By Tom Little
February 19 2015

The Coventry Rugby side to play Hartpury College at home at the Butts Park Arena with kick off at 3 pm this coming Saturday 21st February 2015 has just been named. 

It shows six changes and two positional changes from the team’s starting line-up that lost away at Esher, with new signing Mark Hodgkiss starting in place of Callum MacBurnie, and Martyn Thomas coming in at full-back in place of captain Cliffie Hodgson, who switches to fly-half in place of Matt Jones. There are no less than 4 changes and one positional amongst the forwards, with the injured George Oliver replaced by Gloucester Premiership Dr player Alex Woodburn, who ironically was dr with Hartpury College. Finlay Sinclair and Chad Thorne replace Matt Price and Adam Parkins in the front row, whilst at lock Roan Van Heerden resumes his normal position in place of Tom Poole. Sam Pailor returns after injury in the back row. Seven players are named on the replacements bench with a final selection after training tonight.                 

15 Martyne Thomas 

14 Dan Rundle

13 Mark Hodgkiss

12 Rob Knox

11 Will Hurrell

10 Cliffie Hodgson   captain

 9 Wayne Evans   

 1 Andy Brown

 2 Finlay Sinclair

 3 Chad Thorne

 4 Jordan Onojaife

 5 Roan Van Heerden

 6 Sam Pailor

 7 Alex Woodburn

 8 Jacques Le Roux

Replacements:

16 Beno Obano

17 Adam Parkins

18 Tom Poole

19 Pierre Ferre

20 Matt Jones

21 Matt Price

22 Callum MacBurnie  

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby Press Office

 19^th February 2015.

Coventry Rugby team announced to face Hartpury College.

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 19/02/2015 17:32

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
19/02/2015 17:32

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.

Reply Quote Report

timdouglas1
19/02/2015 18:52

Tom Poole dropped to the bench? Now that is a surprise. Still, we will cheer whoever wears the blue and white. Come on Cov!!

Reply Quote Report

Mikey C
19/02/2015 19:31

Surprising but could be carrying a knock

Reply Quote Report

Roger Fox
19/02/2015 19:42

Surprising that Sam has been named after that reported broken nose. A very useful player and obviously very willing.

Reply Quote Report

Nige H
19/02/2015 19:44

Wow, that's a lot of changes after just one loss. Well we can't accuse the coaching staff of not freshening things up!! Although I'm tempted to say that perhaps there's one or two too many changes.

Reply Quote Report

tonker
19/02/2015 21:36

good to see pailor back but concerned that poole isbenched, imo he has been on eo fth emost consisten tfowards , always willing to make the hard yards. the pitch will be heavy so will perhaps playing cliffie at 10 makes sense?

Reply Quote Report

titchywinger
19/02/2015 22:39

Great to see Sam Pailor back. The first major shuffle among the backs for many months

Reply Quote Report

OldNick
19/02/2015 22:45

My guess is that we'll see the rested players on the bench ready to come on should any of the experiments not be working well.
No point having the February signings if they don't get blooded.

Reply Quote Report

eggshape
19/02/2015 22:53

It could be what is needed to get the best out of the squad maybe there has been to much complacency in the team and positions the lads that start will want to stop there and like nick said if it's not working bring on the bench.

Reply Quote Report

titchywinger
19/02/2015 23:44

Good to see the new faces involved this week.Rustle up the competition for places. Still time to go up. The season isn't over yet.

Reply Quote Report

Cliff Bennett
20/02/2015 09:08

Whilst not being a "root and branch" change the team line up, it is a fairly formidable change to its composition. Are Tom Poole, Callum McB, Matt Price, Adam P, etc, being charged with the responsibility of our loss last weekend?
Or could this be described as a "knee jerk reaction"?
In any event, let's hope for a good performance tomorrow, a win and five points.

Reply Quote Report

Tim Smith
20/02/2015 09:58

I think it's more a tacit acceptance by the coaches that winning the league this season, whilst not impossible, is unlikely. This enables players like Poole and MacBurnie to be given a rest after what has been a long and tough 3/4 of a season for them, but Morgan still has them in reserve if things don't go so well on the pitch on Saturday. It also allows the coaches to look at a couple of new recruits whom they have options on in terms of contract extensions next year. Seems a sensible selection if looked at this way?

Reply Quote Report

tom snr
20/02/2015 09:58

t think it is more of a freshening up and taking the chance to rest players which we haven't done so far this season.
I thought that Jordan had his best game for cov last week with himself and Roan providing the locks this week should ensure line out ball. incidently one of HC key players no 8 Lewis Ludlow has just gone to London Scottish as a dr player until end of season.

Reply Quote Report

John Butler
20/02/2015 11:53

Tom

I thought the latest on Lewis Ludlam with his broken leg was that he was unlikely to play again this season & possibly miss England games as well ?

Reply Quote Report

John Butler
20/02/2015 11:55

Sorry Tom, misread your post, forget my comments re Lewis Ludlam

Reply Quote Report

tom snr
20/02/2015 12:23

yes john very similar names confusing us old ones?

Reply Quote Report

Cliff Bennett
20/02/2015 15:35

And as Old Statler will confirm, at our age we get very easily confused.

Reply Quote Report

Nige H
20/02/2015 16:53

This will be a tough test for the guys tomorrow..

A team which we only just beat away, who are also in good form, against us, who arent in the best of form with several changes in the line up... Will be very interesting to see how this one develops tomorrow!

Reply Quote Report

Kimbo
20/02/2015 17:02

'Our' age. Baahaaha...

Reply Quote Report

bigm/ mark harrison.
20/02/2015 20:38

parkin did come off last week limping

Reply Quote Report

tom snr
21/02/2015 14:06

Late change to cov side woodburn not released until next week, but a chinnor player loti molitika who has been on trial plays.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:02:21:14:17:48 by tom snr.

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net