Raiders ready to face up to Dorking challenge

Two of the three title contenders have to pay Guernsey a visit before the end of the month, starting with Dorking tomorrow, followed by leaders Tonbridge Juddians seven days later, and while the home side have been hit by a raft of injuries in recent weeks, Jordan Reynolds believes his squad are relishing the chance to turnover some of the high-flyers.

‘Dorking are a well-rounded side littered with ex-Premiership players, so it’s going to be a challenge for us, but we are at home and we are excited by the opportunity to take on these top teams – we want to find out whether we will have a say on the outcome of the title race,’ said Guernsey’s director of rugby.

‘There’s three of them in it and we play two of them at home back-to-back.’

Third-placed Dorking arrive having won their last three matches to rejuvenate their own title push following a couple of surprise defeats in February. They now sit just three points off table-topping TJs.

‘A lot has changed for them in the last couple of weeks. From looking like they might be dropping out of the title race, they are a right back in it, so that puts some added pressure on us,’ said Reynolds, whose side lost 40-20 in the reverse fixture just seven weeks ago.

‘We were really competitive against them away. It was just a five-minute period that let us down as they scored a couple of tries in that time and that was the difference,’ he added.

Raiders will once again be without several regulars and their coach was waiting on other fitness tests before naming a bench for tomorrow’s match.

On a positive note, Blake Boyland will be joining his brother Sam in the back-line. Both were involved in last week’s 49-34 win at Oxford Harlequins which followed the memorable come-from-behind 45-38 victory over Henley in their last outing at Footes Lane.

‘We can’t get through a game without an injury at the moment – we have lost five players in the last two games – but we played enough good rugby last week to still have a lot of confidence in the squad we put out,’ Reynolds said.

‘Although it was a scrappy game last week, as a back-line we did really well.

‘Against Henley, I thought the pack was good, so it’s about getting a combination of the two and we’re not far off that. When we were playing really well in September and October, we had that combination of the two.’

The head coach also reported that a few players are on the verge of returning to the fold, but he is determined to make sure he does not rush them back.

‘I have been involved with a lot of seasons with Guernsey now and I have been really impressed by this group,’ Reynolds said.

‘You can see guys who are obviously injured and yet they are trying to convince me that they are good to go.

‘With all the problems we have had this season, these guys have stuck at it and we have picked up these two wins in the last couple of weeks on the back of that. In the second half against Henley, you saw that grit they have.’

• Raiders against Dorking kicks off at 2pm tomorrow and will be followed by St Jacques Vikings against Sandown & Shanklin at 3.30pm. The Guernsey Rugby Academy U15s are also at home as they play East Grinstead at 11.30am.

Guernsey Raiders starting XV

Bray, Ceillam, Dromantas, Hillier, Webb, Yarwood, Welch, Hackett, B Boyland, Simmonds, Smith, N McGann, C McGann, Armstrong, S Boyland. (Replacements to be confirmed)