‘Win at all costs’ Reds
RAIDERS head coach Jordan Reynolds has a lot on his mind going into Siam Cup day.
Will he see the game, for a start?
Partner Katie is expecting their first child any moment and Reynolds is hoping that his daughter will hold on just a while longer, until they have beaten Jersey.
But while a double celebration is possibly in the offing, the row over who should be starting for Jersey continued unabated yesterday.
Charlie McHugh, the recently retired Guernsey Rugby Club chairman and vociferous proponent for tightening of Siam eligibility, came out firing.
‘It’s unsportsmanlike and wrong,’ he said. ‘It breaks Jersey’s own long-standing set of agreed Siam rules. It is pitching full-time professional sportsmen operating two whole leagues above Guernsey against Guernsey players who all have day jobs away from rugby.
‘Why do it ? Because of a disrespectful desire for Jersey to dominate and win at all costs.’
Meanwhile, it transpires that Jersey have not brought in ineligible pros to answer a front row crisis, but to plug other gaps.
In confirming their line-up yesterday it revealed that the three players that do not meet the residency eligibility requirement are lock Max Ayling, scrum half Will Lane and fly half Bader Pretorious.
Reynolds, meanwhile revealed to the GP Siam Cup podcast special that he does not ever see Raiders following the Jersey route and going full-on professional.
‘If you asked the committee right now if they would want to see us move up the league again I’d say it is a resounding no. Which is rightfully so.
‘But what we want to do as a squad and coaching staff is to continually improve, so we make sure we set targets... we will never go professional in terms of a financial point, that is not within our model and that is not bagging what Jersey do, [because] they have done fantastic job.
‘They had a different vision, ours is to make sure we are still a community club.
‘Our aim is to stay in National Two, we think that is a good level for our aspiring players to reach.’
