Guernsey Press

Raiders hit by a ‘perfect storm’

THE ‘perfect storm’ of injuries and unavailability has hit Raiders ahead of their big trip to Bury St Edmunds tomorrow.

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Raiders will try to make it three wins in a row when they head to Bury St Edmunds. (Picture by Mike Marshall, 31753723)

Having closed to within four points of BSE in the National Two East league table, Guernsey have the chance of going above their hosts with a victory, but they have been dealt a cruel hand in the build-up.

‘We have got something like 16-17 players unavailable – it has just happened all of a sudden,’ said Guernsey director of rugby Jordan Reynolds.

‘We thought we had come through last Saturday [against Westcliff] unscathed, but as soon as Sunday and Monday came there were players tightening up and we have a few [muscle] strains and tears.

‘There are also a fair few guys off work sick at the moment and I’m going through the Vikings and those guys are injured too – it has just been snowballing.

‘We are building strength in depth, but we’re nowhere near close to where other teams are yet, so we are always going to get these patches where we are short and this week is the perfect storm.

‘The timing is not great, but it puts the emphasis on how important those last two wins were because it has created enough of a space between us and those below us.’

With tomorrow’s clash being a rearranged game following a postponement in December when the pitch was frozen, there are also a couple of Guenrsey players who had booked trips away for this weekend and the backline, in particular, will be a patched-up one.

However, Reynolds was keen to emphasise that whoever takes to the field for Raiders will be capable of getting something from the game.

‘It’s an opportunity and we should be excited about that,’ he said.

‘Bury have been a good side for many years. They have been perhaps a little bit more inconsistent this season, but that can happen if your a new squad trying to gel and it is always going to be a big challenge going there.

‘But our pack will still be strong and our backline will be strong enough. Sometimes when you have to make all these changes, your performances can surprise you – probably because you feel there is less pressure of expectation on you.’