THREE in, two out is the likely selection situation as Jordan Reynolds and his coaching team ponder their final selection for Saturday’s home National Three London & SE game against Dorking.
But while Ned Brown misses out, along with winger Ben Challinor, the coach can welcome back Owen Thomas at fly-half, Cameron Craine at 1 and Dave Davison on the wing.
Reynolds was reluctant to name a starting XV too early, but is confident that the squad have ironed out the issue which undermined the performance last weekend.
‘We had a good review on Monday, we watched the film of the game and came to the conclusion that we did not play anything like we normally do, at all.
‘It is about getting back to our product - our brand.
‘Forwards wise we need to have a big front-up game, while having Owen back will make a huge difference and it gives us options for 12, with Kenny Hellier or Jason Batiste, who is available this weekend.
The one plus from the Shelford loss was seeing close up the kicking capabilities of new man Hellier.
The coach was mightily impressed and while he does not expect to see any change with regard the short and mid-rangers - that will stay with Thomas - they now have someone who can handle the 40m range.
‘The conditions were awful for kicking but Kenny looks like he is a very good kicker. The only one he missed he hit the post with.’
Reynolds expects Dorking to be an other huge test.
Their only defeat so far came on the opening day away to the league’s early pacesetters Wimbledon. Since then, they have won three tight games on the bounce.
‘They have come down this season, so the majority of their players are going to have experience at National Two level,’ said the coach.
Unlike, his Raiders counterpart, Guernsey Ladies coach Chris Griffiths is sure of his starting XV for the away game at Ashford.
That means a first start for new winger Aiga Vecmane.
Griffiths says he is obviously very pleased with the start his side have made this season.
‘Not only are we happy that we are sitting at the top of the table but it is especially pleasing that we have scored 17 tries in just two games and only conceded 10 points which were both soft tries conceded once the games were out of sight,’ he said this week.
‘Possibly more importantly is the manner in which we have performed, using a powerful running game that plays to our strengths and playing with real continuity between backs and forwards, you only have to look at the fact that 10 different players have scored tries to see that we really play as a whole team and play for each other.
‘We have had to make some adjustments in the back line this weekend with Jillian Smith and Anneka Saunders unavailable, but we do have a very strong squad travelling so we’ll not be far off full strength.
‘We will be focussed on defending well especially away from home and as it is a team we have not played before we will be trying to work out their game plan and their key threats early on so we can counteract them.
‘Getting off to a good start in the game will be important as we scored within the first few minutes of both our recent successful matches. Getting on the front foot early is often the advantage you need to then push on and seal the win.’
Good luck to both of the sides.
A side issue to the Guernsey Raiders game is that the club will this weekend be the focus of Rugby Nats UK.
A privately owned, self-funded, social media platform created to provide a broadcasting service to promote grass roots rugby across the UK’s National Leagues, Rugby Nats have sent a camera crew to the island to spend three days with the club to produce a film that will offer national exposure and an insight into what club life is like.
‘They film pretty much everything that goes on at the club and will be filming the game, so I think it will be good for them when they see Footes Lane and we’re hoping to fill the stand,’ said Jordan.