LONG-TERM injury victims Tom Ceillam, Robin Le Cocq and Greg Smith all make a welcome return to the starting XV as the 1sts travel away to top of the table Bury St Edmunds on Saturday.

And on top of that Simon Sharrott is also fit again and starts on the bench.

‘That’s a huge plus for us. They have been out for a massive amount of time this season and we have missed their work-rate and their scrummaging,’ says the coach, Jordan Reynolds.

But that grew news is tempered a fraction by the fact that skipper Blair Campbell is unavailable, while Nick Barton and Matt Thomas have minor injuries and want to be protected with the big home game against Westcliff a week away.

‘We will try and push them back next week, but with the likes of Greg returning we are OK in that area,‘ said the coach who remains confident of causing a big upset.

Such is the form of his men that he would be disappointed not to fly home with, at the very least, a point, or even two bonus points.

As he said, they are all vital at this stage of the season and he will be stressing to his men that they are far from being out of the relegation wood yet.

‘To be honest if they are top they deserve to be, but this league has proved time and again that anyone can beat anyone and we certainly aren’t the team we were eight weeks ago.’

The return of Ceillam could be key.

‘His cleaning and tackle counts have been missed, plus we have our line-out thrower back,’ said the man in charge.

Team: Cameron Craine, Tom Ceillam, Layton Batiste, Lewis Hillier, Simi Sawene, Nick Merrien, Robin Le Cocq, Greg Smith, Malcolm Barnes, Glen Walters, Dave Davison, Jason Batiste, Ned Brown, Ben Challinor and Matt Hema.

Replacements: Simon Sharrott, Luke Gardner, Leon Gardner.

By the way, if anyone is counting, that is EIGHT home products in the match day squad of 18.

2NDS AVERAGE AGE OF 21

CALLY MURDOCH will skipper a remarkably young Guernsey 2s side in their important table-topping Investec CI League clash away at Les Quennevais on Saturday.

The selection was fairly inevitably pushed towards youth once it was known there was a clash with the 1sts who are away at Bury St Edmunds.

Not that 2nds coach Mark Stone is perturbed, as it shows that the production line is working.

‘Yes we have another young squad travelling this weekend and with the Colts League season finished a number of these young lads will be reinforcing the 2nds for the remainder of the season.

‘I worked out the average age of our starting 15 is just over 21 this week which bodes well for the future of rugby on the island.’

Injuries have also played a part in the selection.

‘We still have a large injury list and lost prop Fergus Moriarty with an ankle injury, but are looking to have Taylor Quate, Berian Jones and Chris Ahne all returning to action for the first time this season in the next week or so.

‘The experience comes mainly through the front row, with Russell Roberts and Jack Webber on either side of Cally Murdoch.’

The Smith brothers make up the second row and Hampshire Under 18’s player Harry Finch is available this weekend as he is back on the island from half term and will slot in at No. 6, with Hampshire team mate Dom Rice at 7 and Dale Martin, who has featured often for the 1sts this winter, at 8.

‘We have an exciting if inexperienced back line with Joe Mooney at 9, Tom Velliard at 10.

‘Tom has taken to senior rugby well and if he can work on his conditioning and fitness will become a very good player, he has a similar style to Jason Batiste.

‘The centres are Callum Gladstone, who has shown some good skills and footwork from the wing this season so gets a chance in his preferred no 12 position and Ben Honour at 13 who scored four tries in our recent game with St Jacques Development.

‘He is a big strong runner and is another that is enjoying himself in the senior game.’

On the wings are Diogo De Fretias and Colts hooker Giles Quigley.

Yes hooker out wide.

Stone explained: ‘Whilst it may look like a strange selection, Giles is no slouch and a strong runner. He has been amongst the tries all season for the Colts.

‘We are also giving a debut to Hampshire Under 17 player Matt Armstrong at fullback. He has pace to burn and we’ll look to use him as a potent attacking weapon this weekend.

‘Matt has been one of the stand out performers for the Colts this season and deserves his chance to show what he can do in the senior game.’

Stone says it really it is an opportunity for the young lads to show what they can do.

‘The Colts are running the same systems as both senior teams so the transition in terms of patterns is near seamless.

‘It’s up to the young lads to take the form that has taken them to the top of their Sussex league into the JRA.’

Team
1. Jack Webber
2. Cally Murdoch (captain)
3. Russell Roberts
4. Mitch Smith
5. Jacob Smith
6. Harry Finch
7. Dom Rice
8. Dale Martin
9. Joe Mooney
10. Tom Velliard
11. Diogo De Freitas
12. Callum Gladstone
13. Ben Honour
14. Giles Quigley
15. Matt Armstrong