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A very big weekend ahead....

A very big weekend ahead....

Natalie Davidson26 Feb 2015 - 20:20
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Two days, two big games and potentially some big rewards this weekend.

While the 1st XV welcome Westcliff in a must-win encounter to Footes Lane on Saturday, the Ladies will be early to bed and preparing for their own winner-takes-all clash against Ellingham & Ringwood in the NC South East South Two.

It may just be that Chris Griffiths’ side have already done just enough to take the title even if they were to slip up this weekend, but nobody likes to win a title on a losing note, so victory is desired if nothing else to preserve a proud unbeaten league record.

Chris will not be naming his side until Friday as he has a few injury concerns, so in the meantime let’s concentrate on the 1sts and 2nds who have home clashes against Westcliff.

In respect of Jordan Reynolds’ 1st XV nothing less than a win will do.

We are back on the bottom and although the escape hatch is not far away, we have to stretch out, open it and get through to the other side.

Our director of rugby, is clear about it.

The remaining four home games are ‘achievable’ victories in their quest to escape.

‘Basically, we have got to win. It doesn’t matter how we do it, we just have to win,’ Reynolds said and it worries him that the worst performances have been against the lower sides.

‘Against the bottom sides we have not performed at all, but when we play the top teams we tend to pull a big performance out of the bag.

‘If we could play at that peak against all sides, we would not be in this.’

Guernsey welcome back captain Blair Campbell and he will line up next to Ned Brown in midfield with Jason Batiste moving out to the wing.

In the pack, Nick Barton and Matt Thomas will undergo late fitness tests.

Reynolds expects at least one of them, possibly both, to be fit and he left the No. 8 position open for either of them in the team he named yesterday.

Westcliff won the previous meeting of the two sides this season, 34-17 and our coach sees ‘a pretty well-balanced side,’ in our way.

The game kicks off at 2.30pm.

Guernsey team: Craine, Ceillam, L. Batiste, Hillier, Merrien, Smith, Le Cocq, Barton/Thomas, Barnes, Walters, Davison, Campbell, Brown, J. Batiste, Hema.

Replacements: Sharrott, Sawene, Sayer.

That game follows the 2nds’ own match against Westcliff, which is an 11.30am kick off on the old pitch.

Providing he comes through Thursday training and the medical staff are happy, Chris Ahne should be making his first appearance of the season at 12 and hopefully some clapped out old winger called Mark Stone will make his first appearance off the bench since March 2014.

Joe Mooney has pulled up sick as has Diogo de Freitas, and very disappointingly Mitch Smith, who has been an ever present this season, fractured ankle at training on Tuesday.

We wish him all the best and a quick recovery. It’s a big blow to the lad and the club.

Dale Martin is also unavailable as he is in the UK but Darrin Bellingham has returned from the Caribbean so they swap places at 8.

Leon Gardner comes down from the firsts to fill the vacant 2nd row position and Andy Bailey replaces the ill De Fretias on the wing.

Callum Gladstone has work commitments which only allow him to get on the bench so Ben Challinor fills the 13 shirt.

There is an injury doubt over young Matt Armstrong who played for Elizabeth College midweek which may lead to a reshuffle but hopefully he’ll be passed fit.

‘I’m massively disappointed for Mitch who is one of those workhorse players that you don’t necessarily see what they do until they are not there.

‘He is still only 19 so will bounce back in no time I am sure. It’s also a shame Joe is sick as he was close to man of the match last week and I’d have liked to keep the same half back paring but Dave O’Hanlon will take over at 9.

‘I am not really sure what to expect from Westcliff, but I expect another physical test for our young lads although we are beefed up with the returns of Gardner and Bellingham. ‘We are primarily focusing on improving the positives and fixing the negatives from last weeks close game with Les Quennevais and keeping one eye on Banks in Jersey next weekend which is a big game for us.

Guernsey team for Westcliff 2nds: John Bergh, Cally Murdoch, Laurence Hill-Tout, Leon Gardner (captain), Jacob Smith, Nico Ashplan, Giles Quigley, Darrin Bellingham, Dave O’Hanlon, Tom Veillard, Ben Honour, Chris Ahne, Ben Challinor, Andy Bailey Matt Armstrong.

Replacements: Russell Roberts, Alex Miller, Jim Elliott, Mark Stone, plus two from Charlie Scott, James Parr, Henry Forsey, Owen Poynder, Rick Felbabel, and Barney Thompson.

Final match of the weekend is the RBSI Academy U16s who travel to Winchester.

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