The Islanders face arguably their most challenging pre-season schedule to date, with a trip to Brittany being followed by back-to-back home games against two of the biggest names in English rugby.
Biljon, Reds’ director of rugby, says that while the early stages of preparation for the 2021/22 Championship campaign have gone to plan, he does not yet know how his new signings will fare with their backs against the wall.
‘It’s all pretty positive but there is a caveat,’ he explained. ‘It is the time of year where there is no pressure, and pressure does funny things. We’re building well at the moment but we have to make sure that when games come we are ready to deal with the pressure in the right way.’
Biljon also confirmed that Scott Van Breda and Guy Thompson, signed from Worcester and Ealing respectively this summer – the latter following long spells with Wasps and Leicester – will lead the support for club captain Lewis Wynne into 2022.
Full story in Friday’s JEP.
