By stonehousealbion
September 3 2014

Not a great start to the new season. Still, the only way is up! All we can do is look ahead. More worrying almost than the result is the sick list - Shanners himself went off early in the first half and Neale Patrick left the ground with a sling on. (Looks like those boys and girls at the Nuffield are going to have some extra work this week.) The word is that reinforcements are on the way from Oz (with EU passport) to cover the 10 slot, though.

Here are this week's fixtures:

Sat 13 Sep

Bedford Blues v Rotherham Titans 15:00 Goldington Road

Jersey v Doncaster Knights 15:00 St Peter

Plymouth Albion v Nottingham 15:00 Brickfields

Worcester v Moseley 15.00 Sixways Stadium

Sun 14 Sep

Yorkshire Carnegie v Bristol Rugby 14:30 Headingley

Cornish Pirates v London Scottish 15:00 The Mennaye

While the results from Week 1 didn't throw out any other real surprises, they leave no slack for us next Saturday. Nottingham will be fresh from a win over Bedford, and by all accounts were well sorted in the scrum. An on-target kicker didn't go amiss, either. Last term, we traded home wins with the Green and Whites, but with Albion's wholesale re-jigging this year, that gives little indication of how things will pan out. We just need a solid week on the training ground and some conscientious singing from the same sheet - the one entitled "The Basics and How to Do Them Well". Turn the wick up a little as well, lads.

Elsewhere, Donny will fly to Jersey, while Moseley will host a West Mids derby against Worcester who really piled on the pressure at Ashton Gate. The Blues' malaise is not over, but a home fixture may help against a Roth team unable to repeat pre-season form. On the Sunday, expect another full-bore performance from Bristol at Headingley. The Pirates will entertain Scottish, who let's not forget have a long term ambition to return to the top - the long way round.

All opinions welcome on the the outcomes...