and Davey says that it is only the lack of numbers in the Cov squad which probably prevented further changes.

Logon Kirisome comes straight back into the side at centre after a six-week injury break, while Davey recalls himself at No.10 and Danny Hodge comes off the bench to start at flanker. Nathan Jones returns at scrum-half in a fourth change to the starting XV.

The omissions mean that Cov's seven-man bench has an unbalanced look with two scrum-halves, four front row forwards and three-quarter Ronnie McLean, who has been out since the first week in October with a knee injury, but Davey insists that action had to be taken.

"There could have been a lot more changes and there probably would if the squad was healthier," said Davey.

"I consider the three left out to be senior players and I felt that last week's performance stemmed from a lack of leadership on the field and a lack of desire.

"It's a difficult thing to do, but we had to do something as a coaching and management team. We had to make a point.

"It comes back to what I said after the Exeter game. It is just no longer acceptable for players to be sitting on contracts and not putting heart and soul into it.

"There were things we did last week at the start of the game which I thought were outstanding, but all that was done in 23 minutes of nothing rugby up to half-time when we conceded three tries and lost the game.

"Our skill levels were not good, the pressure got too much for some of them and there seemed to be a lack of desire."

Cov handed out a 43-16 beating to Moseley at the Butts Park Arena in Ocotber but are certain to find their Birmingham rivals a very different propostion this time round.

Only four of the side that started the October game were in the XV for Moseley's last game, a 24-22 win at Newbury, which included captain Neil Mason and back row partner James Rodwell who both missed the first meeting through injury.

Lock Paul Arnold was also absent through suspension, and since the game prop Terry Sigley has rejoined the club to bolster a front row which now also includes Scotland international prop Alasdair Dickinson, on loan from Gloucester.

Experienced centre Gary Trueman has arrived on loan from Worcester, while Cook Islands international fly-half Tommy Hayes has also returned to the club and will be vying for a start with Neil Stenhouse, on loan from Nottingham, who has taken on goalkicking duties for the last five games.

"It will be a completely different game," said Davey. "I am just looking for a reaction from everybody to last week, whether it's the masseur through to the club captain.

"If we work hard and do the right things, we'll win. If we don't, then we won't deserve to win."

Coventry: Toft; Johnson, Cobden, Kirisome, Parry; Davey, Jones; Maddocks, Whitehead, Brits, O Hodge, Nimmo, D Hodge, Clayton, McGlone. Reps: McLean, Slater, Walls, Rimmer, Dugard, Friswell, Whitehall.

* SANDERS, Dorrian and Rheeders are all included in Coventry's Development XV to play Nottingham Development at the Butts Park Arena on Monday (7.30pm).

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