Rugby: Can Reds take down Scots?

The Exiles, who look set to claim one of the four available play-off positions, have been in fine form this season and arrive in the Island off the back of a 35-3 thumping of Moseley at the Athletic Ground a fortnight ago.

P W D L BP Pts
Worcester 16 15 0 1 15 75
Bristol 16 15 0 1 14 74
London Scottish 16 10 1 5 11 53
Nottingham 16 9 0 7 5 41
Rotherham 16 8 1 7 5 39
Cornish Pirates 16 7 0 9 6 34
Jersey 16 5 2 9 9 33
Bedford 16 6 0 10 7 31
Yorkshire Carnegie 16 5 1 10 9 31
Doncaster 16 5 0 11 5 25
Moseley 16 4 1 11 5 23
Plymouth Albion 16 3 2 11 4 20

However, Jersey have caused the top sides in the Championship considerable problems of late and will be hoping to bounce back after suffering their first defeat in five fixtures – an 18-17 reverse away at Plymouth.

Beaten 38-17 by Scottish at the Athletic Ground in November, the Islanders can take confidence from the visitor’s poor try-scoring record away from home. While the Exiles have recorded a whopping 43 tries at home this term, they’ve managed to cross the whitewash on their travels just 15 times – the third worst tally in the division.

In Mark Bright Scottish possess the division’s top try scorer and, with the forward claiming most of his points off the back of the rolling maul, Jersey must be wary of the threat the opposition pack will pose.

Reds’ head coach Harvey Biljon says his squad have done their homework and are ready to negate the Exiles’ strengths.

Fautua Otto is set for his second appearance for Jersey. Picture: TONY PIKELewis Robling will again start at number 10. Picture: ROB CURRIE

‘We realise why they’re in the top three,’ he said.

‘They have a pretty formidable pack and some serious pace in their backs.

‘We’re coming up against a team that’s going to be in the play-offs and that will probably give the favourites some trouble.

‘However, I absolutely believe that with the preparation the players are putting in, and the fact we’re in front of our home supporters, we’ll put in a very good 80 minutes.

Jersey (1-15): Sam Lockwood, Martin Garcia-Veiga, Harry Williams, Nick Campbell, Pierce Phillips, Alex Rae (capt), Ryan Hodson, Nick Haining, Sami Fisilau, Lewis Robling, Fautua Otto, Mark McCrea, Drew Locke, Mark Foster, Aaron Penberthy.

Replacments: Nacho Lancuba, Joe Buckle, Danny Herriott, Dave Markham, Paula Kaho, Ryan Glynn, Jonny Bentley.

‘Whether that means we win or lose, I don’t know but it’s more about being able to handle ourselves over the 80 minutes.’

When asked about the threat Scottish pose from lineouts, Biljon continued: ‘I trust we’ve put in enough preparation to be able to make it a contest.

‘I think mauls are a weapon for both teams but it’s about getting into that position to be able to use your maul. You only get a few opportunities to do it and you’ve got to make sure you can take those chances.’

The head coach makes four changes to the squad that started at Brickfields a fortnight ago, as he reverts to the same back line that began the Islanders last home game against Bedford Blues.

That means Samoan Fautua Otto will begin on the left wing, as Mark McCrea shifts to the midfield and Lewis Robling takes on the number 10 jersey.

Also returning to the starting line-up after being cleared of a medical condition is forward Nick Haining.

Commenting on Otto’s return, Biljon added: ‘He was fit the day after we played Plymouth after his concussion protocol.

‘He’s been itching to get out there again for the last two weeks and I think if the weather conditions stay the way they are we should see something quite exciting.

‘We thought the performance the back line put in against Bedford, with the varied combinations, really worked and we want to try it again, especially against this opposition.’

Tomorrow’s match kicks-off at 3 pm.

Nottingham skipper Brent Wilson had the honour of scoring the 500th try in the GKIPA Championship this season when he crossed the whitewash in the 70th minute of the Green & Whites’ clash against Cornish Pirates at Lady Bay a week last Friday.

A total of 532 tries have now been scored after 16 rounds of action, at an average of 5.52 tries per game, which compares favourably with the Aviva Premiership’s return of 444, at an average of just under five.

This weekend, the league’s top try-scorers come up against the side with the lowest number of tries, when leaders Worcester (90 tries) entertain bottom club Plymouth (20) at Sixways.

Events at Billesley Common will be of particular interest to Albion fans, as the two sides immediately above them in the league table, Moseley and Doncaster, go head-to-head. The Red and Blacks go into the match in 11th place, two points behind the Knights and three in front of Albion.

Elsewhere, Rotherham could move back into the play-off zone after an eight-week absence if they continue their recent good record against Cornish Pirates at the Mennaye Field, and fourth-placed Nottingham lose at Bristol. Jersey and Yorkshire Carnegie need home wins against London Scottish and Bedford respectively to keep alive their slim hopes of making the play-offs.

Moseley v Doncaster Knights, Friday 6 March, kick-off 7.30pm

Moseley stage Friday night rugby for the second time this season as they welcome relegation rivals Doncaster to Billesley Common. The first floodlight game, against Yorkshire Carnegie in round three, ended in a 28-24 defeat. Sam Olver kicked seven penalties and converted Chris Brightwell’s try in a 28-23 win for Moseley at Castle Park back in mid-November. Doncaster haven’t won at Billesley Common since November 2008.

Referee: Tim Wigglesworth

Bristol v Nottingham, Friday 6 March, kick-off 7.45pm

Well over half of Nottingham’s 34 tries this season have been scored by forwards, with the league’s third highest try scorer, captain Brent Wilson, accounting for 11 of them. Wilson scored when Nottingham pulled off a shock 23-19 win at the Memorial Stadium en route to the 2012/13 play-offs. Bristol won last season’s corresponding game 33-18, and are on a four-game winning streak against the Green & Whites. Nottingham head coach Martin Haag comes up against one of his former clubs for the second game running.

Referee: Thomas Foley

Jersey v London Scottish, Saturday 7 March , kick-off 3pm

London Scottish scored three tries in each half on their way to a 38-17 win in the first encounter of the season. In the overall head-to-head, Scottish have four Championship wins to Jersey’s one, the Islanders’ solitary success coming in the first meeting between these sides at this level: a 20-17 win on 27 October, 2012. Jersey, with 12, have conceded the fewest tries of any side at home in the league, while London Scottish have conceded the second fewest (14) away, suggesting a tight game could be in prospect.

Referee: Steve Lee

Worcester Warriors v Plymouth Albion, Saturday 7 March, kick-off 3pm

Top plays bottom as leaders Worcester entertain a Plymouth side 11 places and 55 points worse off than them in the GKIPA Championship table. Warriors have won all five previous meetings at this level, and anything other than a home win would be considered the shock of the season. GJ van Velze, with two, and Sam Betty and Tom Biggs scored the tries that earned Worcester a 22-10 win at Brickfields in round seven.

Referee: Ian Tempest

Yorkshire Carnegie v Bedford Blues, Sunday 8 March, kick-off 3pm

Yorkshire Carnegie have never lost to Bedford at Headingley. The Blues’ best result at the ground was a 24-24 draw three seasons ago in the promotion play-offs. Their last visit, on 2 February, 2014, ended in a humbling 50-6 defeat. The sides go into the weekend tied on 31 points, in ninth and eighth respectively, knowing that one more win will all but guarantee them their place in the division next season.

Referee: David Procter

Cornish Pirates v Rotherham Titans, Sunday 8 March, kick-off 3.15pm (live on Sky TV)

Titans will look to extend their winning run against the Pirates to five matches as they chase down Nottingham for the fourth and final play-off spot. Tries from Sean Scanlon, Tom Cruse, Dan White, Jack Roberts and two from Michael Keating helped the Yorkshire side to a 40-20 win on their last visit to the Mennaye Field. Cruse and Keating were on the scoresheet again in this season’s clash at Clifton Lane, which ended in a 21-13 win for Titans.

Referee: Greg Macdonald

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