Vikings hope for upturn beginning with trip to Bognor

Friday 03 January 2025

The New Year has arrived and St Jacques are looking for an upturn in fortunes for the remainder of the season.

Layton Batiste's side make the trip to Bognor tomorrow seeking to snap a three game losing streak.

The cause is boosted by the inclusion of Dale Rutledge at scrum-half.

Rutledge last played for the Vikings in the pre-season win over Jersey Seconds, before picking up a shoulder injury that kept him out for several months. He has since returned for Guernsey Raiders in National Two East, and he gets a chance to build his fitness with a run out this weekend.

St Jacques have slipped to tenth in the table following the last-minute loss to Bournemouth in December. While that result was a disappointing way to end the year, the attacking performance was vastly improved, and Layton Batiste will hope that trend continues this week.

Bognor sit one place below St Jacques in Counties One Hampshire, making this a must win game for both sides. Earlier in the season the Vikings were victorious at Footes Lane, winning 50-26.

One of the Vikings best performers this season, Matt Lomas-Lloyd, returns to the side. The former captain has been enjoying a consistent run in the centres, which has brought the best out of him. He has another big role to play this week, as the second playmaker in this side, alongside his successor as captain, flyhalf Tom Veillard.

With Rutledge donning the 'nine' shirt, Gearoid Lee is free to return to his regular full-back role this week. He is joined in the back field by Kieran Creber and Cam Le Prevost.

Tom Yarwood has been selected by the Raiders' recently, but he starts for the Vikings on Saturday in the backrow, alongside Jamie Mahy and vice-captain Chris Croft.

Two Smith brothers are included, Michael is named in the front row, whilst Jacob is once again in the second-row engine room. He secured a hat-trick against Bournemouth and is fast closing in on the Vikings record appearance record from his brother Mitchell, who has been out injured for the past two months.

James Mroch and Tom Bray join Michael Smith in the front row. Tom Creber is named at outside centre, fresh from a very strong performance off the bench against Bournemouth.

Corey Wallis, Sam Ferry and young talent Tom Judd make up the bench.

Vikings: MH Smith, Mroch, Bray, Williamson, J Smith, Mahy, Yarwood, Croft, Rutledge, Veillard (c), Le Prevost, Lomas-Lloyd, T Creber, K Creber, Lee. Replacements: Wallis, Judd, Ferry.

Pictured top: Vikings lost out at Bournemouth. Image by Murray Palmer.