Jersey Reds "desperate" to restore winning habit

Saturday 08 October 2016

After a hat-trick of Greene King IPA Championship defeats, Jersey Reds coach Harvey Biljon is determined to see his side bounce back to winning ways today at home to London Scottish.

It has been an autumn of fluctuating fortunes for Biljon's team, who began the league campaign with back to back wins over Richmond and Bedford, only to then come a cropper in their next three fixtures.

On each occasion Biljon's boys have been within sight of victory only for a late score to spoil their record. The Reds, who are now sixth in the league table, were within touching distance of wins over Ealing, Nottingham and London Welsh, but in all three games they came up short in the dying minutes.

Biljon said: "We have to cut out the silly mistakes, it is as simple as that. Against Nottingham we were ahead and we had the chance to finish off the match but we gave them a glimmer of hope by giving away a penalty in injury time and they took advantage of the offer. We have got to tighten that aspect up. We are desperate to get the winning feeling again."

The coach has made five changes from the side which started at London Welsh last week for today's clash with Scottish. Hooker Jack Macfarlane comes in for his first league start for his new club, while Marc Thomas is back at loosehead prop to pack down alongside him. Tongan international Uili Kolo'ofa'i abandons his usual role as an impact replacement and starts at second row ahead of Dave McKern, while there's another switch at flanker, with Max Argyle coming in and James Doyle reverting to the bench.

A lone change among the back line is at fly-half, with Brendan Cope returning in place of Sam Katz.

Jersey did the league double over Scottish last season, but a narrow two-point win over the visitors at St Peter shows today will be a testing contest for Biljon's team.

"We never under-estimate anybody in the Championship because we know only too well how competitive it is and how there is so little to choose between all the different sides. We won't be going into any match ever thinking we only have to turn up to win. Every game is touch at this level."

The Reds really need to get back in the knack of closing out a match. Against Ealing a late try and a dropped chance with a winning score at their mercy meant they came away from west London with another defeat. Then at home to Nottingham a penalty handed the Midlanders an opportunity to kick deep into the Reds' 22 and from there the visitors scored a converted try to win by a single point.

If that wasn't agonising enough, last weekend Jersey appeared to be in the driving seat with two well-worked tries only for Welsh to hold out until the final whistle with just 14 men.

Jersey's bench will include scrum-half Joel Dudley, who is once again in line to make his 50th competitive appearance for the Reds, having been an unused replacement at Old Deer Park last weekend.  

Scottish have started the season in identical fashion to the Reds, having won two and lost three of their matches so far.

Jersey Reds XV to face London Scottish at 15:00 at St Peter -

Ross Adair, George Watkins, Regan King, Lewis Robling, Rich Lane, Brendan Cope, Kieran Hardy, Marc Thomas, Jack Macfarlane, Jake Armstrong, Nick Campbell, Uili Kolo'ofa'i, Max Argyle, James Freeman (capt), Nick Haining. Subs are - Nick Selway, Sean McCarthy, Mark Tampin, Dave McKern, James Doyle, Joel Dudley, Jordan Davies.

Main picture credit: Sue Armes - Uili Kolo'ofa'i