If they are to do better than finish midway in the table they need the points, and coach Dai Burton is calling for a disciplined performance from his side, which gifted four tries against a run-of-the-mill Chichester XV last Saturday.’Hopefully we will have learnt from the last two weeks about losing possession in open spaces,’ said Burton.
‘We’ve a big set of forwards this week and need to play a much tighter game.’Despite being without back row players Pat Dean and Andy Allan, out for personal reasons, the Jersey team’s strength is in the scrum, although moving Steve O’Brien back into the threes will give the side an extra cutting edge they sadly lacked last week.And, despite beating Vandals both home and away last season, Burton knows that if Jersey relax against them, they are always capable of running in two or three quick tries.’We need to work more as a unit,’ said Burton, pleased that, with the exception of hooker, Doc Snook (work), all of his players were up for training this week.’From what I remember, their strength lies in the forwards,’ he said.
‘That’s where we’ll have to take them on’.He is confident in his team selection but is taking nothing for granted despite last season’s wins against them.
Vandals beat Old Blues comfortably in their first league match of the season earlier this month, while Jersey have rarely looked comfortable, even when in possession of the ball, this year.Team: Marcus Nobes, Doc Snook, Jon Brennan, Roger Quirk, Danny McAlister, Chris White, Ian Henderson, John Allo, Paul Nayar, Jon Swift, Christian Butler, Steve O’Brien, Arnou Helmholt-Kneisel, Jim Milner, Mark White.
Subs: Ken Moore, Phil Walker, Ross Allen.
