When Ealing and Jersey square up in West London tomorrow afternoon, it will be first against second in SSE National League One, the latest episode in a rivalry that makes up in intensity what it lacks in longevity.
After Jersey’s double success last season in the first two encounters between the teams, it was the Londoners who came out on top at St Peter in September after both clubs earned promotion from National Two South.
The 26-15 defeat may have seen Jersey surrender a proud unbeaten home record stretching back more than two seasons, but it is not something that has troubled director of rugby Ben Harvey in the build-up to this weekend.
‘I’d always said we were likely to be under-cooked at the start of the season,’ he said. ‘Well done to Ealing for coming here and winning, but it was a long time ago and I’ve not looked at the tape.’
