Rayner’s ready for another nail biter

ONLY 12 points have separated Nottingham and Jersey in their last four meetings and they are sideby-side in the table, in seventh and eighth, so, by the law of averages, today’s game should go right down to the wire.

Lawrence Rayner’s lastminute conversion earned the Greens a valuable four points at St Peter earlier in the season, and the 24-yearold former Plymouth and Bedford fly-half expects another fierce challenge from the Channel Islanders.

“They’re a team you know will come at you strongly; they are very direct and have a good set piece, so if we can negate that and bring our own game into it, we can stretch them,” he said.

“If it comes down to it, we’ll happily take a one or two-point win because it’ll stand us in good stead for the Championship run-in.”

Rayner joined Nottingham in the summer of 2015 and is enjoying working under Ian Costello.

“Having spent six years at Munster, you can see his professionalism and drive for success,” he said of the Irishman, who replaced Martin Haag. “He coached Ronan O’Gara and Ian Keatley, two great 10s, and he has really helped develop me as a fly-half.

“While we have one of the lower budgets in the league, we work really well with what we have and as players and coaches throw everything we have at it,” the 24-year-old said.

Jersey have made three changes to their pack with Joe Buckle preferred at hooker, Dave McKern coming in at second row alongside skipper Pierce Phillips and flanker Gary Graham starting in place of James Doyle.