TIME TO LAY THAT GUILDFORD AWAY BOGEY
GUILDFORD have been an odd bunch this season, a bit like Forrest’s famous box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.
For that reason alone, Raiders must be ready for anything when they travel to 10th-placed Guildford on Saturday.
Even Guilford's home form is topsy turvy.
Smashing Shelford by 26 points showed what they are capable of in front of their home crowd, but then they lost at home to a Sidcup side and they also found themselves edged out by Dorking in front of their loyal supporters.
Jordan Reynolds will be without standout stand-off Owen Thomas for this one and filling in at 10 will be the man who last weekend chalked up game no. 200 for the Guernsey Firsts.
Blair Campbell wouldn’t pretend for one minute to be the dynamo that is the Welshman, but he knows the role well and the head coach is happy to give him the shirt as opposed to the other main alternative, moving Sam Whitehead from fullback.
‘Blair has had how years of playing fly-half for us in the past and, knowing that Owen was going to be away, for the last three weeks we have been pulling BC into 10 during training,’ said Reynolds.
But that is not the only change in the backs.
Kyle Brown gets a start at scrum half in the absence of a work-tied Malcolm Barnes and the young Aussie will probably also likely take over kicking duties in the absence of Thomas.
Not only that, with Luke Sayer unavailable and Ned Brown still on exams, Chris Ahne returns on the wing with the young Vikings scrum-half Taylor Quate on the bench, no doubt itching to get a run out and show the form he has been producing for the Vikings. However, the real surprise change is the naming of stand out No. 8 Douglas Horrocks in the centre position. Reynolds is known for experimenting with players positions and will be confident that Horrocks will perform well there, as he did when forced to fill in due to injury at the tail end of the Towcestrians game.
The front eight sees Cameron Craine moving from the bench to second row, baby-faced Dan Hill to No. 8 and there is added firepower on the bench courtesy of Charlie Currie and Luke Skovronek.
The form book points to an away win, but Guildford were a formidable opponent at home last season and Guernsey will be hoping to rectify the past result. Kick off at 2:30pm, with updates on Facebook and Twitter.
Raiders team: Sam Steventon, Tom Ceillam, Layton Batiste, Lewis Hillier, Nick Merrien, Dan Hill, Dale Martin, Doug Horrocks, Kyle Brown, Blair Campbell, Jason Batiste, Luke Jones, Anthony Armstrong, Chris Ahne, Sam Whitehead.
Replacements: Charlie Currie, Cameron Craine, Taylor Quate
LADIES HOPING TO LIGHT UP FOOTES LANE
The Ladies play this Sunday ahead of the Club's annual Fireworks display and will be hoping to light up Footes Lane with an improved performance.
The good new is that Carly Parrott, now in rugby circles to be known by her married name Carly Duchemin, is back for her first game of the season.
The bad news, it is the league leaders Newbury Ladies that are visiting and it very much looks like Vicki Rang will miss out with injury.
Coach Chris Griffiths realises it will be tough for his side.
‘We are fully expecting a hard game against the current league leaders and we know that our defence is going to be a key part of the game for us and as coaches we will be looking for big improvements from individuals but also the team as a whole.
‘We must improve our line speed and our first up tackles and start to impose ourselves on the opposition better, intensity and a desire to want to win the ball back will be crucial.’
Griffiths has tweaked the starting XV a little, welcoming back Rebecca Drury into the second row and Duchemin on to the wing.
‘We have had to reshuffle the back line yet again; with Fiona Ashworth off island, Justeen Baker steps in to the fly half position and most notably we’ll be starting with Fiona Power at full back in place of an injured Vicki.
‘If a last minute fitness test goes well Vicki could yet play but it is pretty doubtful, but we are confident that Fiona will do a great job for us at 15.’
Kick off is at 12:30pm (not 1pm as previously advertised) on the Club Pitch at Footes Lane.
Starting XV
Andrea Harris, Michelle Schofield, Heidi Mahy, Rebecca Drury, Kristine Vavere, Ellie Whittles, Tanya Scholtz, Rachel Merrien; Jemma Crouse (C), Justeen Baker, Carly Duchemin, Hannah Guilbert, Chelsie Blondel, Lael Hollingworth, Fiona Power.
Replacements: Sophie O'Connell, Janelly Le Maitre, Aimee Gaudion, Chloe Williams, Roxanne Richards, Fiona Drape, Vicki Rang.