Match Preview

BRAVO CHRIS

THE main team award evaded our Ladies team, but the consolation was impressive nevertheless.
Chris Griffiths has beaten off some strong challengers to win the 2017 Betway Channel Island Sports Awards Coach of the Year crown and the girls were out in force at Beau Sejour on Thursday night to help Chris celebrate.
Well down Chris, we say, but you couldn’t have done it without the girls, so well done to them too!
Meanwhile, Griffiths is fully refocused on stealing that first win of the current season as Teddington head to Footes lane this Sunday (noon kick off).

And his message is that ‘we can still do this’.
‘We had a really good team talk after training on Wednesday and we all realise that our game against Teddington on Sunday is truly a make or break game in regards to our survival in Championship 2 SW.
‘We simply must beat them and drag them into the relegation battle or I’m afraid we will be too far adrift from them and the two teams above them to save our season and though not impossible to rescue something, with only four games left to play after Sunday’s match the stark reality is that we could well be staring relegation in the face.
‘I believe we need to win at least three games from our remaining five to have any chance of staying up and this is hoping that Teddington pick up no more wins the rest of the season.’

It is a very tall order, but at least for Sunday’s game the squad news is very good.
‘The forwards look strong and we have the ability to name the same 2nd Row and Back Row for back to back games for the first time this season and we will need big games from all five of these players a long with a strong performance from the Front Row.
‘We must set a strong platform from our set piece to set free an exciting backline which includes Lucy Pratt who moves from Wing to Outside Centre for only her second senior game.’
The influential Fiona Ashworth is back at Fly Half and Hannah Guilbert back in at Inside Centre.
‘It will provide us with some strong ball carrying and with Lucy at 13 it gives us the luxury of being able to play the experienced Chelsie Blondel on the Wing and Vicki Rang moves back to her familiar role at Full Back.
‘We want to play a certain type of game from an attacking perspective and we know that we have to front up defensively and stop Teddington getting on the front foot and gaining any momentum.
‘But I believe we can do it and I still believe we are capable of rescuing our season over the coming weeks.

Starting XV:
Heidi Mahy, Michelle Schofield, Janelly Le Maitre, Ellie Whittles, Kristine Vavere, Tanya Scholtz, Fiona Power, Rachel Merrien; Jemma Crouse (capt), Fiona Ashworth, Lael Hollingworth, Hannah Guilbert, Lucy Pratt, Chelsie Blondel, Vicki Rang.
Replacements: Andrea Harris, Rebecca Drury, Eleanor Woodward, Sophie Ferbrache, Chloe Williams, Tara Robert.