HARVEY BILJON refused to entertain questions about a potential Championship showdown with Ealing in the lead-up to a crunch fixture at fourth-placed Bedford Blues.
If there were any doubts that Jersey Reds’ focus was elsewhere, their chief quickly dispelled that notion, saying the ‘dangerous’ Blues are the only thing on his players’ mind.
Tomorrow’s opponents are in fine fettle and have lost just once at home all season, to the league leaders.
Biljon said: ‘I’m not even going to answer that question [regarding Ealing’s trip to St Peter on 22 April]. That should give a good indication that it hasn’t even entered into the conversation.
‘Bedford are a very dangerous side. If you look at the last handful of fixtures they have the ability to score a lot of points on the opposition.
‘Coupled with that, they have only lost one home game all season, to Ealing.
‘Goldington Road has got a hell of an atmosphere. The ground will be pumping and the crowd will be behind their team. We have a serious game on our hands.’
The Reds have not been afraid of chopping and changing personnel from week to week and the trip to Bedford is no different.
Greg McGrath, Owen Clarke and Adam Nicol all come into the starting XV after appearances off the bench against Doncaster Knights last weekend.
Meanwhile, back-rower Max Argyle is set to make his 150th appearance, the third-most for Jersey in the Championship era, as James Dun drops to the bench, while James Elliot comes in at scrum-half at the expense of James Mitchell.
Elsewhere among the backs, Jordan Holgate returns at Dan Barnes’ expense, while the dangerous back-three of Tomi Lewis, Ben Woollett and Brendan Owen all retain their spots.
‘We have not got away from our policy of making changes all season,’ said Biljon. ‘That’s because we support and back the whole squad to come in and contribute.
‘It has proven to be the right thing to do through the course of the year, even in the bigger games. There are many contributing factors that go into team selection and we take all considerations into account when we select a team to play each week.’
Action is set to get underway at Goldington Road from 3pm, while leaders Ealing will play host to ninth-placed Caldy.
Jersey sit just one point behind their rivals with three Championship games remaining.
