COVENTRY Rugby have named two separate line-ups for either half of their first pre-season game against Birmingham Moseley this weekend.
Head coach Alex Rae will hand minutes to as many players as possible with a number of new signings set to make their first appearance for the club.
Club captain Jordon Poole leads out a first-half team in which only wingers Ryan Hutler and David Opoku plus forwards Vili Nairau, Rhys Anstey and Chester Owen joined their skipper during Cov’s excellent 2023/24 Championship season.
Some seven new faces will make their debuts while scrum-half Josh Barton and flanker Aaron Hinckley resume Coventry careers which paused at the end of the 2021/22 season.
The pair of Daf Tiueti and season-long Edinburgh loanee Jake Henry combine at centre while Barton’s half-back partner is former Hartpury no.10 Tommy Matthews.
Among the forwards, Nairau starts at tighthead prop with the back-row combination made up of Hinckley, Munsterman Daniel Okeke and Owen.
And three of the first-half squad double up after the break in a line-up which features only one new face in former Rams full back Charlie Robson plus guesting Italy under-19 winger Charlie Whorrod and the returning Matt Johnson.
Last season’s top try-scorer Jimmy Martin makes his seasonal bow in his usual left wing role while the long-serving Toby Trinder, Suva Ma’asi and Tiki Nayalo are named in a pack where last year’s coaches’ player-of-the-year Tom Ball wears the captain’s armband on the openside flank.
Scrum-half Fin Ogden and another guest in the form of England under-19 loose-head Will Conduit sit on the bench.
Coventry First Half: Steff Davies, Ryan Hutler, Jake Henry, Daf-Rhys Tiueti, David Opoku, Tommy Mathews, Josh Barton, Jevaughn Warren, Jordon Poole ©, Vilikesa Nairau, Dan Green, Rhys Anstey, Daniel Okeke, Aaron Hinckley, Chester Owen.
Coventry Second Half: Charlie Robson, Charlie Whorrod, Tom Hitchcock, Daf-Rhys Tiueti, James Martin, Theo Mannion, Will Lane; Toby Trinder, Suva Ma’asi, Matt Johnson, Obinna Nkwocha, Rhys Anstey, Daniel Okeke, Tom Ball ©, Senitiki Nayalo.
Replacements: Fin Ogden, Will Conduit.
Coventry’s clash with Moseley takes place on Saturday, August 24 with kick-off at 3pm at Butts Park Arena.
