Match Preview

REYNOLDS WARY OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS THREAT

LUKE SAYER returns on the wing and Cameron Craine to the front row as Jordan Reynolds shuffles his pack for the first game of the New Year at home to Tunbridge Wells on Saturday.

With Malcolm Barnes still away in his homeland of New Zealand, Kyle Brown stays at 9 while Luke Jones switches from the wing to the centres to accommodate Sayer.

The head coach admits recent weather and the likelihood of a heavy pitch had been at the forefront of his mind in picking the squad which has a strong bench as well as the versatile Blair Campbell.

Sam Steventon and Luke Skovronek are those two forward replacements while on this occasion Dale Martin slips into the back row as Robin Le Cocq drops out.

These past few days the coach has been keenly studying every weather forecast he can get his hands on and his selection is indicative of that.
‘I believe it is going to be wet and with that I wasn’t so sure as to which back-line to go with.
‘I think there will be a lot of kicking though.
‘And if it is really wet it will be good to have some size coming off the bench.’

Tunbridge Wells came within two points of beating Raiders back in September, so Reynolds knows full well of their capabilities.
Strong in the backs and having recruited heavily in the summer, the visitors had won three in a row and risen to seventh in the table prior to being edged out - by a solitary point - by Barnes in the last game of 2017.

Reynolds says we should certainly be wary of them and a win is certainly necessary if Raiders are to stay ahead in the title race.
‘They’ve thrown the cheque-book at it during the offseason and got a new squad, so I expect them to come good over the second half of the season.’

Raiders could certainly have had a much gentler return to action, but Reynolds is pleased to have a strong challenge ahead of Hertford seven days later.
‘We know it is going to be a tough game and that’s just what we need.
‘Everyone bar ‘Barno’’ is available and for me it’s been a selection headache of who’s going to play where.
‘But everyone is looking pretty sharp in training this week, which is good.’

The other big game of the weekend sees Hertford travel to Barnes and the Guernsey coach is happy to admit he wants Barnes to put a spoke in the Hertford promotion wheel.

It’s a big month for both Raiders and Hertford who clash in the UK next weekend.
Hertford have Barnes, Raiders and Tring in succession and if they were to win all three, some might say that the title would be as good as theirs.
Lose all three and Raiders will be in a strong position.

TEAM
Craine, Ceillam, Batiste, Hillier (captain), Merrien, Hill, Martin, Horrocks; K. Brown, Thomas, Armstrong, N. Brown, Jones, Sayer, Whitehead.
Replacements: Campbell, Skovronek, Steventon.