NEIL Middleditch believes Poole Pirates' team spirit has been boosted by the septet's international make-up.

Pirates, due to launch their Elite League title defence at Swindon tomorrow afternoon (4.30pm), have three Australians, two Poles and two Brits in their one-to-seven.

Middleditch feels that second-stringer Kacper Gomolski in particular will benefit from having countryman and skipper Maciej Janowski alongside him.

The team boss told the Daily Echo: “We’ve got a good mix in the team. We have the Polish connection and the Aussie connection so the team spirit is already in-built.

“That’s a key factor. Quite often a Polish rider will come over and will be the only Polish rider in a team and it’s tough for them to adapt to the English way of life.

“I think Magic was probably very influential in getting Kacper here because he told him the way that we operate and what we want from our riders."

Pirates had been due to open their 2015 campaign home and away against Swindon on Good Friday but both clashes were washed out.

The Wimborne Road side are due to be at full strength for the rearranged visit to the Abbey Stadium.