Boulton provides timely fillip to Cov’s bid to reach cup final

PHIL Boulton will end a four-month absence to join Coventry Rugby’s bid to reach the Championship Cup final.

Boulton is one of four changes to the side which overcame Doncaster last weekend for tonight’s line-up to face Jersey

Reds at the Stade Santander International (7pm).

In the backs, Josh Barton, Rob Stevenson, and Rob Knox start.

Prop Boulton, right, returns to the side after a broken arm which has left him on the sidelines since January. He wears the No 3 shirt against Jersey is joined by captain Jordon Poole and Toby Trinder in the front row to create mix of youth and experience.

James Tyas and Adam Peters are the everdependable second row pairing and the back row remains unchanged from the second leg. Senitiki Nayalo once again dons the number 8 jersey while Ryan Burrows is nursing a leg injury. The flanks are occupied by Josh Bainbridge and Fred Betteridge.

Barton returns to action in the No 9 shirt in a timely comeback after Dan Babos left the field hurt on Sunday. Tony Fenner stays at 10 after his heroics from the kicking tee last week.

Andy Forsyth remains in the centres, this time in the outside channel as Knox joins him at 12. Wing Stevenson is the only change in the back three. Louis Brown is at the back with James Martin also remaining.

There are just a two changes to the bench in Jersey. Tom Stanton and Sam Aspland-robinson join Fin Ogden as the replacement backs, whilst Suva

Ma’asi, Luc Jeannot, Jake Bridges, Rhys Thomas and Tom Ball are ready to impact the game from the bench.

COVENTRY RUGBY: 15 Louis Brown, 14 Rob Stevenson, 13 Andy Forsyth, 12 Rob Knox, 11 James Martin, 10 Tony Fenner, 9 Josh Barton; 1 Toby Trinder, 2 Jordon Poole (c), 3 Phil Boulton, 4 Adam Peters, 5 James Tyas, 6 Fred Betteridge, 7 Josh Bainbridge, 8 Senitiki Nayalo.

Replacements: 16 Suva Ma’asi, 17 Luc Jeannot, 18 Jake Bridges, 19 Rhys Thomas, 20 Tom Ball, 21 Fin Ogden, 22 Ton Stanton, 23 Sam Aspland-robinson.