Guernsey have registered back-to-back bonus-point wins on the road at Leicester Lions and Jersey to kick off their campaign and are one of three clubs to being joint on 10 points at the top of the National Two East table.
However, head coach Jordan Reynolds believes his side will have to step it up a notch when they host Henley Hawks this weekend at Footes Lane.
‘No disrespect to Jersey or Leicester, but Henley is probably a step up and will be a really good challenge to see where we are at,’ he said.
‘I expect Henley to bring something slightly different to what we have faced in the last two weeks because they like to play a very high tempo game, very loose, they will attack from their own 22 either trying to build for line-breaks or to win penalties, and from what we have seen so far this season the referees are favouring the attacking sides.
‘London Welsh tried to play Henley at their own game last week and it didn’t work for them, so it is important for us to do the things we are good at and I think the middle of the park is going to be huge. In the last two weeks we have done really well to win that middle zone and that is something we have to look to do again.’
Reynolds has delayed naming his starting XV while he waits on fitness updates on ‘a few knocks and bruises’ picked up in the Channel Islands derby played last week.
Josh Poullet should return, though, after being unavailable to face Jersey while the coach expects to have Ethan Smith fit once again after he was a late withdrawal last week with a hamstring niggle.
He was replaced on the wing by starting debutant Ozzie Kent and Reynolds was impressed with how the new signing adapted to the call-up.
‘It was the first time ever he had played on the wing and obviously there was a bit of hesitation in throwing him in because there are easier places to make your Guernsey debut than away to Jersey because you have got the crowd and you have got the occasion, but he would have got some really good learnings out of it,’ he said.
‘Ozzie is like a sponge at the moment, taking it all in and excited to get his chance. There was a huge amount of effort from him and for his starting debut, I’m sure it will be one he will remember for a while.
‘He is a centre by trade, he plays at 12, and when you have got guys like John Dawe to learn from, he is in the right environment at the moment.
‘We have got so many guys who can teach him within our squad. On the wings we regularly have Ethan Smith and Anthony Armstrong and they have about 250 caps between them, so there is a huge amount of experience within our guys and when Ozzie is looking for that knowledge they are able to help him out.’
Guernsey Raiders against Henley Hawks kicks off at 2pm tomorrow at Footes Lane.
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