‘ENJOYMENT’ will be the name of the game against Nottingham, as Director of Rugby Tim Fourie looks to steer the Tigers back to winning ways against the third-placed East Midlanders, this season’s National Division One surprise package.

Tigers’ last league win was the dour 6-3 success over bottom club Cornish All Blacks at the end of December; as a result the boys are clearly feeling the relegation pressure.

“The fear of losing is foremost in their minds and it is stopping them from playing, from enjoying the game,” said Fourie.

“So in training this week we’ve been trying to re-emphasise the fact that no matter what the result they have to enjoy playing.

“Although they have to be aware of their responsibilities on the pitch it shouldn’t prevent them from just going for it when the time is right.”

As for Nottingham, he said: “They have no super stars but what they do have is a bunch of solid, honest players who have belief and confidence in each other, qualities we still need to work on.

“I have a great deal of respect for Nottingham and I always like playing against them because they are a good, well run club, with good, well coached players. They’re tough and uncompromising, but so are we when we want to be.

“We need to scrape a win from somewhere and as Nottingham are currently third in the table it would be a huge boost if we could claim their scalp.”

While Green and Whites’ head coach, Glen Delaney, told the club’s official website: “We have the unenviable task of visiting Sedgley Park and Pertemps away back to back. If you look at the table you would become very complacent, if you look at the teams you will be full of nerve and anticipation. Both [Sedgley and Pertemps] are fighting for survival and will have targeted their home games to make improvements to their league points.”

Injuries threatened to weaken the Tigers for this game, but fortunately prop Phil Gazzola has recovered from the knock he picked up at Bedford, while returning from his first stint as Ireland Sevens coach is joint top try scorer and Number 8, Jon Skurr.

Unfortunately, having finally got scrum-half Chris Leck and prop Martin Halsall fit gain, the players’ parent club, Sale Sharks, have recalled the duo as cover while the Six Nations is in full swing.

Also, impressive new signing Luther Burrell, the inside centre on loan from Leeds Carnegie, picked up a hamstring strain against Bedford and misses this game.
This has meant a change around, with Chris Hall preferred to matt Riley at fullback; Jan ’J-Lo’ Van DeVenter starting on the right flank and Freeman Payne at 12 instead of Burrell.

With leading points scorer Phil Jones returning from injury, Steve Nutt drops to the bench.

Nottingham have decided to rest Kiwi prop Nigel hall, who is second in their try scoring chart with eight; he is replaced by Ryan Hopkins.

They are also missing top points scorers Tom Barlow (70) and newcomer Greg Tonks (57), with former Exeter Chief Ben Thompson starting at 10.

This will be the fifteenth meeting between the two sides, with the Tigers winning four of the previous 14 and all but one of those victories has been at Park Lane.

In this fixture last season the Tigers came from behind to narrowly win 22-19. However, the Green and Whites gained revenge at the double, returning to Park Lane to knock the Tigers out of the National Trophy, 14-31, before completing things with a 50-0 rout at Meadow Lane.

Nottingham also claimed a 2005-2006 league double, winning 12-29 at Park Lane and 23-16 at home.

SEDGLEY TIGERS     v NOTTINGHAM

HALL, Chris       15 NIRMALENDRAN, Rohaan
VAN DEVENTER, Jan 14 DODGE, Alex
CRAIG, Andy       13 SMITH, Matt
PAYNE, Freeman    12 MOLENAAR, TIM
BRIERS, Chris     11 JACKSON, David
JONES, Phil       10 THOMPSON, Ben
ALBINSON, Jamie    9 USASZ, Tim
GAZZOLA, Phil      1 PARR, Matt 
RODDAM Jonny       2 DUFFY, Joe
DU PLESSIS, Petrus 3 HOPKINS, Ryan 
NORRIS, Ed         4 MORLEY, Lee 
CROUS, Juan        5 RAVEN, Sam
NEWTON, Adam       6 HAMMOND, Craig
PONTON, Jimmy      7  SHERRIFF, Luke
SKURR, Jon         8 MONTAGU, Dan
 
BIRCHALL, Danny   16 FOWKES, Neil
KEYS, Paul        17 LONEY, Alex
LIVESEY, Alistair 18 ROUS, Nic
TOWNSON, Glen     19 STANNARD, Tim 
FOURIE, Tim       20 HAYTER, Charlie 
NUTT, Steve       21 PILGRIM, Chris
RILEY, Matt       22 KAY, Josh