Meanwhile, the only senior game of the weekend involving club membership is the Saturday lunchtime friendly (12.30 kick off) between the 2nds and Vets.

Mark will be casting a keen eye on some of the young Colts players who will get a run out and he hopes that his regulars avoid injury with the big JRA League game against Jersey 2s coming up next weekend.

As for the Academy, the U15s and U16s sides have Hampshire league games scheduled on Sunday away to Winchester 2s and US Portsmouth respectively.

2nds coach Mark Stone's view of this weekend's game
2nds v Vets this weekend gives us a chance to look at a number of things. Most of the senior 2nds players will be either rested (Russell Roberts and Dave Davison are both resting knocks) or given to the vets to play v quite possibly the youngest 2nds side in a good 10 years plus. We are giving senior rugby debuts to 4 more Academy players in Giles Quigley, Ben Honor, Charlie Scott and James Parr, as well as a first start for Tom Veillard at scrum half.

It also gives us a chance to look at some of the young lads in alternate positions, Ollie Daunt and Callum Gladstone form the centre partnership with the experience of Alec Bailey at 10. Mitch Smith who has been an ever present in the 2nd row gets a chance to have a run out at 6, and Dom Rice carries on in the number 7 shirt.

Cally Murdoch will captain the side as he gains more experience at prop rather than his more familiar hooker role. With the young lads coming through its important that the players now heading towards their mid-20’s take on more of a leadership role within the group.

It’s also important, especially for young lads not yet out their teens that they don’t get pigeon holed into one position too early. This fixture gives us a chance to mix it up and see what else these players can do.

Given the players available to the Vets such as Andy Bailey and Jim Elliott, I suspect this game will be one of the toughest of the season so far but its brilliant that the club is in a position to field 2 sides as it will be valuable when assessing the options for Jersey Buccaneers in the JRA league on the 6th December.

Full Side: (subject to a couple of potential changes)
1. Cally Murdoch ©
2. Laurence Hill-Tout
3. Simi Sawene
4. Jacob Smith
5. Charile Scott
6. Mitch Smith
7. Dom Rice
8. Dale Martin
9. Tom Veillard
10. Alec Bailey
11. Diogo De Freitas
12. Callum Gladstone
13. Ollie Daunt
14. Ben Honor
15. Shane Taylor

16. Darrin Bellingham
17. Fergus Moriarty
18. James Parr
19. Giles Quigley
20. Seorsie Lee
21. Rich Hile