COVENTRY Rugby have opted for front row experience for Friday night’s Premiership Rugby Cup opener against Nottingham.
Head coach Alex Rae brings the club’s most-capped current player Toby Trinder back into the starting line-up at loosehead prop.
The fit-again prop joins Suva Ma’asi and summer signing Matt Johnson, who impressed from the bench during the second half of Cov’s narrow league win at Caldy, in the front row.
The Blue-and-Whites otherwise name the same pack which started the game on the Wirral with Tiki Nayalo in the second row alongside the ever-present Obi Nkwocha.
Matt Kvesic captains the side from no.8 with Aaron Hinkley and Tom Ball completing the back row.
Cov also keep the same half-back and midfield combinations which began their round five Championship win at Paton Field, but there is a fourth personnel switch in the back three.
Steff Davies wears the full back shirt for the first time since Cov’s home win over Bedford in late September with Charlie Robson moving to the right wing.
Rae retains his usual six-two, forwards-backs split among the replacements where club captain Jordon Poole and James Tyas offer more front-five experience.
Fijian prospect Billy Nairau is listed to appear on the loosehead side of the front row for the first time this season when he emerges from the bench.
And 19-year-old lock Dan Green’s reward for his powerful try-scoring cameo at Caldy is another opportunity to impress.
Scrum-half Will Lane and winger Ryan Hutler provide backline options for Cov whose boss is expecting a tight game against his club’s old East Midlands rivals.
Rae said: “It’s never easy at Lady Bay; although we won there towards the end of last season it’s always a tricky place to go.
“Nottingham are full of confidence at the moment and they will try to put their style of rugby on us so it will be down to us to try and prevent that happening and make our own impact.”
Coventry Rugby’s line-up vs Nottingham
Coventry: Steff Davies; Charlie Robson, Daf-Rhys Tiueti, Tom Hitchcock, Jimmy Martin; Liam Richman, Josh Barton; Toby Trinder, Suva Ma’asi, Matt Johnson; Obinna Nkwocha, Senitiki Nayalo; Tom Ball, Aaron Hinkley, Matt Kvesic.
Replacements: Jordon Poole, Vilikesa Nairau, Eliot Salt, Dan Green, James Tyas, Will Lane, Ryan Hutler, Dan Okeke
Coventry begin their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign against Nottingham on Friday, November 1 with kick-off at 7.45pm at the Lady Bay Ground.
