Match Preview

NED’S BACK, OWEN RECOVERED

HEAD coach Jordan Reynolds said that he would be giving star fly half Owen Thomas a chance to prove his match fitness ahead of Saturday’s big home game against Guildford.
‘We will train outside on Friday now,’ he said while staring out of the window at the snow which prevented normal training from going ahead at the KGV on Thursday night.
‘At the moment Owen looks fine, we pushed him pretty hard on Wednesday night when we did some circuit training in the gym and he coped ok, but we will give him a run tonight’ said Reynolds who admitted the big freeze ‘hasn’t been ideal’.
But, he added, the club gym at Footes Lane has been a godsend.
‘It’s a good thing we can use it as most other teams have been in the same boat as us and haven’t been able to train out on the park.’

Given the continuing bad weather on the mainland, it could be that Raiders are one of the few sides to get a game in this weekend. That being so, it’s doubly important they win because Reynolds doesn’t want his men turning out on 17 March, the reserve day.
And to get another five points ahead on a promotion rival, would certainly be advantageous.
But should anyone need reminding Guildford were the last team to beat the Raiders.
Already Reynolds has warned Guildford that his side is much improved both in terms of personal and mentality from when the team met in November and his boys lost 33-22.
Since that day, Raiders have embarked on a winning run that now stretches 11 games and has helped them open a six-point lead at the top of London & South-East Premier.
‘Even more so than the Dorking game, this one has been very much on the players’ minds,’ said Reynolds.
‘We know that Guildford are very capable, and that they can score tries – that much is pretty evident in the bonus points they have obtained. We need to keep scoring points and getting bonus points ourselves and I think this is the perfect time for this game to come around for us because if you are talking about motivation, you know the boys will be up for it.’
As for Thomas, Reynolds had provisionally named him in the side, which he will confirm after the Friday evening training.
‘Owen has been past fit to train by the physios, he has got stuck into his rehab early. If he does not play this week, he will definitely be back for Shelford.’
Kyle Brown will get game-time at scrum half while Malcolm Barnes is out with illness. The coach also welcomes back Ned Brown in the centres for the 2pm kick off.

Provisional Raiders team
Sam Steventon, Tom Ceillam, Layton Batiste, Lewis Hillier, Nick Merrien, Dan Hill, Dale Martin, Douglas Horrocks, Kyle Brown, Owen Thomas, Anthony Armstrong, Ned Brown, Luke Jones, Luke Sayer, Sam Whitehead.
Replacements: Charlie Currie, Cameron Craine, Jason Batiste