London Scottish host Chinnor at the RAG this weekend in the final round of block three of the Champ. With Scottish sat in 13th and Chinnor flying high in the top six form puts the away side as favourites but Scottish will be looking for an upset. We sat down with Head Coach Joe Gray ahead of another important game in the Champ.
“Chinnor are a great side and are rightly fighting in the top half of the table. Their game is built on a strong set piece and a hard edge up front which has allowed them to get on the front foot. However, that doesn’t mean they are not able to play out the back and chuck it around. It’s a big challenge for us to confront but it’s one we are excited to take on.”
“We’ve had success against them in the past and back in November we only lost by a point and were leading with just minutes to go so as a group we are confident we can get a win on Saturday. We have been slowly building since Christmas despite some really tough opposition and a lot of injuries in the group. I’m delighted we’ve got a really strong side out tomorrow and can’t wait to see the boys do a job.”
Providing an update on the squad Joe has noted injuries to the likes of Robbie McCallum and Guy Rogers who both went down last weekend. “Robbie and Guy both picked up relatively serious knocks on the weekend so they are going to be out for some time which is a real shame, they’ve both really impressed so they are big holes to fill. Thankfully though Lewis Barrett came through and is fit for this weekend, Jake Spurway also doesn’t look to serious, he misses out this weekend but expect to see him back after the break.”
This weekend London Scottish also welcome back a number of Harlequins loanees as part of the two Club’s strategic partnership. “It’s great to have the likes of Ethan, Ludo, Hayden and Jake back in the mix this weekend. They add that bit of stardust to the squad which is key in these big games. I’m also delighted to welcome in Cameron Doak for the first time on loan from Quins, he’s a really strong scrummager but loves to play expansive rugby so has fit right in.”
London Scottish face a big challenge this weekend but with the carrot of a couple of weeks off ahead and the need to keep picking up points the Exiles are ready to put on a show!
