POWERFUL back-rower Senitiki Nayalo returns to Coventry Rugby’s starting line-up for their top-of-the-table clash against Chinnor.
Nayalo sat out last weekend’s bonus point win at Cambridge and features alongside flankers Matt Kvesic and Tom Ball in the starting team to take on second-placed Chinnor.
Cov head coach Alex Rae also makes changes in both the second and front rows of his pack.
Fijian prospect Billy Nairau starts at tighthead prop while Rhys Anstey and James Tyas rotate bench and starting roles in the second row.
Behind the scrum, Josh Barton will partner in-form fly half Liam Richman at half-back while the powerful Daf Tiueti returns to partner Tom Hitchcock in the centre.
Rae and his coaching team retain the same back three – Jimmy Martin, Ryan Hutler and Charlie Robson – who impressed at Cambridge.
Prop Eliot Salt and scrum-half Fin Ogden are in line to make their first appearances of the season from the bench where flanker Aaron Hinkley and no.8 Chester Owen are among six forwards.
Chinnor who are making their first league visit to the Butts Park Arena have made an impressive start to life in English rugby’s second tier thanks to wins over Cambridge and Caldy and a narrow defeat at Ampthill.
Few would have predicted that last season’s National One winners would have made such an instant impact and Rae is expecting them to approach Saturday’s game as something of a one-off opportunity.
Rae said: “From what we’ve seen Chinnor look very well coached. When they came to the Butts in pre-season they were very physical and we’re expecting more of the same on Saturday.
“I don’t pay any heed to the friendly we played in August and I imagine they’ll be the same even though they had a really good second half.
“Now we’re a little way into the season it’s completely different for both sides and coming here for them on the back of a good start is almost a free shot.”
Coventry Rugby’s line-up vs Chinnor
Coventry: Robson; Hutler, Tiueti, Hitchcock, Martin; Richman, Barton; Trinder, Poole, Nairau; Nkwocha, Anstey; Ball, Kvesic, Nayalo.
Replacements: Ma’asi, Warren, Salt, Tyas, Hinkley, Ogden, Opoku, Owen
