The Nuns are on the road for the last time this season as they head up they M1 to take on 9th placed Derby. The game will see the official opening of Derby’s new RFU funded 3G pitch and will be the main event of a rugby filled day. When the two sides met earlier in the season, the Nuns came out winners 30-24 and would love a similar result to that this weekend. Both teams come into the weekend on the back of defeats. Last weekend the Nuns battled against Bridgnorth but came undone 33-15 and Derby lost to Newport 54-19. Derby lie one place and two points behind the Nuns on 59 points with two games to go.

Tomorrow also sees four former Nuns take part in the Commonwealth Games in Australia. Ruaridh McConnochie will be representing England and they take on Jamaica at 00:53 in the morning. Three former Nuns will be representing the Caribbean nation in Lucas Roy-Smith, Nyle Beckett and Rhodri Adamson. Good luck to all.

Team news: the side is again changed from last week with player unavailability and injuries still affecting the squad. Dan Oselton starts at hooker with Callum Grant-Smith moving to the flank. Adie Hall partners Rudi Reid in the second row for the unavailable Tom Aherne. Dan Southall and Arron Skyrme, who both returned from injury last week, are both ruled out through injury and so Moses Liwaliwa moves to the back row alongside Todd Bullions and Grant-Smith.

In the backline, the half backs remain the same but a new centre partnership of returning Elliott Brown and Richard Johnston. The back three is the same as last week.

On the bench come Joji Volaikisuva, George Wallis and Marcus Holt.

Squad to play Derby RFC, away 3pm:

Nuneaton	Position	Position Sponsor
Ben Holmes	1	Mark Gardner
Dan Oselton	2	Brent Masser
Sam Greening	3	Ian Holt
Rudi Reid	4
Adie Hall	5
Moses Liwaliwa	6	Mark Mitchell
Callum Grant-Smith	7	Allan Taylor
Todd Bullions	8	Paul Griffiths
Tom Smitham	9	Paul Mitchell Home Improvements
Huw Thomas	10	Alibone/Carter
Adam Stauvers	11	Andy Marshall, InControl Gas Services
Elliott Brown	12	Craig Dutton
Richard Johnston	13	Andy Baber
Manasa Volaikisuva	14
Jackson Hughes	15	Adam Jones
Joji Volaikisuva	16
George Wallis	17
Marcus Holt	18

You can sponsor a position for £150 for the season, please contact sponsorship@nuneatonrugby.co.uk for more information.

Midlands Premier – Round Up

Week 24 – 7 April

Birmingham & Solihull narrowly beat Peterborough Lions and were crowned Champions of the Midlands Premier. Newport (Salop) beat Derby to retain third place. Scunthorpe edged out Sandbach. Doncaster Phoenix surprisingly went down at Newbold. Bridgnorth were too strong for the Nuns. Bournville had a narrow win at Old Halesonians. Lichfield won the relegation battle over Longton.

Week 25 - 14 April

Birmingham & Solihull (1) will be in celebration mood for their home win over Sandbach (7). Peterborough Lions (2) will confirm their play-off place at Bournville (10). Newport (Salop) (3) go to Doncaster Phoenix (6) and I fancy a home win. Scunthorpe (4) should beat relegation threatened Longton (12). Bridgnorth (5) to beat the already relegated Old Halesonians (14). Nuns (8) go to Derby (9) and it’s hard to see them winning. In a game that really matters at the foot of the table Lichfield (11) to win and therefore Newbold (13) will be relegated.

Anchorman

Fixtures

Birmingham/Solihull V Sandbach
Bridgnorth V Old Halesonians
Bournville V Peterborough Lions
Doncaster Phoenix V Newport
Derby V Nuneaton
Lichfield V Newbold
Scunthorpe V Longton