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Ealing Trailfinders coach Ben Ward is convinced Jersey Reds are a “top four” side this season in the Greene King IPA Championship.
The Reds make their second trip to the capital in the space of a fortnight as Harvey Biljon’s team travel to Ealing, hoping to make it three wins out of three this season in the second tier of English rugby.
In fact, the Reds are in red hot form heading into the contest at Vallis Way, as they won all their three pre-season friendlies, including a first ever victory over Premiership opposition when they overcame Worcester Warriors last month.
While Biljon’s side will start as slight favourites for the match in west London, they have lost three of their last four trips to Ealing.
But Trailfinders coach Ward says Jersey are upping their game this season.
“They have a really good set-up there, a good squad and Jersey are aiming for a top four place this season,” he said.
“I’ve been impressed with the progress they have made. I think London Irish and Yorkshire Carnegie will take the top two spots because they are way ahead of most of the other teams in the league in the size and depth of their squads, but Jersey are good enough to finish in the top four. They are well-organised, well coached and they are beginning to get a knack for winning tight games.”
Ealing flirted with relegation last season but last week’s 31-31 draw at Cornish Pirates suggests they will be a stern test for Biljon’s boys.
Biljon has made five changes form the side which beat Bedford Blues 14-9 last week, with three of them forced.
Injuries mean Joe Buckle, Pierce Phillips and James Freeman all miss out, with Nick Selway coming in at hooker and Nick Campbell and James Doyle selected at second row and flanker.
Scrum-half Kieran Hardy and centre Lewis Robling are on the bench, so Sami Fisilau and Jordan Davies start, while Regan King will skipper for the first time this season with Freeman and Phillips absent.
Ealing include two former Jersey players - Argentine prop Ignacio Lancuba and fly-half Aaron Penberthy - in their squad.
Biljon said: “The players are really relishing the prospect of facing some of their former team-mates. It great for them to test themselves against their old colleagues. It will be a terrific contest.”
A repeat of last week’s nervy and fractious game will result in a first defeat of the season for Jersey. The atrocious weather did not help matters in the victory over Bedford Blues, but their opponents came on strong in the dying minutes of the win at St Peter, a factor which must have been a cause for concern for Biljon.
However, the Ealing coach is correct in that an in-form Reds should have enough to come away from west London with a third victory of the season.
Second-placed Jersey, tucked in just behind London Irish, have been hampered by injuries to key players, but their replacements, Selway, Campbell and Doyle, are all high quality performers at this level.
Jersey Reds: Starting XV: Marc Thomas, Nick Selway, Simon Kerrod, Nick Campbell, Dave McKern, Max Argyle, James Doyle, Nick Haining; Sami Fisilau, Brendan Cope; Ross Adair, Jordan Davies, Regan King (c), George Watkins, Jack Cuthbert. Replacements: Jack Macfarlane, Jake Woolmore, Jake Armstrong, James Voss, Uili Kolo’ofa’i, Kieran Hardy, Lewis Robling.
Kick off: 14:00
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