Albion sign two backs on transfer deadline day
GRAHAM DAWE has bolstered his injury-hit Plymouth Albion squad by signing Samoan international fly-half Doug Sanft and New Zealand-born full-back Scott Ireland.
Albion registered the pair yesterday, ahead of the 3pm transfer deadline.
The club are still waiting for the official confirmation from the RFU that their registrations have been accepted but Albion are optimistic that there will not be any problems.
"We have not had the confirmation back yet, but we don't expect there to be any problems," said Albion's chairman of rugby Dawe.
Ireland has been training with Albion for the last couple of weeks after leaving neighbours Launceston.
He played for Albion's development team – the Devonport Warriors – last week and has opted to sign for the Brickfields club until the end of the season.
Samoan Sanft has also been playing in the West Country, having turned out for the Cornish Pirates and Mounts Bay this term.
Sanft, who had three seasons at Halifax between 2003-2006, joined the Pirates in the summer from top Spanish side CRC Madrid.
He started the Pirates' first five matches, but was then publicly criticised by the then Cornish side's head coach Mark Hewitt before going on loan to Mounts Bay.
Sanft was released by the Pirates last month and has been playing - and impressing - for Bay in Division Two since.
Albion have opted to sign him with Kieran Hallett ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury.
"The opportunity arose to sign Doug and with Kieran Hallett out injured for the long term we felt it would be good for the club to have three fly-half players," said Dawe, who has allowed Mounts Bay to borrow six of his players this term.
Sanft scored more than 250 points two seasons running for Halifax and he will compete with youngster Alex Davies and Ross Laidlaw for Albion's number 10 shirt.
Meanwhile, Ireland's signing gives Albion more options at 15 with fellow full-backs Geoff Griffiths, Tom Jarvis, Nat Saumi and Wihan Neethling currently injured.
"With four full-backs out injured it's nice to have another body on board," admitted Dawe.
Albion yesterday allowed Mounts Bay to sign young backs Steve Johns and Ross Batten for the rest of the season and have also loaned them centre Arran Cruickshanks for this weekend's EDF National Trophy quarter-final against Nottingham.
Albion forwards Jamie Salter and Ed King are also on loan at the Cornish side, but they, like Cruickshanks, can be called back to Brickfields if needed at any time.
"It has been doing Ed King and Jamie Salter a power of good playing every week for Mounts Bay and we know if and when we need them that they will be up to speed," said Dawe, who earlier in the season borrowed prop Tim Mathias from Mounts Bay for a couple of games.
"Ross Batten and Steve Johns, though, will stay registered with them for the rest of the season.
"We feel this is the best thing for their development.
"Steve Johns has developed really well playing for them in Division Two this year and it would be a shame to call him back now and have him miss out on two months worth of league rugby.
"He is a young player with a good future and we have been really pleased with how he has progressed playing for Mounts Bay."
He added: "Ross Batten has been out injured for a long time, but he has lots of natural ability. This will be a big step up for him."
Albion have also allowed another teenage back – Mark Lee – to gain some National League experience.
The 18-year-old utility back, who has yet to taste National League rugby, has joined Division Three South side Lydney on loan for the rest of the season.
He has been named among Lydney's replacements for tomorrow's game against Rugby Lions.
Lydney, coached for former Plymouth prop Nick Bartlett, recently borrowed Cruickshanks for a game when Albion were without a fixture.
Cruickshanks, Salter, King and Johns, meanwhile, will all be in Mounts Bay's side tomorrow as they attempt to cause a major shock by knocking Nottingham out of the cup.
Cruickshanks, who has come on in Albion's last two matches, and Salter have already faced Nottingham this season in Plymouth colours.
2 Comments
by Rob, Plymouth
Friday, February 27 2009, 10:39AM
“Chris who says the club is paying them? They have just said they have registered them. It looks like Albion and Mounts Bay are helping each other out by lending each other players in positions they need, which makes sense. And you cannot accuse Albion of not giving young players a chance this season. Look at Mike Lewis, Matt Hopper, Alex Davies, Ross Allan, Tom Jarvis, Arran Cruickshanks, Rory Watts-Jones, Mike Denbee, Kyle Marriott, Geoff Griffiths etc etc. The last few games every back has been 24 or under. Sanft and Ireland are hardly old anyway, but if they are offering their services to Albion the club might as well register them, especially when you consider the injuries the club have. And I don't see the season as been over. I want to see the team finish higher than last year. But we have got to play the likes of Doncaster, London Welsh, Pirates, Bedford and Leeds in the last eight games. It would hardly help preperations for next season if the club got hammered in all those games. Sanft and Ireland may not play yet. They might not get into the team, but lets welcome them to the club and be glad of some extra bodies when you consider backs Jarvis, Griffiths, Hallett, Fisilau, Saumi, Neethling, Mensah-Coker and Palu are injured.”
by Chris, Plymouth
Friday, February 27 2009, 9:49AM
“I thought we were meant to be broke? Now that the season is effectively over for Albion I would have liked to have seen a few of the younger squad members given a run. At least they might put a bit more effort in than the hopeless rubbish and lack of enthusiasm we saw on Saturday. Instead we get the short term option of couple of aging foreign players who can¿t get into our rival¿s teams. Where¿s the sense in that? Albion need to be looking to the future”