Jersey RFC are looking to get into the
winning habit for this Saturday's match against Coventry RFC (KO
4pm at St Peter).
The two sides will be renewing
acquaintances after meeting in 2011/2012 in National League One.
The match at St Peter in December finished 29-3 to Jersey, while by
April, the Islanders travelled to the Midlands knowing that a win
would secure the league title and promotion.
Around 400 Jersey supporters were among a
crowd of 1,600, and it was a nervy first half with Jersey narrowly
ahead at the break, a penalty try and two Le Bourgeois penalties
providing a 13-6 lead. But the match was blown open in the second
half and tries by Trower, Bishop and Sanders enabled the visitors
to register an eventually easy 37-13 win.
Jersey fans will be looking forward to the
return of full-back Barry Davies after his move to Coventry this
summer. He joins a club who finished ninth in National One last
season but have ambitions to challenge in the upper reaches of the
division this time round.
Davies joins fellow Welsh internationals
Scott Morgan, the lock who is Cov's player-coach, and fly-half Matt
Jones. All three men won single caps for their country as
replacements.
Coventry is one of English rugby's most
historic names. Founded in 1874, the club took up residence in
their Coundon Road ground in 1921 and developed into one of
England's leading clubs, especially during the 1950s, 60s and 70s
with a stream of players capped by England, as well as a hat-trick
of John Player (National) Cup titles from 1972-74.
The decline from this heyday coincided with
the advent of the league system in 1987 and Coventry became a
fixture at Level Two throughout the 1990s and beyond, including the
move to Butts Park Arena in 2004.
In 2006, Chairman
Keith Fairbrother, who had taken over the club after it went into
receivership in 1998, sold the club to businessman Andrew Green,
but three years later the club was placed in administration. A
rescue package and the formation of a new company, Coventry Rugby
Ltd, came in January 2010, but hampered by a 15-point deduction
stemming from the financial woe, Cov were relegated at the end of
the 2009/10 season.
This was followed by the consolidation at
Level Three last season in 2010/11, although the following season
the club slipped to 13th place, albeit well clear of the relegated
trio.
After last weekend's defeat against Aviva
Premiership Champions Leicester Tigers, Director of Rugby, Ben
Harvey, says he was "humbled" by Leicester's starting
line-up:
"It was amazing that they put out such a
strong side for us, but we relished the opportunity to play such
formidable opponents. We were very pleased about the first half as
we kept the score down to a modest level. For Drew Locke to have
scored a good try was terrific.
"I thought some of the individual
performances were extremely good but, although we started out
strong, defensively we lost some shape as the game went on. We have
several areas we need to improve on, but overall we were playing
against some of the best players in European rugby."
Tickets are available from the Club Shop at
St. Peter (10am - 1pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays). Tickets
are also available from The Jersey Evening Post offices at Five
Oaks 8.30am-5pm Monday-Friday and Red Properties on the Esplanade,
Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. Adult tickets cost £5, whilst Under 17s
will be admitted free (proof of age may be required).
