Jersey have confirmed a pre-season fixture against Coventry on
Saturday August 31st.
The two sides will be renewing acquaintances after meeting twice
in the 2011/12 season - Jersey won 29-3 at St Peter before
clinching the SSE National One league title with a 13-37 success at
Butts Park Arena in April 2012.
Coventry finished ninth in National One last season, but the
club, one of England's most powerful in their heyday, have
ambitions to rise back up the league ladder and recently unveiled a
new coaching structure, allied to some new recruits to the playing
squad.
"I'm pleased we've confirmed our second pre-season match and
look forward to welcoming Coventry back to the Island," said
Jersey's Director of Rugby Ben Harvey. "They are shaping up to be
one of the leading contenders in National One this season and will
be after the scalp of a Championship club.
"Many of our players and supporters have happy memories of the
day we won promotion at Coventry, but equally there'll be plenty of
people at Cov who will be keen to take us down a peg or two - it
should be a really good contest."
Founded in 1874, Coventry 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, before being relegated to National
One in 2010.
The kick-off time for the match will be confirmed shortly, and
may be an hour or two later than the standard 3pm slot due to
Coventry flying in on the day of the game. The match comes a week
after Jersey take on another Midlands' side, Leicester Tigers, on
Saturday August 24th.
