ladies side go into their match against Richmond II without a warm-up match, something they have had to contend with over the past few seasons. It will be difficult to gel the team but their new coach, Andy, has every confidence with them and is expecting much.

The squad has a great mix of abilities from a current international, Georgie Rozario, down to ladies that have yet to play a match.  They have yet to name their captain this season after Rachel Hayes, who has had the role for the past three seasons, decided to take a year out from rugby.

In the past clubs that have played in the Premiership and also a second team at a lower level have had the opportunity to use the match as a warm up. This is not the case this season as Richmond I have a home fixture against Wasps. Richmond contain a number of Internationals including current 1st choice scrum half, Amy Turner.

Girls U15 and U18

Sunday sees them travel to Tavistock for their first formal matches of the season.  Both teams are in a friendly league that aims to give as much game time to the girls as possible without being too competitive. The way this works is if you don't have enough to make up a team of your own then you either join one of the other two teams aor they would join you.

Last season the girls had a grant that paid for away travel over the season, that money is no longer available and so they are looking for a sponsor to cover the cost.  Since they have a new kit this season there is a nice space on the front of the shirts that would take a company name.

Something for the weekend?

Discussion started by Unofficial Plymouth Albion (IP Logged), 17/09/2009 20:36

Unofficial Plymouth Albion
17/09/2009 20:36

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ianbol
17/09/2009 22:30

Nice one, Frank.

May pop up on Monday evening.

Any news on catering ??

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