Jersey Reds seek Belfast boost

Friday 14 October 2016

Four straight league defeats has badly bruised Jersey Reds’ rollercoaster start to the season, as Harvey Biljon’s side head to Belfast tonight in the British and Irish Cup.

Jersey agonisingly lost by a single point to Yorkshire Carnegie in last season’s semi-finals and their focus against an Ulster ‘A’ team will be to get back to winning ways following a disastrous recent run of form.

The Reds started the season with impressive wins over Richmond and Bedford, but came crashing down to earth following wafer-thin losses to Ealing, Nottingham and London Welsh. 

All three were last gasp defeats, but last weekend Biljon’s boys were put to the sword by Scottish Scottish, who thrashed them 36-10 at St Peter. 

That result has led to Biljon retaining only six of the team which started against the Exiles last Saturday.

In the backs, George Eastwell makes his first competitive appearance for Jersey, partnering Jordan Davies at centre, while Scotland international Jack Cuthbert returns at full-back, with Joel Dudley and Sam Katz forming a new half-back partnership.

In the forward line, prop Mark Tampin and lock James Voss make their first starts of the new campaign, while the back row has a familiar feel, with No8 Nick Haining retaining his place, flanked by captain James Freeman and James Doyle.

Jersey's bench includes scrum-half Sami Fisilau, back from injury after a three-week absence.

Biljon said: “We have got to start cutting out the silly mistakes and get back to what we do best. We have had some borderline refereeing decisions not go our way, but we don’t want to bring the officials into it this time. We need a win very badly.”

The Reds reached the knockout stages of the B&I Cup in 2015/16 for the first time in four attempts, losing 22-21 to Yorkshire Carnegie in the last four.

Biljon’s side are set for a tough contest as Tommy Bowe and Dan Tuohy will line up for Ulster ‘A’ tonight, the pair sharing an impressive 272 Ulster senior caps between them. 

Ulster A coaches Willie Anderson and Kieran Campbell have selected a blend of experience and youth for the Jersey tie, in what will be the first meeting between the sides since they were paired together in the 2013/14 British & Irish Cup group stages, with both teams winning one game apiece.

It will be the Ulster A team's first competitive outing of the season, following warm-up games against Canada A and Leinster A.

Jersey Reds v Ulster ‘A’ - Jack Cuthbert, George Watkins, Jordan Davies, George Eastwell, Rich Lane, Sam Katz, Joel Dudley, Sean McCarthy, Jack Macfarlane, Mark Tampin, Nick Campbell, James Voss, James Freeman (capt), James Doyle, Nick Haining. Subs: Nick Selway, Jake Woolmore, Jake Armstrong, Uili Kolo'ofa'i, Max Argyle, Sami Fisilau, Lewis Robling.