Speedway: Unfamiliar challenge for Sheffield's big names as Tigers head for Birmingham

Sheffield's big names will face an unfamiliar challenge on Monday, says Tigers boss Simon Stead.

The Tru7 Group Tigers head to Birmingham on Monday night for the club's second consecutive away fixture since starting their premiership title defence at Oxford on Thursday.

And the Sheffield team manager Simon Stead says with the Brummies returning to the Rowe Motor Oil Premiership this season, it will be a track that Sheffield heat leaders Jack Holder, Tai Woffinden and Chris Holder will have little recent experience of.

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Sheffield lost 47-43 at Oxford on Thursday, but the manager feels there is plenty to be optimistic about.

Stead said: “I think there were lots and lots of positives that we can focus on after Thursday at Oxford,” Stead said.

“The result might not have been the one we had hoped for, but all considered, I was pleased with a lot of aspects from a lot of the riders and it’s good to have another meeting so quickly.

“I think that now we’ve got one under our belts and blown the cobwebs off, I think we’ll start showing what we’re truly made of as a team.

“Don’t get me wrong it will be a tough place to go to because at the end of the day, it’s their first home meeting back in this league and everyone at Birmingham has been building up to us coming.

“It’s also another place that our heat-leaders won’t have been to for quite a while.

“So I think it will be another good test for us but at the same time I think it’s a good opportunity to get some points on the board.”

Sheffield remain unchanged. Birmingham's line up includes Czechia international Vaclav Milik and seven-times British Champion Scott Nicholls.

The meeting is also being streamed via BrummiesTV at: https://www.brummies.tv

BIRMINGHAM: Vaclav Milik, Tom Brennan, Wiktor Lampart, Steve Worrall, Scott Nicholls, Zach Cook, Leon Flint.

SHEFFIELD: Jack Holder, Kyle Howarth, Chris Holder, Josh Pickering, Tai Woffinden, Jason Edwards, Dan Gilkes.