Whatever happens at Poole on Saturday night, Great Britain team-mates David Norris and Scott Nicholls know it will be another day at the office on Monday.

The office in question is Arlington Stadium when the TV cameras will be back to record the first post-World Cup goings-on as Eastbourne Eagles take on Ipswich Witches in Elite League action.

"In football terms, it's a six-pointer," explained Eastbourne boss Jon Cook, mindful of the fact that in eight days' time his team could be in charge of third spot in the table or scrambling to make the play-offs.

After Monday, Eagles go to Arena Essex on Wednesday, Ipswich on Thursday and then complete a hectic spell of four matches in six nights at home to Arena on the Saturday.

"What we have to do is get our heads round whether we are fighting for third place or just to be in the play-offs. I'm confident it's third place," said Cook.

"At the moment it's too close to call. If the league finished today, the form guide would put us in fourth place behind Poole, Wolverhampton and Ipswich, but Arena, Swindon and Oxford are all in there."

Of the three teams currently on Eastbourne's back wheel, Cook believes Swindon are the biggest threat. "A lot of it is in our own hands and the next week is going to be a crunch period.

"It's also a very exciting time, and you have to say that's down to the play-off system. Whatever some people might say, our season would have been dead and buried months ago without the play-offs."

So where does that leave Norris and Nicholls? Tomorrow night the two riders will be going hell for leather in a common cause when Britain ride in the World Cup final. Forty-eight hours later, their personal dicing should light up Arlington as they return to the league stage.

Norris will have to wait a few races before that happens, but one man the Eastbourne captain will run into straight away is Denmark's Hans Andersen.

They were involved in an angry clash a couple of weeks ago during the Britain v Denmark Test match at Wolverhampton, and whatever olive branches were offered in the aftermath it would not take a lot to re-ignite the fuse.

Cook is backing his skipper. "A lot was made of the thing between Nicki Pedersen and Greg Hancock earlier in the season, but when we went to Oxford Nicki was superb and rose above the occasion.

"It's important David does the same. As far as I'm concerned it's a no brainer. If David is on form, Andersen shouldn't get near him around Arlington."

By Monday, of course, the two riders will have put their rivalry to the test in the World Cup final at Poole where Andersen, an international team-mate of Pedersen, lines up for the Danes, and Norris is part of the British challenge.

Eastbourne will have Joonas Kylmakorpi back in place of Roman Povazhny, while Edward Kennett has been installed in the line-up in place of Steen Jensen.

Cook explained: "Roman would not have been available for our other three matches next week, so it makes sense to bring Joonas back on Monday. He has ridden for two weeks in Sweden and is fit again.

"Steen is also coming back from injury and the best thing he can do at the moment is ride in Denmark and Sweden and get his form back."

Eagles bagged the bonus point when the teams met earlier in the season, winning 50-40 at Arlington and going down by just one point, 47-46, at Ipswich.

A similar outcome, at least, would suit the Sussex outfit this time, but that won't be easy with the Witches also packing plenty of power via a rejuvenated Chris Louis and Jesper Jensen in addition to Nicholls and Andersen.