Bedford v Plymouth Albion

Having won their last two Championship matches Plymouth Albion travel to Goldington Road looking to avenge the 38-3 mauling dished out by their hosts at Brickfields in September.

Albion currently sit one place above the relegation play-off zone and will be hoping to inflict the same kind of damage on the Blues as meted out by Coventry at the Ricoh Arena a week ago. Mike Rayer`s side surrendered a 15 point lead as the Coventry pack turned up the power and were lucky to escape with a draw.

Graham Dawe has named his team for the match and once again there is no place in the starting line-up for skipper Kieran Hallett. Loosehead Martin Rice has gone on loan to London Wasps until January so George Porter takes his place.

Full story and team www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk

Bedford are yet to announce any team news for tomorrow.

Birmingham & Solihull v London Welsh

The Bees who have this week endured a bout of swine flu sweeping their already depleted squad will look to build on a solid defensive display in the second half against Bristol last week as they entertain London Welsh.

The Bees trailed 21-0 at the interval against Bristol conceding only a penalty try after the break with former London Welsh back row Rob Bell a stand out player.

Caretaker head coach Eugene Martin told Rugby Times, “I think we took a huge step forward against Bristol. We spoke about our defence and us conceding points and how we wanted to correct that quite sharpish. The boys were fantastic.”

www.birminghammail.net

The Welsh travel to the Midlands on the back of two victories in the Cup and a return to winning ways in the Championship last week at home to Nottingham.

Head Coach Danny Wilson said, “I don`t think we have beaten them (Nottingham) for a number of years. It was certainly my first win in four attempts since I have been at the club. A lot of the players had never beaten Nottingham too so they are all over the moon.”

Wilson is however likely to be without back row Nathan Bonner-Evans who picked up a neck injury in the game. Matt Garvey will deputise.

Exeter Chiefs v Coventry

The Chiefs may be footing the travel costs for cash-strapped Coventry in order to ensure that the game takes place at Sandy Park tomorrow but that will be the limit of the charity extended by both sides.

Exeter head coach Rob Baxter has already told his squad that he expects them to seal a play-off berth as soon as possible and has made seven changes for the match as he prepares to extend the club’s winning streak in the Championship to thirteen matches.

The Western Morning News reports, “ In the backs, Sean Marsden comes in at full-back for Emyr Lewis, Mark Foster concedes his place on the wing to Paul McKenzie and Danny Gray takes over at fly-half from Gareth Steenson.

Ben Moon, Simon Alcott, Andy Miller and Tom Johnson come into the forward line-up at the expense of Brett Sturgess, Neil Clark, Scaysbrook and Richard Baxter. There is no place in the match-day squad for new Ireland A lock David Gannon.”

Full story and team www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk

Coventry boss Phil Maynard will delay naming his side until the last possible moment. The squad have been unable to train this week due to cost implications whilst prop Kevin Davies has become the first player to leave the club.

Nobody at the Butts Park Arena has been paid for six weeks and donations from supporters at last Friday`s match against Bedford were used to help provide the squad with some income.

Meanwhile former Coventry owner Andrew Green has spoken for the first time since attempting to put the club into creditor voluntary liquidation nearly two weeks ago.

He told the Coventry Telegraph, “I’ve kept quiet about a lot of things over a lot of time because I’ve had to. I really tried to make things work and make the best of it.

I tried to solve the problems and make things come together. Unfortunately these problems were too big to solve. I apologise to the city and the rugby supporters. I ran out of time and money but I can assure everyone I tried my hardest.

“The problems I have fought for so long will still remain. The club doesn’t have a lease to be at the ground and is squatting, and as such, has no long term security.”

Full story www.coventrytelegraph.net

Club administrator John Kelly of BTG Restructuring stated that there was plenty of interest being shown in helping Coventry but that problems such as securing the release of a £55,000 bond lodged with the RFU in order to pay staff, and the monthly wage bill of around £80,000 were deterring cast-iron offers.

Full story hwww.coventrytelegraph.net

In the wake of the financial meltdown at Coventry, the third Level 2 club to go into administration this season, the RFU have proposed closer monitoring of club finances in the future.

Terry Burwell, RFU director of tournaments, told the Birmingham Post, “We are all aware, not just in terms of outstanding debt but also in terms of how clubs manage themselves with VAT and other issues, there is grounds for us to think very carefully about how we monitor and evaluate clubs’ finances.”

“In France they have a very clear cut system where you have to declare you budget at the start of the season and you are audited throughout the season and if you don’t comply you are in big trouble. We can’t afford other clubs to be able to compromise the success of those clubs who are getting it right.”

Full story www.birminghampost.net

Rotherham Titans v Bristol

The Titans host Bristol at Clifton Lane with former Bristol hero Kevin Maggs keen to put one over on his old club.

Maggs joined Rotherham earlier this season as a player/coach and will start tomorrow’s match at inside centre. The 35 year-old returned to the Memorial Stadium in 2007 but after injury and a serious family illness he fell out of favour under former head coach Richard Hill.

He told the Evening Post,
"It was difficult, but ideally I would have loved it to have worked out a lot better than it did at Bristol. It's unfortunate that it didn't and it's fair to say there's a bit of resentment there still, but I wouldn't say I am overly bitter about what happened.

"If Bristol hadn't been there, I wouldn't have had the chance to have the career I have had. It goes without saying that I never wanted to leave in the first place, but it just worked out that way."

Full story www.thisisbristol.co.uk

Rotherham team www.rotherhamrugby.co.uk

Bristol head coach Paul Hull is considering dipping in to the transfer market to strengthen his squad as he looks to secure a play-off spot.

With former Cornish Pirates Number 8 out for the season with a knee injury the news that Welsh flanker James Merriman has also sustained a knee injury has been untimely with Hull short of specialist back row cover.

He told the Evening Post,
“We have got a squad that can cater for an injury that will be two, three, four, or, dare I say, five weeks. Long-term injuries are something that I don't think anyone – unless you have got a massive squad – can cater for.

"The odd injury here and there is not too much of a problem, but the long-term injuries you always have to look at. If you haven't got the resources to bring in cover, you have got to deal with it, but luckily we were able to replace Ed Barnes with Sam Giddens."

Full story www.thisisbristol.co.uk/

Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights

Pirates website match preview www.cornish-pirates.com

Western Morning News view www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk

The Knights travel to Cornwall for Sunday’s match with Head Coach Lynn Howells expecting a very different type of game to the war of attrition endured against Exeter Chiefs last Saturday.

He told the Doncaster Free Press,
“Exeter don't play much rugby and we tried to counteract their kicking game by kicking it back to them and saying 'what can you do with it?'

"It made for a pretty boring game. But I don't expect that to be the case on Sunday.

The Pirates like to play rugby and it should be a lot more open. I think we've had more success when that has been the case this season. Our players certainly like to play a more open game.”

Full story www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk

Nottingham v Moseley

The Green and Whites will again play dual registration roulette this weekend with former Bedford Blues and Leeds Carnegie centre Billy Twelvetrees making the short trip from Leicester Tigers for the game.

Twelvetrees will be making his first appearance of the season for Nottingham and will be joined by fellow Tigers back Sam Vesty against Moseley. The 28 year-old England international has been sent to Meadow Lane to get some game time under his belt following injury.

Nottingham director of rugby Glenn Delaney said,
“ He played in a Tigers' A-team game on Monday night and, as there is no more A-team rugby now until well into January, he will be with us. Leicester are quite keen to get him back and fit as soon as possible and obviously we've had issues with our other former England international Ben Johnston not being fit.

"We want to look after Ben as well as we can and the timing with Sam is just right for us. When you have a guy playing for you who started the Heineken Cup final last year and then played for England, it is a massive boost.”

"He is a really good bloke and will fit in well with the rest of our squad. He knows Tim Taylor well and we expect that he will really enjoy it and contribute to what we do."

Full story http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/rugby/England-international-joins-Nottingham/article-1593309-detail/article.html

Nottingham`s chronic injury problems appear to be easing at a crucial stage of the season with Ben Johnston, Nic Rouse and Matt Parr all returning to training. Calum Green has also returned from a spell at the Tigers to further bolster the pack.

Meanwhile following the news that Notts County FC has been put up for sale by their owners Munto Finance Ltd, Nottingham chairman Geoff Huckstep told the Evening Post, “As things stand at the moment, it is 'business as usual' as far as Nottingham Rugby is concerned. We sincerely hope this is also the case for Notts County as well."

Full story www.thisisnottingham.co.uk

Moseley have announced the following squad for Sunday`s match:-

Forwards
Terry Sigley/Adam Caves/Rupert Harden/Ally Muldowney/Richard Stott/Neil Mason/Chevvy Pennycook/Dan Williams/Reps From Nathan Williams/Dan Oselton/Andy Hall/Ryan Wilson/Harry Rowland/Richard Protherough

Backs
Gareth Taylor/Tristan Roberts/Justin Mensah-Coker/Andy Reay/Jonny May/Nathan Bressington/Andy Borgen/Reps.Andy Williams/Rob Thirlby/Callum Macburnie

Wing turned scrum-half Charlie Simpson-Daniel has returned to Division One outfit Cinderford www.birminghammail.net