Greens hit by exit of 'Boks'

FROM one championship battle to the next. After beating title rivals Dorking in their most recent outing, Guernsey come head to head with fellow London Four South-West promotion chasers Old Reigatian at Foote's Lane tomorrow and it promises to be a real cracker.

The visitors are on a roll having won their last four matches, which included Dorking's first defeat of the season, and home captain Carl Johnson knows they will pose a threat.

'They are sitting on 12 points with Dorking so, effectively, this is a top-of-the-table clash.

'They have the best defensive record in the league so it should be a fairly tough game,' he said.

But, of course, while Old Reigatian have won their last four, Guernsey are out to maintain their 100% record and record a ninth victory as they complete the first half of their league programme.

Johnson admitted that before the season he did not expect to be in this position, but the way his side is playing has seen expectations both in the squad and the island grow.

'I was hoping that we would perhaps win five or six out of nine.

'The main thing was to win as many home games as possible and then try and pick up a couple of victories away.

'But we have become a much stronger team this year, particularly in the forwards. They are a very good unit now,' he said.

However, Guernsey have now been forced into changing their line-up following the departure of the explosive half-back combination of Willoughby Bloem and Werner Stroh.

Their fellow South African, Joubert Thompson, has also left the island, although he is expected to return in January.

The Guernsey captain admitted that the loss of the Springboks would be felt but their replacements - Lee Whatman and Stuart Lloyd-Jones - would bring their own qualities to the team.

'I thought we were going to lose the two young guys but Joubert has gone off on his holidays, which leaves us a bit short in the second row. He was playing really well,' said Johnson.

'Lee obviously has not got the pace of Willoughby to run the whole length of the field ghosting past people, but he is solid and his defence is very good. Because he has been around longer than Will, he will probably be a bit more commanding with the forwards and that will be a plus.

'Stuart is more experienced than Werner. I think it was the first time Werner had played fly half and he used his natural pace and aggression there to good effect.

'But Stuart will run the game, link the forwards and the backs and take some pressure off others.

'With Lee and Stuart playing, I think there will be better co-ordination within the team,' the captain added.

There are still some question marks regarding selection for other positions, which were due to be resolved at training last night.

The main dilemma was who would pack down in the second row with Jon Flynn. Graham Hards was the most likely candidate providing he could prove his fitness after recent back troubles.