THERE is a real appetite among the lads for the Plymouth game on Saturday. Sometimes, when you are in the middle of a long league season, matches can be viewed as ones to get out of the way. Not this one!

I think the mini-break for the squad has done everybody the world of good and has freshened the players up mentally and physically. The training sessions have gone really well this week and everyone is feeling very sharp.

That is underlined by the team John Brain and Andy Keast have out for this Sixways clash. Back into the side comes Nnamdi Ezulike, Gary Trueman, Tim Walsh, Christian Evans, Mark Gabey and Dan Zaltzman to make it look probably the strongest since November.

Tough

It goes without saying that we've had some tough luck with injuries but, touch wood, things are now on the up. We are now missing Richard Bates, Ben Hinshelwood and Chris Pearson and, although we'd like to have them back, it's not too bad to be only three short at this stage of the season.

When you have so many key players back in such a short space of time, it gives the squad a massive boost. It's almost as if they've had a huge shot of adrenalin because certainly you can see the performances in training move up a few gears. I've always been a great believer in competition for places bringing the best out of players and that's been proven this week.

I'm confident now that the boys will be able to transform their form from the training field to where it matters. We face Plymouth and we know they are a good, strong side who gave us problems at Beacon Park earlier in the season. We still look back on that win there with a lot of pride because we came away from there with four tries and five points in absolutely dreadful conditions.

They've got a real try-scoring threat in their number eight Dan Ward-Smith. To score 20 tries in a season from the back row is a real achievement and we must be on our guard to stop him from adding to that impressive tally on Saturday.

Obviously we saw Rotherham take over top spot when they won one of their games in hand at the weekend. It wasn't really a shock for us though. I think they will be given a rough ride at Exeter and Orrell while, of course, they have to come to Sixways yet. I don't think it's particularly significant that they are top now. There are a lot of twists and turns yet in this race for promotion.

Everyone at the club is totally focused on the six games to go now. We've had chance to recharge the batteries and the players are determined to give every ounce in order to win back that top spot. The Plymouth game is the ideal chance for the team to lay down a marker for the rest of the season. We've played some good stuff in this campaign but we want to get back to the levels we were against London Welsh, Manchester and even Plymouth.

We have no excuses for not performing. We are at home, have a number of key players back and we have everything to play for. What the players also want to hear is the crowd singing from the off. The home crowd can make a real noise but it normally arrives in the second half. What would be nice on Saturday is if the supporters could really get behind the players from the very first whistle.

There are not many home games left. Let's make them count!