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Swindon Robins vs Poole Pirates - Match Preview
Swindon Robins will aim to get their Elite League campaign off to a strong start as they take on reigning Champions Poole at Wimborne Road on Good Friday, race start 12.00pm.
The M&S Van Rental Robins will face a stern test against the pre-season title favourites as they look to get their season underway with a win.
However, Alun Rossiter's new-look side themselves have high hopes of mounting a title challenge in 2016.
They will be led by World No.5 Jason Doyle, who is back at the club for the first time since 2012 after enjoying a spectacular few years.
Doyle, 30, is desperate to maintain his high performance levels as he aims to lead the Robins into the all-important top four.
Doyle said: “I’ve had a great couple of years and I can only try and maintain that this year. I’ve been training hard and all my equipment is up to a good standard, so it’s just down to me now to do the business out on track.
“The last two years I haven’t even made the play-offs which has cut my season short. That hasn’t been ideal so hopefully being at Swindon we can get into the top four and be in the mix.”
Both sides will be at full strength for their clash at Wimborne Road, with Poole led by 2012 World Champion Chris Holder plus featuring former GP ace Hans Andersen.
Meanwhile, Nick Morris will make his first Swindon appearance of the year after missing the trip to Somerset whilst Charles Wright and Rohan Tungate return to the Robins’ side after riding for the Rebels in last week’s challenge fixture.
Poole Pirates marched to a Elite League victory last season, and Matt Ford and Neil Middleditch's side will be looking to pick up where they left off.
Pirates began the 2015 season with three consecutive wins, but this time around will be facing somewhat of an unknown opposition in the form of Alun Rossiter's new look, Australian dominated Robins side.
Poole enter the season opener in good form, having recently defeating Coventry both home and away in the curtain raiser Elite Shield.
Poole chief Matt Ford who was more than satisfied with the Pirates' excellent start to the year is hoping that his side can build on those foundations.
"It was really satisfying to win both legs of the Shield last week, I didn’t really expect that once I learnt that Chris would be forced to sit out the away meeting, but the lads showed good character and they will need to do so again as we face a solid looking Swindon side," he said.
"I am really hoping that we will be back to full strength however and that Easter will start well for us and we can have our first league points on the board before we travel to Swindon on Sunday for the corresponding fixture," he added.
The Dorset club have been unbeaten in their last 12 official fixtures, but it was the Wiltshire side that have come closest to getting a result in that sequence having gained a 45-all draw on their last visit to Wimborne Road.
POOLE: Chris Holder, Brady Kurtz, Davey Watt, Hans Andersen, Krzysztof Buczkowski, Adam Ellis, Kyle Newman.
SWINDON: Jason Doyle, Justin Sedgmen, Josh Grajczonek, Rohan Tungate, Nick Morris, Charles Wright, Stefan Nielsen.
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