- Reds lose three players to the treatment table in final two weeks of pre-season training.
- Head coach expects tough test against who he sees as potential contenders for Championship crown.
INJURIES have hampered Jersey RFC’s final approach to what many hope will be a flying start to the Greene King IPA Championship season, with three key players being ruled out for at least two to three months.
Sam Lockwood (fractured foot), Tommy Spinks (broken leg) and Charlie Butterworth (slipped disc) have all been added to the long-term injury list since the Reds’ pre-season victory against Blackheath, leaving head coach Harvey Biljon with less of a selection headache than he would perhaps have liked – particularly given the strength of Sunday’s opposition.
Biljon sees Yorkshire Carnegie as real contenders this term, but with a total squad of 36 to call on, he remains hopeful that his charges will show their potential at Headingley.
‘It was Bristol and Worcester last year, this year I think it’s going to be Yorkshire and Bristol as the two major teams,’ said Biljon. ‘Bryan Redpath came in at the end of last season and has been able to recruit some very good players into their squad.’
‘It will be a really big test for us, and will let us see how far we’ve come. We know going to Headingley is going to be pretty difficult, but we’re prepared well. We’ve got certain zone objectives, and I would like us to achieve those to put ourselves in the position to be in the game. We just need to concentrate and the result will take care of itself.
‘We have got some exciting players with the raw material, it’s just about being able to get them up for these games. If they’ve got ambitions of high honours they’ve got to be consistently performing in the Championship.
On the injured trio, Biljon added: ‘They’re all long termers, even though we didn’t have a game, we’ve just had a few freak injuries. They’re players we feel could have made an impact, but we back our squad.’
That 22-man matchday squad in question includes eight of Biljon’s 16 summer signings, with six set to make their competitive debut in addition to Sean McCarthy’s return. Ben Featherstone will line up at tighthead with openside flanker James Freeman behind him, while the Islanders have a new half-back pairing in the form of Jack Moates and Brendan Cope – the latter being preferred to Aaron Penberthy, who misses out. Wasps loanee Tom Howe starts on the wing and Rich Lane has been given nod at fullback. Fellow newcomer Mark Cooke travels as the 23rd man.
Forwards (1-8): Sean McCarthy, Nick Selway, Ben Featherstone, Nick Campbell, Pierce Phillps, Alex Rae (c), James Freeman, Nick Haining;
Half-backs (9-10): Jack Moates, Brendan Cope;
Backs (11-15): Mark McCrea, Lewis Robling, Tua Otto, Tom Howe, Rich Lane.
Replacements: Nacho Lancuba, Martin Garcia-Veiga, Danny Herriot, Dave Markham, Gary Graham, Joel Dudley, Ross Adair.
