ALBION prop Martin Rice has been ruled out of tomorrow's derby clash with Exeter Chiefs with a shoulder injury.

Highly-rated Rice was forced to go off after 64 minutes of last Saturday's 38-3 defeat to Bedford suffering from a bruised shoulder.

He has been unable to train all week and will not be fit enough to take his place in Albion's front-row tomorrow.

"Martin hasn't trained all week and although it was a close call, there is no way he would have lasted the game," said chairman of rugby Dawe.

"For that reason alone, he has not been named in the squad.

"There is no point in playing him tomorrow if it is going to put him back three weeks."

Last week, when Rice was forced to leave the pitch against Bedford, he was replaced by former Exeter player Danny Porte.

Porte has yet to start a game this season, but he is set to be handed the opportunity to push for a regular spot by being named in the number one shirt against one of his old clubs tomorrow.

"Losing Martin is a bit of a blow, but it is an opportunity for Danny Porte," said Dawe.

"He played for Exeter and then Launceston before joining Albion, so he has plenty of experience. I am sure he will enjoy tomorrow's game."

Aside from Rice, another player not fit enough to be named in Albion's squad of 24 players for tomorrow's crunch clash is fly-half Alex Davies.

The ex-Waterloo back sprained ankle ligaments in training last week, which caused him to miss the game with Bedford.

Albion had hoped Davies would be fit enough to play some part tomorrow, but he is now not expected to feature until next weekend's home clash with the Cornish Pirates at the earliest.

"We were hoping Alex would be fine, but it looks like he will probably be back next week," said Dawe.

Joe Clark and Tom Skelding, who both made their first Albion starts against Bedford last weekend, are in line to retain their starting places.

Skelding, who left the Chiefs for Plymouth in the summer, is joined in the Albion squad by other former Exeter players Ryan Hopkins, Gary Kingdom and James Owen.

Albion squad to face Exeter (from): G Kingdom, G Griffiths, B Mercer, K Fisilau, J Nava, L Gibson, K Hallett (capt), M Lee, S Tu'ipulotu, R Cushion, J Clark, J Owen, R Hopkins, D Porte, D Morton, T Skelding, T Hotson, M Lewis, S-M Stephen, D Clayton, J Waterhouse, R Watts-Jones, W Sprangle, K Marriott.

More Albion news in tomorrow's Herald