PIRATES will be without Jack Holder and James Shanes for Friday's potentially crucial SGB Premiership meeting at Somerset.

Holder is unavailable as he will be making his way to Polish track Rybnik for the Under-21 World Team Cup, where he is set to represent Australia alongside Brady Kurtz.

Reserve Shanes has been ruled out as he is due at French circuit Morizes on Saturday morning for the final round of the World Long Track Championship.

Poole will operate rider replacement for Holder with Sheffield and Eastbourne racer Georgie Wood replacing Shanes.

Pirates chief Matt Ford told the Daily Echo: "Jack and Brady are in the Under-21 World Team Cup and Jack does not have enough machinery so he needs to drive out to be there in time for the event.

"Brady is in the same event but will ride for us at Somerset.

"James has World Long Track commitments the day after the meeting. Practice is 11am in the morning and he physically would not be able to get there."