Lock Tom comes in to get the Jubb done for Winter
SECOND row Tom Jubb comes in for his first appearance of the season as Coventry look to extend their winning start in National League One to eleven games at Old Elthamians tomorrow.
The 24-year-old lock has shaken off a niggling back and hamstring issue and, on loan to Leicester Lions last week for some game time, takes over from Cameron Gray.
There is one further change in personnel to the 20-strong squad from last week’s line-up against Caldy with development academy prop Luc Jeannot coming on to the bench in place of Phil Boulton, who picked up a slight hamstring injury in the 38-14 win which saw Cov stretch their winning league run – going back into last season – to a club record 18 games.
Fraser Dingwall partners Tony Fenner at centre with Rob Knox moving back to the wing and Max Trimble going on to the bench, while Cov continue their rotation policy in the forwards, hooker Phil Nilsen and back row Brett Daynes stepping up from the bench in a change of roles with Scott Tolmie and Latu Makaafi.
“Tom’s worked hard to get back after a frustrating run and has earned his chance, and with the other changes it’s just about making a few adjustments to get the balance right for how we expect the game to go,” said director of rugby, Rowland Winter.
This will be the first meeting between the two clubs with Old Elthamians, promoted at the end of last season, playing at their highest level yet and currently lying seventh in the table with five wins from ten games and Cov old boy Dom Lespierre currently the division’s leading try scorer on eleven.
Their open ground, with no grandstand or seating, presents a different challenge to Cov – ten points clear of the pack at the top of the table – but it is one for which Winter says they are well prepared.
“I’ve been there a couple of times with Cambridge and so have one or two of the lads, so it’s not a complete unknown,” said Winter.
“There are plenty of familiar names in their team and we’ve watched videos of their games, we’ve been keeping track of them all year, so we feel we’ve got to grips with what they offer and feel there are a couple of areas we can have a go at. They’ve started well in this division and will get better as the season goes on, and we know we will have to be fully focused.
“It’s the start of a block of games that will define where we end up at Christmas, we’ve got to play six of the top seven or eight sides in the league which will be tough, but we’ve been building for it for the last ten weeks and it’s something we’re looking forward to.”
Coventry’s development side are also in away action against Old Elthamians 2nd in a Zoo Sports Shed league fixture. Kick-off for both games is 2pm.