‘Festival atmosphere’ in store as Raiders host triple-header

In a mouthwatering triple-header, Guernsey Raiders Ladies aim to serve up a lunchtime treat in front of the Garenne Stand when they come up against league leaders Seaford Scarlets before attention turns to the Club Pitch, where St Jacques Vikings face newly-crowned Counties One Hampshire champions Havant Dolphins.

The grand finale will pit Raiders against Henley Hawks, with the hosts looking to get back to winning ways in National Two East.

‘We have done a few triple-headers before and it provides something for everyone,’ said Guernsey director of rugby Jordan Reynolds.

‘There are people invested in the Ladies team, in Vikings and in Raiders – if we had our way, we would probably have academy games on the day as well – so we do think it’s a great opportunity to play some great rugby in a festival atmosphere.’

Reynolds added that while his Raiders have been on a six-game losing streak, they built some confidence in last week’s narrow 32-25 defeat away at Bury St Edmunds.

‘It is a big one this week and hopefully we are on the up,’ he said.

‘We were fairly good across the park at Burys, but the first try they scored came from us being on the attack then we had a knock-on which they scooped up and ran the length when we did not have any defence. If you take away that seven points, there’s nothing between the sides.

‘We are getting some guys back, too. Jack Colbourne returns to the squad, he’s a strong ball-carrier for us, and Tom Ceillam is back which will make a huge difference because Phil Le Noury had to do the full 80 last week and that’s pretty gruelling in the front row.’

Henley, who won the reverse fixture 26-15 in November, are sixth in National Two East and they have been involved in a lot of close games since the turn of the year.

‘We have probably been a bit defensive in the last few months, so we want to get our hands on the ball and play a bit more, and Henley will be much the same,’ Reynolds said.

‘When we played them away, it was really wet but they threw the ball around and probably gave us a bit of a shock, so we have been looking forward to this one.’

Saturday's action starts with Guernsey Raiders Ladies against Seaford Scarlets at 12.30pm before St Jacques versus Havant Dolphins kicks off at 1.30pm on the Club Pitch. Raiders against Henley is at 3pm.

Raiders team

Bray, Ceillam, Dromantas, Hackett, Webb, Welch, Creber, Poullet, Boyland, Simmonds, Smith, Dawe, C McGann, Armstrong, Roberts. Replacements: Le Noury, Batiste, Colbourne, N McGann, Rutledge.