A different challenge – making progress in the EDF National Trophy by beating National Division Three South’s Ealing – now faces the Tigers.

“I’m treating it as a welcome distraction from the rigours of the league,” said Director of Rugby, Tim Fourie.

“Ealing have a tough, solid pack, so I’m going to change one or two things to hopefully combat that and give one or two bench guys a start, we can then introduce the regular guys as and when. I’ve changed the starting line-up but it is still  more or less our normal match-day 22.

“We are not taking Ealing lightly and we will show them due respect; but a game of this nature allows us to try things out which will hopefully benefit us the rest of the season.”

Chris Hall is back in the side, as is flu victim Jan Van DeVenter.

Dave Livesey starts at 6 with Jon Skurr starting on the bench and it’s a similar story in the front row, where Danny Greenhalgh, Gareth Roberts and Alistair Livesey will begin the game.

That means the Tigers have a formidable bench to turn, with Juan Crous back after recovering from a knee injury.

SEDGLEY TIGERS v EALING TRAILFINDERS
 
15 NUTT, Steve
14 HALL, Chris
13 BRIERS, Chris
12 RILEY, Matt
11 VAN DEVENTER, Jan
10 JONES, Phil
9 ALBINSON, Jamie
1 GREENHALGH, Danny
2 ROBERTS, Gareth
3 LIVESEY, Alistair
4 FOURIE, Tim
5 NORRIS, Ed
6 NEWTON, Adam
7 LIVESEY, Dave
8 PONTON, Jimmy

16 GAZZOLA, Phil
17 RODDAM, Jonny
18 DU PLESSIS, Petrus
19 CROUS, Juan
20 SKURR, Jon
21 CRAIG, Andy
22 PAYNE, Freeman