DEFENCE, defence, defence is the key on Saturday as we make the long trip down to Cornwall.

The boys sat down this week to analyse the weekend win at Henley and they were ultimately disappointed with the display. They're desperate to make amends against Penzance & Newlyn.

It seems strange to talk in those terms when you've gone away from home and beaten a team 69-33 but we've set ourselves high standards this season and felt we'd dipped under those in certain areas.

We were obviously pleased with some of our attacking because we scored 11 tries and some of the moves worked a treat. However, the fact that we leaked five tries says it all and in the last two games now we have conceded eight.

It's not acceptable to all of us at Sixways and the boys know that. Although I'm not on the field, I can speak for the squad because we want to be as professional as possible and finish this season having won 26 out of 26. If we keep on defending like we have, however, we are going to slip up somewhere in the last six games.

If we can go there and win 24-0 on Saturday then that will suit me down to the ground. It really is that important to us because we pride ourselves on our defence and up until a few weeks ago we were averaging just one conceded try per game.

We'll be missing Ben Hinshelwood again because of his international duties but I don't envisage a problem at all for us. I think last season we may have relied on him too much because of the injuries around the squad. This season, though, whenever Ben has been with Scotland someone has come in and done a great job. It is a credit to the rest of the squad that Ben's absence hasn't cost us.

You can see by this week's team that the squad is just filled with quality. Out goes Drew Hickey and Matt Evans takes his place at number eight. Matt Powell drops to the bench and Neil Cole comes in for his first start.

The team has a youthful look to it and it will be an interesting test for them in uncomfortable surroundings. You can play these guys in second team matches and, of course, they stand out. However, to really see what they're made of, you have to throw them into a situation where it is uncomfortable and Penzance will certainly be that.

There should be a decent crowd down there and a good atmosphere. The Cornish, so I understand, are very passionate about their rugby and they will still be well aware that they are in some trouble at the wrong end of the table.

To their credit, they've done well this season after being promoted. We beat them comfortably at Sixways earlier in the season but we weren't happy with our performance that day either!

I won't be involved again because of my illness. I am progressing well but it is just so frustrating for me. I must have said that a million times this season already. I took a concussion test this week to see how my reactions were and I passed that OK so I know I'm getting better.

I will try to jog again on Monday and see how my heart rate is but that is all I can do at the moment and I simply have to be patient because it's my health and I want to carry on playing rugby!