Newbury

V

Titans

National Division 1

4th March 2006

Monks Lane

Kick Off 3.00pm

TEAM NEWS

Andre Bester makes five changes to the starting fifteen that lost heavily at home to Bedford two weeks ago.

Just one change in the backs sees Joe Bedford rotate with Morne Jonker at scrum half. Gillan Carruthers will get another opportunity to impress on the wing as David Strettle is away on England sevens duty.

In the forwards there’s a new front row with James Isaacson making his debut at tight head. Jarleth Carey returns at loose head after injury and Nigel Conroy starts at hooker. Louis McGowan returns at lock in place of Gareth McComb.

Looking ahead to the Newbury clash, Head Coach Andre Bester said, “They have got a few game-breakers, they attack from first-phases and their set pieces are solid so we will have our work cut out. There are players in the squad that I have an eye on for the future and we will see a massive improvement in these guys between now and the end of the season.”

Earth Titans: 15 Errie Claassens, 14 Gillan Carruthers, 13 Tom Allen, 12 Lodewyk  Strauss, 11  John Holtby, 10 Mike  Whitehead, 9 Joe Bedford, 1 Jarleth Carey, 2 Nigel  Conroy, 3 James Isaacson, 4 Jannie Bornman, 5 Louie McGowan, 6 Hendre Fourie, 7 Neil Cochrane (Capt), 8 Scott Donald

Replacements

16 Morne Jonker, 17 WP Strauss, 18 Adam Hopcroft, 19 Neil Hanna, 20 Jamie Kilbane, 21 Gareth McComb, 22 Chris Hala’Ufia

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Newbury Squad TBA

FORM GUIDE

Neither side are in great form at the moment, Newbury have won just one of their last five and Roth two of their last five.

Newbury are currently tenth in the league and like to play an attacking style of rugby. Only the top three have scored more points than them this season. However they do have a tendency to leak points and no one in the division has conceded more.

Possible danger men for Newbury could be fly-half Blair Feeney and back rower Chris Cracknell. Feeney has scored more than 200 points this season with an 83% kicking success rate. Cracknell has contributed with nine tries.

Earlier in the season Rotherham beat Newbury 38-23, but have never played a league game at Monks Lane. Roth will view this game as an opportunity to get back on track and put pressure back on Plymouth, as both sides battle for 4^th spot in the league.

Roth Admin Prediction: Roth by 8

Other Nat 1 fixtures this weekend

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