HARVEY BILJON admits he should cast his mind back to where his Jersey Reds career began much more often, as he prepares for arguably one of the club’s biggest games in recent history.
The South African director of rugby, who switched Penzance for St Peter in January 2014, masterminded a relegation escape act on the final day of the 2013/14 Championship season and has since turned the Islanders into one of the more formidable forces within the second tier.
Biljon, a former backs coach at Cornish Pirates, is due to send his current crop of professionals into battle with Ealing Trailfinders this weekend, knowing that victory will extend their advantage over the Londoners.
The Reds leapfrogged the pre-season promotion favourites to claim second in the table on Saturday, with their 40-31 win at Hartpury coming alongside a shock home defeat for Ealing, at the hands of Bedford.
‘I don’t think about it enough, I do need to remind myself,’ said Biljon, discussing the journey both he and the Reds have been on since he took over the reins.
‘If I look at where are now compared to when I arrived, and I don’t just mean on the field. I know I’m one-eyed but the way everything is run … I believe our coaching, strength and conditioning, medical, analysis and the support given by everyone is absolutely top-notch.
‘If you take a step back and think, it’s unbelievable to see how far we’ve come and the hurdles we’ve come over: relegation being the first one, then the financial troubles we had, then Covid, and we’re still sticking with it [towards the top of the Championship].’
Jersey avoided relegation back into National One on the final day of the 2013/14 season thanks to a 41-31 bonus-point victory over Bedford Blues. Ealing were demoted instead, having begun the day two points clear of the Islanders. However, they too have enjoyed a change of fortunes since then and are still believed to be targeting promotion to the Premiership this summer.
‘It doesn’t get any easier,’ Biljon added, referring to their next test. ‘But playing at home, in Jersey, is going to be pretty mouthwatering for any spectator and I know our boys will be ready for the challenge.’
Last weekend’s win in Gloucestershire represented a fourth on the bounce for Biljon’s men. Jersey’s Championship club record stands at six consecutive wins, achieved in 2016/17 and again in the early stages of 2018/19. The latter was part of a ten-game winning run, including the group-stages of the British & Irish Cup, which ended in December 2018.
Not since then have Jersey gone more than four games without a defeat.
