By grummpy
December 23 2003

Saturday sees EP host the Rotherham Titans who picked up their first point of the season last week in a narrow 10-15 home defeat at the hands of Oirish.

Much could be made of Roth's position at the foot of the ZP but since the full time appointment of coach Stefan Nel, familiar to us as the former Connacht coach during the Bic Biro season, a major overhaul of their playing staff has been undertaken.

Nel is familiar with working against the odds and has rapidly sought to give his team a winter makeover, indeed his squad will probably bear little resemblance to that selected for our 28-14 victory away from home in mid-October. For South Yorkshire, read Southern Africa with Nel bringing six players into his squad from last season's Currie Cup competition, five of whom could feature in his forward pack.

Up front, locks Bloues Volschenk (from SWD) and South Eastern Transvaal's Corniel van Zyladd to Nel's second row options which also include USA Rugby's Luke Gross. In the back row, Zimbabwe's Leon Greef could be joined by former Natal Shark Brad McLeod-Henderson and OFS's Ryno van der Merwe, an open side who starred for the Freestaters during the competition. Their front rank has also been bolstered by the arrival of Transvaal's warthog-like Riaan Olckers. Andy Long, the former Bath hooker linked with Sale pre-season, has also joined the ranks whilst Roth stalwarts Bunting, Spence and Johnson, hooker and captain, are also likely to be included.

Behind the pack, another Transvaaler, Giscard Pieters could start on the rightwing in place of the glandular fever stricken former Shark, Anthony Elliott. Ex-Saint Peter Jorgensen and ex-Quin Jason Keyter provide a robust midfield pairing where Mike Umaaga could return after knee trouble whilst Wood possesses genuine pace out wide. Nel has options at full back with ex-Leeds and West's Jon Benson and Argentine Stortoni fighting for the shirt. At half back, the return of the experienced former Harrogate and Starlet's scrum half Guy Easterby, post Oirish RWC duty, has been a huge lift whilst former Wigan RL actioner and England A fly half Phil Jones attracted rave reviews last season for his performances with Orrible. All told, there is genuine optimism and belief at Millmoor that Saturday's game is there for the winning.

At this stage (Monday), the make up of the Sale squad is far from being finalised, though Mallinder and Diamond are assured of welcoming Ted, Titts and JR back from England XV duties last weekend with JR set to make his ZP debut at EP. Injury worries are apparently easing, albeit slowly, though management have never sought to apportion our variable form to the absence of playing personnel. Let's hope we can change our current game plan of conceding an early score and then chasing a victory!