Season long fly half Luke Flower is missing from the Redingensians Rams National Div. 3 South West line-up to face visitors Weston Hornets to the Old Bath Road this Saturday, 2-00pm.
Flower is away on business so James Brooks takes over the No.10 shirt with his highly experienced understudy Will Clark getting a rare run-out this campaign at scrum half.
Also missing with a hamstring problem is full back Joe Duffelen so Olly Mann gets the nod while wing Gavin Dampies returns ahead of the benching Olly Foxley. Up front prop Matt Weller starts at loose-head with Jack Steadman dropping to the replacement bench alongside Tom Vooght.
Ironically Hornets, the first side to beat Rams this season back in October, 25-18, arrive on the back of league leaders Rams second reverse of the season having been beaten by Bracknell, 22-13, at Lily Hill last time out a fortnight ago.
Losing to their near neighbours and county rivals heaped even further agony on Rams who, as head coach Mike Tewksbury admits, could have done without missing a week.
“From a personal perspective I would have preferred that we got back into it straight away,” he says. “But, at least, they've had a rest and, hopefully, they will come back in a positive frame of mind and do the business.”
While Rams were somewhat unlucky not to beat Hornets away from home Tewkesbury is the first to recognise that his team will have to be at their utmost best to extend their nine game unbeaten home record.
“They are a good side and we've got to be on top of our game,” he states authoritatively. “Against Bracknell we just didn't play and we didn't play at tempo. So we've got to play at a higher tempo this Saturday and put pressure on them early on.”
Fifth placed Hornets arrive having played just once in seven weeks due to Christmas and poor weather and reflected in their, 21-14, defeat away to Old Redcliffians three weeks ago, the last time that they were out.
Young right wing Jermaine Jones is the sides top points scorer with 167 while fly half James Leatherby and prop Alec Chase head-up the try scoring count with six apiece.
They are also amongst the six players who have turned out in all of Hornets league games to date.

Rams - Mann; Poole, Bryson, Massey, Dampies; Brooks, Clark; Weller, Henderson, Baker; Hughes, Bryson; Amor (c), Hopkins, Davies. Reps – Steadman, Vooght, Foxley.

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