The Nuns are at home for the first time tomorrow as they take on Drybrook for the first time in league rugby. It will also be the first game on the Stadium Pitch since a new lease was signed allowing access for the full season during the off season. The ground has had a fresh coat of paint added to it, by Club Volunteers, to create a homely feel for the club and the players are looking forward to running out week after week on it. Both sides started the season with defeats and so will be chasing their first league points of the season. Whilst the Nuns went down away to Bournville, Drybrook lost 46-30 at home to Newport (Salop).

The Saxons have a second home game as they host Old Wheatleyans RFC. Old Wheat’s overcame Tamworth 2s last weekend 33-12 whilst the Saxons went down 12-43 to Hinckley U23s. Their game was closer than the scoreline read, with the half-time score of 24-12 remaining until the last 10 minutes with Hinckley scoring 3 late tries.

After a win over Stewarts & Lloyd in a friendly, the Colts have no game, as their league game with Earlsdon has had to be rearranged for a later date.

Team news: Harvey Matkin makes his debut at tight head prop after missing out with illness last weekend. Ben Haywood returns from injury playing for Warwickshire at the end of last season in the second row. Benji Mitchell picked up a shoulder knock last weekend and will be out for a couple of weeks, with the rest of the pack unchanged.
In the backline Andy Murray starts at scrum half with Tobias Trafford having picked up a head knock last week, Theo Knight comes into the centre to partner Tom Eales with James Astin moving to the wing. Tak Chawadya starts on the other wing and at Harry Pipe moves to full back. Sam Wallis comes onto the bench alongside Tyler Freeman and Ryan Iles, who will make his senior debut.

Squad to play Drybrook RFC, Stadium 3pm:

1 Ryan Marsh
2 Louis Addleton
3 Harvey Matkin*
4 Tom Aherne (c)
5 Ben Haywood
6 Jack Iles*
7 Toby Dearden*
8 Arron Skyrme
9 Andy Murray*
10 Lucas Brindley*
11 James Astin*
12 Tom Eales
13 Theo Knight*
14 Tak Chawadya
15 Harry Pipe*

16 Tyler Freeman*
17 Sam Wallis*
18 Ryan Iles*

*Nuneaton RFC Pathway Players

Saxons V Old Wheatleyan’s RFC, Home 3pm:
Reuben Twells*, Owen Freeman*, Owen Hollis*, Joe Ogbonna*, Steve Orton, Chris Smith*, James O’Donoghue, Thor Sidhu*, Lee Booton, Greg Freeman, Lee Walton, Clive Brampton, Tak Mafuwe, George Wallis*, Ben Stewart (c)*, Charlie Knight*, Ben Gilbert*, Mason Styles, Scott Cawley

Regional 1 Midlands Round 2 Fixtures:

Banbury V Newent
Bridgnorth V Bournville
Lutterworth V Dudley Kingswinford
Newport V Bromsgrove
Nuneaton V Drybrook
Stourbridge V Lichfield

Regional 1 Midlands Round 1 Results:

Bournville 69-7 Nuneaton
Bridgnorth 21-27 Stourbridge
Bromsgrove 31-19 Banbury
Drybrook 30-46 Newport (Salop)
Dudley Kingswinford 15-38 Lichfield
Newent 34-31 Lutterworth