No surprises in Albion's team to face rivals Exeter

By [cmckee]

PLYMOUTH Albion have sprung few surprises in their team selection for tomorrow's Devon derby with Exeter Chiefs at Brickfields (3pm).

The Brickfields club are forced to make two changes to the side which recorded a superb 19-16 Championship win at Bedford last Saturday.

Hooker Joe Clark is out with a calf injury, while flanker Rory Watts-Jones is unavailable due to an unavoidable family commitment.

In their place come the experienced pair of James Owen and Darren Clayton, respectively.

Both players have made five league starts this season, with injuries preventing them from increasing that number.

However, both are fully fit and will line-up in an Albion team which has won its last three Championship matches.

Added to a bench of eight with the promotion of Owen and Clayton is utility forward James Waterhouse, prop David Morton and hooker and chairman of rugby Graham Dawe.

"James coming in for Joe and Darren replacing Rory were the obvious choices, but James Waterhouse was pushing Darren very close," said Dawe.

"James made two starts in the second-row in the British and Irish Cup when Tyler Hotson was away and he did very well for the team.

"He is a very good back-row player – he is comfortable anywhere in the back five.

"He is a very tidy player and an excellent player for us to have to come off the bench."

Albion will decide on which replacement misses out on the morning of the game.

Favourite is likely to be Scottish under-20 international Morton, who has yet to make a start for Albion.

However, Morton has made four replacement appearances this season, including coming off the bench in the 30-24 defeat at Exeter in September.

Even if he is left out tomorrow, Dawe said Morton has a bright future ahead of him.

"David is a very good player, one who is very highly rated by everyone at Plymouth Albion," said Dawe.

Club captain Kieran Hallett has to be content with a place on the bench for a third successive week.

Fly-half Hallett, who can also play full-back, has made 11 Championship starts this season.

He had a fine game at Sandy Park in September, scoring 19 points from fly-half, including a superb individual try.

However, tomorrow, Mark Lee retains his place in the number 15 shirt while Alex Davies will line up at fly-half.

When asked if there was any temptation to recall Hallett at number 10 tomorrow considering his performance at Exeter earlier in the season, Dawe said: "You have got to have a good reason to leave out Alex Davies."

Canadian international Hotson, fit-again centre Matt Hopper and former Chiefs' full-back Gary Kingdom also have to make do with a place on the bench.

Hopper made his first league appearance of the season last week when he came on as a replacement against Bedford.

Martin Rice has remained on loan at Premiership side Wasps. The prop was part of their squad that played Bayonne in the European Challenge Cup last night. Albion are also still without injured flanker Sean-Michael Stephen and utility back Geoff Griffiths.

Albion: Mark Lee, Ben Mercer, Keni Fisilau, Sione Tu'ipulotu, Liam Gibson, Alex Davies, Ruairi Cushion, George Porter, James Owen, Ryan Hopkins, Mike Lewis, Tom Skelding, Wayne Sprangle, Darren Clayton, Kyle Marriott (capt). Reps (from): Gary Kingdom, Kieran Hallett, Matt Hopper, David Morton, Danny Porte, Graham Dawe, Tyler Hotson, James Waterhouse.