Eastbourne Eagles today identified Cameron Woodward as the overseas rider they plan to sign Eagles have agreed terms with Edinburgh Monarchs for the reigning Australian under-21 champion to sign on what could become a permanent deal.

Woodward, who was squeezed out of the Edinburgh line-up by a change in the rider-grading system, will have to wait for work-permit formalities to be completed.

He will ride at reserve off a 3.50 average and could feature in the rearranged home meeting with Oxford a week on Friday.

Andy Appleton will fill in at reserve at Oxford tomorrow and in Friday's double-header with Poole in place of Brent Werner, who has a broken collarbone.

Woodward scored a paid nine points from seven rides for Eagles in meetings at Poole and Ipswich last June.

Promoter Jon Cook said: "We were impressed with him then and we are delighted to have him racing for us.

"He was the most amazing omission from the Premier League this season."

David Norris heads for his Team Great Britain comeback tonight telling critics: "Don't write me off yet."

Norris hopes to shrug off a modest start to the season by helping the Brits defeat Sweden in a one-off Test at Swindon.

The Eastbourne Eagles heat leader admits Team GB will have precious little home advantage given the Swedish team is packed with Elite League stars.

But he hopes to make a bright start to the two-week period which could shape his season.

Norris said: "It has been frustrating for me so far but we have only had a handful of meetings.

"I've been taking extra meetings to try some stuff out and get something that works.

"It's still extremely cold at night and we are not happy with how things are going.

"But as soon the weather changes, hopefully, we will have something that is working and everyone else will have to change.

"We are putting a lot of time and money into it. I'm being judged on what I've done so far this season but then they can be a fickle lot in speedway.

"In a couple of weeks things will have changed and, hopefully, we will have got it right."

Norris is putting in the hours with mechanic Chris Geer and the man he describes as The Rock, Ray Maskell.

He added: "Ray's my sponsor, my mechanic, my best mate rolled into one.

"My season isn't really under way yet but I'm looking forward to tonight.

"I'm doing something many people can't which is representing my country.

"We've got no home advantage apart from the crowd cheering for us.

"In fact, the Swedes prefer bigger tracks and Swindon is the biggest we've got. "But we've got no worries."

Sweden include Swindon reserve Seb Alden as well as Jonas Davidsson, who rode for the Robins last year.

Team GB track a Swindon star in Hastings-born Lee Richardson. They are led by Scott Nicholls and include Mark Loram, who is due to guest for Eastbourne against Oxford a week on Friday.

Meanwhile, Nicki Pedersen was the last-heat hero again as his new Polish club Rzeszow made a winning return to the top flight.

Pedersen, who has scored crucial heat-15 points in both Eagles' home fixtures so far, beat Greg Hancock and Ryan Sullivan to clinch a 47-43 win over Czestochowa. Pedersen had 13 points from five rides.

Adam Shields had a fabulous debut for Lublin in the second tier of Polish action, dropping just one point from five races in a 60-30 home thrashing of Krosno.