Preview of an action-packed weekend for Army players

There will be plenty to keep keen watchers of Army Rugby glued to their sofas this weekend, with players involved on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

LCpl Semesa Rokoduguni (Scots DG) has retained his place on the Bath wing for this evening’s west country derby against Gloucester at the Recreation Ground.

Bath snapped a seven-game losing streak away to Sale Sharks last weekend and will no doubt be looking to kick on this evening against a Gloucester team which is rooted to the foot of the table, albeit without the Damoclesian sword of relegation hanging over their heads, following last weekend’s announcement by Premiership Rugby and the RFU.

LCpl Rokoduguni had a strong game in Manchester, carrying the ball seven times and making eight tackles, and he will have his hands full against Gloucester threats Louis Rees-Zammit and Ollie Thorley.

Bath versus Gloucester is live on BT Sport, KO 19:45.

On Saturday the Army Women’s trio of Capt Alexandra Eddie (QARANC), Bdr Bethan Dainton (Royal Artillery) and Sgt Jade Mullen (AGC (SPS)) will be looking to get Harlequins back into the winning habit at home to Wasps.

Image © Neil Kennedy

Quins’ perfect record is now two games behind them following losses to Exeter and Loughborough, and Wasps’ own winning run has put them just three points behind the hosts in the Premier 15s table.

But there will be no Army head-to-heads, with SSgt Sarah Mitchelson (RLC) not in the Wasps squad this week.

Harlequins versus Wasps is live via Premier15s.com, KO 14:00.

Also on Saturday, Gunner Senitiki Nayalo (7 Para RHA) is likely to have his first action of the season after having been selected in a 27-man squad for Coventry’s pre-season warm-up against Saracens.

Image © Alligin Photography, Scrumpix

This is the Midlanders’ first ever trip to the StoneX Stadium in Barnet, and both Coventry and Saracens are now well into their preparations for the 2021 RFU Championship season, which starts on the weekend of March 6th.

Saracens versus Coventry is live via saracens.com, KO 15:00.

There is another RFU Championship warm-up at Dillingham Park on Saturday afternoon, where Cpl Lewis Bean (Rifles) will be part of the Bedford squad which faces Ampthill in the first of a pair of back-to-back friendlies.

Cpl Bean is one of a dozen players who have been loaned to Bedford from Northampton Saints, and the Blues will be looking for early bragging rights over their Bedfordshire rivals. It will be a tough challenge for them, however, as Ampthill had a good home record last season and finished their first season at this level in fifth place.

Ampthill versus Bedford kicks off at 13:00, with live coverage via 247.tv/champsrugby

The final game to feature an Army player comes on Sunday. Pte Ratu ‘Siva’ Naulago (Yorks) is back on the wing for Bristol Bears’ trip to London Irish.

Pte Naulago missed last weekend’s one-point win at Gloucester, and is one of half-a-dozen changes made by Pat Lam for Bristol’s first ever run-out at the new Brentford Community Stadium.

London Irish were on the wrong end of the result away to Exeter last weekend, but their home record has been strong, with wins over Gloucester and Newcastle in their last two outings on home turf.

It is nip and tuck at the top of the Premiership table, with Bristol just one point ahead of Exeter, who themselves host Northampton on Saturday.