All of the Army representation in the professional game will be in the Premiership, Championship and United Rugby Championship (URC) this weekend, with the Premier 15s having a week’s respite.
On Friday night Cpl Lewis Bean (Rifles) will begin his new league season on the Glasgow Warriors bench for their URC opener against Ulster. Following the Rainbow Cup which ended the last Pro14 campaign, the URC now includes four South African franchises along with the teams from Italy, Wales, Ireland and Scotland.
Nevertheless, Ulster are familiar foes for Glasgow, who have found life difficult in their recent away trips to the Kingspan Stadium, where the Warriors have not won since 2013. Glasgow had a win and a loss in their pre-season, both matches against Premiership opponents, while Ulster recorded a win and a loss in a home-and-away series of matches against Saracens.
Friday’s match is being shown live on Premier Sports, KO 19:45.
In the Premiership, LCpl Semesa Rokoduguni (Scots DG) has been named on the Bath wing for their Round 2 home clash with Newcastle Falcons. It will be LCpl Rokoduguni’s 175th appearance for Bath, some nine years after his debut, and he will no doubt be hoping both to mark the occasion in style with a win, and to help his team achieve their first win of the season.
Bath had a close-run contest with Sale Sharks in Round 1, a match decided with a Sharks penalty in the final minute, and it could be the same again on Saturday, with Newcastle having pushed reigning champions Harlequins all the way last time out.
Saturday’s match kicks off at 15:00.
Also at 15:00 on Saturday, Gnr Senitiki Nayalo (7 Para RHA) is once again in the Coventry back row for their Championship trip to Ampthill.
Gnr Nayalo scored three tries in pre-season but was not able to add to that tally in Coventry’s come-from-behind win over Doncaster Knights in Round 1. Coventry earned a bonus point against the Knights, but while Ampthill lost on the road to Nottingham their Dillingham Park home has been an unhappy hunting ground for the West Midlanders, who have struggled to win in mid-Bedfordshire.
Words © New Dogs, Old Tricks, Header and Featured Image © Craig Watson
