Cavalry on the way

THE cavalry's on the way for the struggling Guernsey first team. And it comes via the South African high veld.

Guernsey go into Saturday's must-win game against bottom-of-the-table Effingham and Leatherhead with just one win in six matches and a growing unavailability list.

But, as new coach Colin McLatchie confirmed yesterday, there is a ray of light emerging from the southern hemisphere.

Willoughby Bloem, the outstanding half back and one of the key performers in this year's Siam Cup upset, arrives back in the island next week fresh from playing for the Blue Bulls academy side in South Africa.

It is expected he will be here throughout the country's four-month close season.

'He is bringing a couple of players from the academy with him,' said McLatchie, glad for a bit of good news in what's turning out to be a tough campaign in Powergen London Three South West.

Nor does McLatchie rule out a return of the mercurial Welshman, Matt Morgan, although it is far from certain.

The Guernsey coach has been given the go-ahead to fly Morgan back for home games and ferry him from his native Wales to wherever the greens have an away game, but to date it hasn't worked.

'The first weekend we tried it he wasn't available,' said a coach wary of unsettling the harmony of the locals who train week in, week out.

The situation could become clearer after fellow Welshmen Steve and Paul Thomas and H Morgan visit Matt Morgan next weekend to wet the head of his new-born child.

No player has performed better in the eyes of the coach over the opening weeks than little South African half back Divan Crouse.

But Crouse was concussed in the 19-13 defeat by Chobham last weekend and, as a result, is ruled out for three weeks on medical grounds.

McLatchie refers to the Effingham and Leatherhead match which kicks off at Foote's Lane at 2.30pm 'as the proverbial six-pointer.'