Match Preview

This forthcoming weekend, sees the first local derby game of the 2017/18 season, in Snows Group Hampshire 1. As Sandown & Shanklin look to avenge the loss to Ventnor from the end of last season.

Sandown & Shanklin will be in buoyant mood, following their victory in the league last weekend, when they traveled away to Fareham Heathens. The Hurricanes traveled with missing one or two players, with Cameron Mitchell perhaps one of the biggest absentees. Despite this, Sandown acquitted themselves well, following a slow start to the game and not having played any pre-season fixtures prior to the game.

1st XV Captain Sam Rees had this to say from last weeks game, and also the Ventnor fixture this weekend:
"The boys did well against Fareham. Although we started slowly, and were behind, not one of the lads panicked and everyone stuck to the game plan, once we had blown out our pre-season cobwebs. A quick well done to the boys that were in new positions, like Mr Hopper at flanker, and hat-trick hero Jack Wedderkop. As well as our debutantes Alex Loftus and Jack Winter, both had good games and I hope to have many more for the Club.
It will be a tough one this weekend against Ventnor. They will want to get off the mark for the season, and the heavy loss at home will have stung them. Add to that, the manner in which they managed to beat us at the end of last season, I am sure they won't need too much encouraging to be up for the game against us!
I just want our boys to show up, and continue to build on the result from last weekend. Taff, has been doing some great work with all of the lads and there will be plenty of hard work between now and kick off Saturday to worry about before the game. Anyone that shows up and works hard at training will put themselves in line for a starting spot, and that is what the focus will be on."