It’s a home fixture for the 1st XV this week, as they aim to get their season back on track with a win against a strong Bournemouth side.

It will come as no surprise that the 1st XV have been disappointed with their season up to this point, with 3 wins out of a potential 7, but the hope has definitely not diminished in this side. With only 1 loss being more than a 7 points difference, the league has been extremely competitive, with no clear team pulling away at the top. At the time of writing, Bournemouth sit comfortably in 3rd place, with 5 wins out of their 7, only losing to Farnham and Tottonians in a pair of well-fought bouts. With their base located by Bournemouth Airport, the team who wear red and black will be travelling over an hour for their journey, so a kudos to their support who make that trip. Coming off of an impressive 73-7 win against North Dorset, the opponents will be entering their match with their heads held high and an intent to continue their successful season.

The Red and Green will undoubtedly be raring to get back on the pitch and show that their hard work to make it to the league will not have been for nothing. After a week off, the players have been honing in on their skills and structure, whilst making sure not to lose their ever important physicality which has been on display this year. For those who have watched the matches this season, discipline and time management has been a thorn in the side of the team, so the coaching team have been reinforcing this point throughout and hopefully it will reflect come Saturday!

With a handful of changes and some debuts, the team sees an update which will hopefully bring them back the win they require. Harley Orr, Sam Brown and the try scoring machine Dan Sargent are the front row for this fixture, backed up by the daunting Oli Hunt and powerful Ryan Morse in the engine room. Matt Momber captains the side from the blindside, Karter Whittock returns on the openside and Liam Perkins finishes off the pack in the 8 jersey – a powerful back row. As usual, Alex Duffus and Nick Blumlein are the half backs of choice, whilst bringing leadership and direction to the squad. Will Mathews resumes business at the inside centre slot, with Andy Wood coming into the thick of it for a start at the 13 shirt. Charlie Muir stays on the left wing and Miles Sampson takes back the 14 top to boost his try scoring tally, as Joe Knowles finishes the squad as a fullback.

Our bench today is extremely exciting, as Eryn Eales is set to make his first appearance for the Red and Green this year, offering front and back row cover – welcome back! Another week, another academy player making the step up, but this time it is Dan Chinnock, current academy player and Godalming College captain, where he led them to victory against Henley College just this Wednesday. Another proud moment for everyone at the club and it speaks volumes to the player that Chinnock, scrum-half, is set to become. Ethan Horsfall is poised for another appearance and will bring a burst of energy to any position required in the backline.

Lineup:

1. Harley Orr
2. Sam Brown
3. Dan Sargent
4. Oli Hunt
5. Ryan Morse
6. Matt Momber (C)
7. Karter Whittock
8. Liam Perkins
9. Alex Duffus
10. Nick Blumlein
11. Charlie Muir
12. Will Mathews
13. Andy Wood
14. Miles Sampson
15. Joe Knowles

16. Eryn Eales
17. Dan Chinnock*
18. Ethan Horsfall
*denotes 1st XV debut

Check out the match programme here for more information on the squad!

The 2nd XV are playing away to Fordingbridge, with the hopes of using their momentum win against Portsmouth 2s to keep the season moving!