JERSEY RFC welcome Guernsey Raiders to Coinshares Park for the second game of the National League 2 East season and the first league meeting for the two islands since the 1994-95 season.
JRFC 1st XV will face Guernsey Raiders at 1.30pm, with both side’s 2nd XV’s facing off from 3.30pm, both on Pitch 1.
Memories of Guernsey’s last visit to Caesarean shores are ones of joyous celebration, after an inspired 36-11 win saw Evan Whitson’s side reclaim the Siam Cup in front of over 3,000 fans.
This year however, the Sarnians reclaimed the honours on home soil back in May with a 35-27 victory.
The last time we saw Guernsey players in Jersey however was during the Channel Island’s victory over Poland earlier this summer.
The likes of captain Dom Rice, Anthony Armstrong and Charlie Simmons among others joined arms with their Jersey brothers for Channel Island glory.
Those friendships will be put to one side again tomorrow however – personal island glory is back to top priority.
The history of the Siam Cup dates back over a century, but the two islands meeting in league rugby is far less common.
We must look back to last millennia for the last meeting in the Hampshire 1 division – which Jersey subsequently went on to win.
Since the demise of the Jersey Reds however, Jersey RFC have achieved three promotions in four years to join the Guernsey Raiders in the fourth tier of English rugby.
Guernsey Raiders have been a member at this level for all but one season since 2018.
Jersey’s first game back in National 2 East last Saturday saw them suffer a 22-33 home defeat to London Welsh.
Guernsey however claimed maximum points from their away trip to Leicester Lions, where they dominated in a 40-19 win which leaves them equal top of the table.
“Obviously Guernsey are going to be full of confidence after their win on the weekend,” said Director of Rugby, Myles Landick.
“Looking at last season as well, they naturally start seasons well. They’ve spent some money and recruited some really good players.
“It’s always going to be a challenge, but we’ve trained really well this week and we’re really looking forward to what will hopefully be a pretty epic clash on Saturday.”
With the inclusion of the league fixtures, Jersey and Guernsey will meet three times this season, alongside the Siam clash, which this year will take place in Jersey.
Landick however believes that should be an exciting challenge for his players.
“We have to be up for that challenge. I think last week probably we weren’t quite as accurate as we would have liked, there was definitely an air of pre-season around the game.
“Hopefully that’s helped dust some of the cobwebs off though and this week we can show what we’re really about.
“In glimpses last week there was some really positive stuff, the way we moved the ball at times and how hard we worked to get out of our 22 that way was brilliant so, a tough challenge ahead but one the guys are excited for.”
For Jersey, Bevan Biggs makes way for Lance Armstrong who gets a start this week on the wing, but the rest of the backs remains the same as last week.
Scott Van Breda (below) remains absent from the the side after his decision to focus on his commitments to cricket – with Jersey’s Cricket World Cup qualification process continuing to look promising this year.
In club captain Evan Whitson’s continued absence due to injury, centre Dan Barnes will don the armband once again.
In the front row, Jack Macfarlane’s unavailability see’s Jake Bates in at hooker alongside Huw Owen and Jack Higgins at loosehead and tighthead respectively.
Toby Osborne replaces Euan Spencer in the second row alongside Luke Bowles, while Tom Tilstone and Kade Bird fill the blindside and openside flanker roles and the versatile George Willmott returning at number eight.
JRFC 1st XV: [15-9] Mark Boarer, Lance Armstrong, Dylan Stocks, Dan Barnes (c), Rhys Thomas, Aaron Penberthy, Harry Cochrane; [1-8] Huw Owen, Jake Bates, Jack Higgins, Toby Osborne, Luke Bowles, Tom Tilstone, Kade Bird, George Willmott. Replacements: Joe Ridgway, Tom Wilson, James Guyatt, Freddie Earnshaw, Daniel Hawkes
Jersey RFC 2nd XV: [15-9] Deepinder Dyal, Anushan Elanco, Alex Neasham, Harry Baty, Jacques De La Bat, Nathan Rogers (c), Jonty O’Sullivan; [1-8] Daniel Rodrigues, Rowan Dixon-Smith, George Thomas, Quentin Fevrier, Bryn Edwards, PJ Dodge, Cam Queree, Nathan Thomas. Replacements: Matthew Fowler, Max Sayers, Charlie Best, Archie Le Maistre, Sam Hunter, Gabe Moore, Austin Clarke
