RORY RETURNS TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN - PIRATES NORTHERN TOUR PREVIEW

In his swansong season, Poole's number one Rory Schlein will make an emotional return 'home' on Friday evening when he leads the Pirates into league action at Edinburgh, to start their three day Northern Tour. 

The reigning British Champion, who puts that title on the line later this month, spent four seasons as an Edinburgh Monarch when he first came to the UK in 2001, scoring over 1000 points (including bonus) for them and was a member of their 2003 Premier league title winning side.  

The three-time Scottish Open champion admits "I always enjoy going back to Edinburgh, it is where my career all began and I have some really fond memories of my time there. The Edinburgh fans have always given be a warm welcome when I have ridden there and I hope it will be the same on Friday. Of course you can't say for certain whether it will be my last visit there as we don't know what might happen with the play-offs and cup and what not but I am sure that it will be tinged with a bit of sadness if it does turn out to be my last appearance at Armadale, and if it does, then hopefully I can sign off there with a decent performance for Poole!" 

If it is Schlein the Pirates are turning to for guidance and track knowledge on Friday, then it will be Steve Worrall who they will be looking to on Sunday when their three-rubber tour concludes at Newcastle. Worrall, himself a one-time Monarch, joined the Pirates from Newcastle, where he has made over 170 appearances across six seasons since 2012. 

But frustratingly for the Poole management, first sight of their latest recruit, Benjamin Basso, has been delayed as he tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of a Danish league meeting on Wednesday. He is now under isolation and misses the club's tour, where he would have experienced a variety of tracks, ranging from the small 260 metre Scottish circuit at Armadale to the country's largest track, Shielfield Park (Berwick), which measures 368 metres, culminating at the 300-metre Bykker Park, which is more similar to Wimborne Road (299m). 

The Pirates therefore will have to continue with stand-in riders who have an average of 3.75 or less to cover the number two berth, whilst tracking a second guest for reserve Ben Cook who is still nursing the leg injury he sustained at Redcar. 

Poole teams for the tour: 

at Edinburgh: 1 R.Schlein; 2 J.Edwards (Guest); 3 S.Worrall; 4 S.Nielsen; 5 D.King; 6 J.Wright (Guest); 7 D.Hume - Team manager Gary Havelock 
at Berwick: 1 R.Schlein; 2 J.Edwards (Guest); 3 S.Worrall; 4 S.Nielsen; 5 D.King; 6 J.Wright (Guest); 7 D.Hume - Team manager Gary Havelock 
at Newcastle: 1 R.Schlein; 2 A.Bowtell (Guest); 3 S.Worrall; 4 S.Nielsen; 5 D.King; 6 Z.Cook (Guest); 7 D.Hume - Team manager Gary Havelock