Jersey Rugby
Versus Nottingham Rugby, Part Deux.
After the
farcical circumstances surrounding the first attempt at getting this match
played, Jersey versus Nottingham part deux will take place this Saturday, snow permitting
of course. Where we basked in beautiful sunshine at the last non-event, it will
most likely be replaced by drizzle and bitterly cold conditions. Nottingham
will find Jersey in fine fettle having recruited well prior to the transfer
deadline, and having the bonus of a first away win last Saturday in Plymouth.
Relegation fears were eased if nowhere near eradicated with Doncaster’s defeat
over the same weekend; Saturdays match is the first of a Jersey triple header
against play-off hopefuls, with Bristol (home) and Newcastle (away) where the
pressure will be off the Reds, before the season showdown against Doncaster.
The ‘one trick pony’ tag referring to Jersey ability to only win in the mud has
been laid to rest, and with eight tries in the last two matches confidence will
be climbing.
Nottingham in 2012/13
After head Coach Glenn Delaney's departure in the summer after seven years, joining London Irish as Forwards Coach, a new head coach, former Bath Lock Martin Haag was appointed. The 47 year old played nearly 300 games for Bath winning two England caps in that time, both against Argentina in 1997. He has coaching experience both at Bath and in the England Under 18 and Under 20 set-ups.
Nottingham
Rugby has attracted the tag of the most exciting team in the division. This is
backed up by having four of the leagues’ top eighteen try scorers, with captain
Brent Wilson only two behind overall. Very strong at Meadow Lane, losing only
once and giving good thrashings to London Scottish, Bristol, Doncaster as well
as putting 48 points on Jersey earlier this season. Any regular season championship
challenge has been curtailed however with a less than convincing performance on
the road, losing all bar one of their matches against their play off rivals
whilst only beating the struggling sides. Having said all this, those of you
who tuned into the recent televised match against Bedford will realise that the
25-17 score line flattered Bedford, and that Nottingham are a side who when
they get going will tear teams apart. The form guide showed that they had won
six in a row before a shock loss to Scottish that saw them lose second
temporarily before turning over Bristol in Bristol. Despite this, there appears
to be real belief in the home camp that Jersey can get something out of this
match, buoyed on by a big vocal partisan crowd, (there will sadly be a lack of
visiting support for the ‘rematch’) and with home matches scarce, points are
becoming an increasingly valuable comoditity. Nottingham are without doubt a
classy act, but with only Newcastle lowering the home colours in the last five,
and Nottingham losing four from seven league matches away from home, another
shock is not beyond the Reds.
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