Match Preview

ANOTHER CELEBRATION DAY FOR LAYTON

OUTSIDE ‘Siams’ you could justifiably call it the biggest game in the Guernsey Rugby Club’s history.
Certainly the biggest since the club took on the tag ‘Raiders’.
Barnes, oh so mighty Barnes, arguably one of the oldest rugby football club in the world and currently in second place on the table, come to Footes Lane on Saturday and while not quite a winner-takes-all affair it is not far off it.

Should Raiders win they will have one foot and a couple of toes in National Two. Yes, everyone is getting excited about it, said Reynolds in midweek.
‘This will be the clash of the two best sides in the league,’ Reynolds said with little doubt.
‘We have been building up towards this since the start of the season,’ he adds.
‘It is going to be a massive game.’
In terms of team selection, the head coach reports good news and some bad.
Skipper Lewis Hillier and the inspirational hooker Tom Ceillam are both back, so too, is Luke Sayer, a match-winner if the Raiders ever had one.
On the other hand, Malcolm Barnes, Dan Hill, Cameron Craine and Sam Whitehead are definitely out.
Both Luke Jones and Dan Hill picked up ankle sprains of varying seriousness on the Shelford 3G,a game which also saw Barnes hyper-extend an elbow. Luke Jones has recovered enough to play this weekend, but Dan Hill is rested.

Young Kyle Brown again steps in to scrum half, but Reynolds has plenty of faith in the Aussie youngster.
‘It is what it is, but Kyle’s featured in the majority of the games this season and done a good job when called upon.’
Reynolds says it shows how far the team have come that they can lose four key players and not be significantly weakened.
‘To have four out and such a capable side out shows what we’ve built.’
Reynolds is ecstatic, though, about the return of his captain and vice.
‘The highlight is having Lewis and Tom C back - we missed them a Shelford.

While highly respective of Barnes, Reynolds says the pressure is very much on the visitors on a day when Layton Batiste also chalks up his 250th appearance for the 1st XV.
‘Barnes are a pretty well-balanced side and strong in the set-piece. They will try and play in the open spaces,’ said our coach.
‘But they know it is a game that Barnes simply have to win to have a chance of getting top spot.
‘We’ve won 13 in a row, which we are very proud of, but this will be the big challenge.’
Remember everyone, this has a 3pm start and follows the Vets vs Barnes RFC and Guernsey Ladies vs Barnes Ladies friendlies, which may have to be moved from the old club pitch to Les Ozouets, around the corner.

TEAM
Sam Steventon, Tom Ceillam, Layton Batiste, Lewis Hillier (capt.), Nick Merrien, Dale Martin, Robin Le Cocq, Douglas Horrocks; Kyle Brown, Owen Thomas, Anthony Armstrong, Ned Brown, Luke Jones, Blair Campbell, Luke Sayer.
Replacements: Charlie Currie, Luke Skovronek and Jason Batiste.