VERSATILE forward Suva Ma’asi returns to Coventry Rugby’s starting line-up ahead of the club’s first-ever trip to Chinnor.
Ma’asi, who normally plays at hooker, starts at openside flanker for the first time since suffering a knee injury in November.
He joins Chester Owen and Tom Ball in the back row with British Army number eight and Aaron Hinkley unavailable.
Cov are also without Rhys Anstey as teenager Dan Green makes his first start in the second row alongside James Tyas.
On-loan Bath forward Mackenzie Graham could also make his Cov debut from the bench.
Cov head coach Alex Rae opts for the same front row and half-backs which started the home win against Cambridge.
Scrum-half Sam Maunder returns from illness to feature among the replacements.
Elsewhere, Tom Hitchcock returns at inside centre with Daf Tiueti moved out to the number 13 shirt.
Cov hand a debut to on-loan Glasgow Warriors player Logan Trotter at full-back operating alongside David Opoku and also Jake Henry.
The bench features three backs and five forwards with Theo Mannion also in line to make just his fourth appearance of the season.
And the absence of Ryan Hutler means starting scrum-half Josh Barton is the only Cov player to feature in all 20 of the club’s competitive matches this season.
Rae said: “Chinnor are well coached by Nick Easter and watching their games this season they are physical and direct with a good pack of forwards.
“We had a really physical day on Tuesday in preparation for that which hopefully puts in a good place heading there at the weekend.
“We’re expecting them to come out of the blocks at 100 miles per hour and have a good go at us and that’s what we’ve prepared for.”
Coventry Rugby’s line-up vs Cambridge
Coventry team to face Chinnor: Logan Trotter; David Opoku, Daf-Rhys Tiueti, Tom Hitchcock, Jake Henry; Tommy Mathews, Josh Barton; Toby Trinder, Jordon Poole, Viliame Nairau; James Tyas, Dan Green; Tom Ball, Suva Ma’asi, Chester Owen
Replacements: Will Biggs, Jevaughn Warren, Eliot Salt, Mackenzie Graham, Dan Okeke, Sam Maunder, Theo Mannion, Charlie Robson
Coventry travel to Chinnor on Saturday, March 29 with kick-off at 3pm at Kingsey Road.
