SEVEN POINTS are on offer for Swindon Robins today as they take on a vulnerable Poole Pirates side both at home and on the road in the SGB Premiership.

Alun Rossiter’s Robins travel to Dorset for the first of today’s two meetings at midday, before both teams battle it out for a second time at the Abbey Stadium (7.30pm).

Poole will be keen to make up for the embarrassment suffered when Swindon comprehensively defeated the Pirates 53-37 at Wimborne Road last month in the Premiership Supporters’ Cup.

But the Pirates’ task was handed a major blow yesterday when it was confirmed that Australian Brady Kurtz will remain on the sidelines as a result of his crash in Sweden earlier this month.

In contrast, the Robins have the luxury of naming a full-strength seven – with Ellis Perks stepping in to make his Swindon debut following the release of James Shanes last week.

Despite Pirates’ improved form since Swindon last met the Dorset club, Rossiter senses a big opportunity to poach more valuable away points with his re-shuffled Robins pack.

He said: “I expect we will find a very wounded Poole side.

“Poole have been doing very well on the road lately, and have certainly upped their game since we last rode against them.

“It’s always very difficult when you’ve got a daytime meeting. It’s never going to be perfect because of the track.

“The only way you can get around it is to put a lot of dirt on it, and the water will then soak into it.

“But when there isn’t a lot of dirt down, it can go very dusty. And that’s not easy for anyone.”

Missing Brady Kurtz could prove to be as much of a blow for Poole at home as it will be away from for tonight’s evening meeting.

Kurtz top scored for the Pirates during their Supporters’ Cup visit to the Abbey Stadium last month, before delivering a match-winning performance when guesting in place of Jason Doyle for Peterborough Panthers’ Premiership visit at the start of this month.

Rider replacement will be operated in his absence, but it seems Rossiter senses a big opportunity to make the most of Pirates’ weaker squad.

He added: “Brady (Kurtz) did a fantastic job for us when guesting, so he will be a big loss to them.

“But that doesn’t change our approach.”

SWINDON: Jason Doyle, Dawid Lampart, Tobiasz Musielak, Adam Ellis, Troy Batchelor, Zach Wajtknecht, Ellis Perks.

POOLE: Jack Holder, Richie Worrall, Nicolai Klindt, Josh Grajczonek, Richard Lawson (at Poole)/Brady Kurtz R/R (at Swindon), Nico Covatti, Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen.