All-change after Rae revamps cup team
COV MAKE DOZEN ALTERATIONS FOR POOL OPENER AT KNIGHTS
COVENTRY Rugby have rung the changes as they kick off their Championship Cup campaign away to Doncaster Knights today.
Cov reached the cup final last season and will be aiming to start the 2022-23 campaign with positive display in their opening Pool 2 match at Castle Park (2.30pm).
Alex Rae has made 12 changes, three positional, to the XV which defeated Wirral hosts Caldy 27-18 last weekend.
Danny Southworth comes into the front row alongside player of the month Suva Ma’asi and Harry Seward, whilst George Smith and Rhys Thomas pack down in the second row.
Adam Peters captains the side this week at openside flanker, with Toby with Tom Ball (7) and Tom Dodd (8) filling out the rest of the back row.
Will Lane and Evan Mitchell have been given the nod this week at scrum-half and fly-half respectively, taking over from Will Chudley and Pat Pellegrini, whilst Lucas Titherington and Will Wand form an exciting centre-partnership.
The starting XV is completed by Louis James and James Martin on the wings, while Will Talbot-davies gets a run-out at fullback after starting at left win last week.
Callum Burns, on-loan from Northampton Saints, Toby Trinder and Ollie Andrews will be waiting in the wings to bring additional power to the front row, with the experienced Fred Betteridge and Josh Bainbridge rounding out the forward replacements.
Fin Ogden and Pellegrini will be looking to make an impact in the halfback positions from the bench, while Ollie Betteridge will provide cover in the centres.
Doncaster, who sit sixth in the table with four wins and three defeats, include former Wasps player Theo Vukasinovic for his debut in their ranks.
They also make 12 changes to their XV which secured a bonus-point win in the league against Ampthill at Castle Park last Saturday. Newcastle Falcons loanee Chidera Obonna starts on the wing while Academy pair Calvin Mitchell and Tom Parkin are set for their professional debuts from the replacements bench.
COVENTRY RUGBY: 1 Danny Southworth, 2 Suva Ma’asi, 3 Harry Seward, 4 George Smith, 5 Rhys Thomas, 6 Adam Peters (c), 7 Tom
Ball, 8 Tom Dodd; 9 Will Lane, 10 Evan Mitchell; 11 Louis James, 12 Lucas Titherington, 13 Will Wand, 14 James Martin, 15 Will Talbot-davies. Replacements: 16 Callum Burns, 17 Toby Trinder, 18 Ollie Andrews, 19 Fred Betteridge, 20 Josh Bainbridge, 21 Fin Ogden, 22 Pat Pellegrini, 23 Ollie Betteridge. DONCASTER: 1 Kai Owen, 2 Will Holling, 3 Karl Garside, 4 Ehize Ehizode, 5 Theo Vukasinovic, 6 Evan Mintern, 7 Jared Cardew, 8 Sam Daly; 9 Joe Green, 10 Alec Lloyd-seed; 11 Tyson Lewis, 12 Joe Bedlow, 13 Vereimi Qorowale, 14 Chidera Obonna, 15 Jack Spittle. Replacements: 16 George Roberts, 17 Jake Pope, 18 Mak Wilson, 19 Calvin Mitchell, 20 John Kelly, 21 Will Yarnell, 22 Tom Parkin, 23 Maliq Holden.