JOE Nellany will make his first appearance since December in a much-changed Bournville side for Saturday’s National Two West clash with Hinckley at Leicester Road (3pm).
Nellany has not featured since he sustained a shoulder injury in the defeat at Clifton although he has played for the Blues in some of their recent Counties Three Midlands West (South) league matches.
He makes his first XV return in a side that shows six changes to the one beaten at Camborne two weeks ago. Having started at fly-half against Clifton, Nellany will partner the returning Rob Knox in the centre at Hinckley.
Joe Jenkins starts at full-back which allows Nathan Decalmer to switch back to the left wing with Freddie Morgan, who was unavailable two weeks ago, having to settle for a place on the bench.
Tighthead prop Stef Thorp returns with Clarkson McLeod switching to the middle of the scrum with James Weaver ruled out by a rib injury. Hooker Jake Bailey has been named as replacement hooker and features in the squad for the first time since he suffered an ankle injury against Hinckley at Avery Fields in October.
Lock Harry Dawson returns and forms a new second-row pairing with Nick Murphy with skipper Ben Meakin switching to the blindside flank. Kieran Henderson, who started there at Camborne, moves to the openside in place of the injured Adam Shaw.
Jonjo Fanning starts at number eight in a swap with Louis Mifsud who is on the bench this week.
Prop Kurtis Payne has also been named among the replacements and will make his first appearance of the season if he gets on.
Bournville resume their league campaign having dropped into the relegation zone since the Camborne defeat.
They have exchanged places with Macclesfield whose bonus point victory over Exeter University last Saturday has taken them two points clear of Bourns.
Bournville head to Hinckley seeking their first away win of the season and a possible first double having beaten Hinckley 27-19 in October.
Since then Bournville’s only win in 11 matches came in the thriller against Taunton Titans and have taken ten out of a possible 55 points.
Bournville | 15 Joe Jenkins; 14 Alex Evans, 13 Rob Knox, 12 Joe Nellany, 11 Nathan Decalmer; 10 Jacob Fewtrell, 9 Reiss Price; 1 James Burgoyne, 2 Clarkson McLeod, 3 Stef Thorp, 4 Nick Nurphy, 5 Harry Dawson, 6 Ben Meakin (C), 7 Kieran Henderson, 8 Jonjo Fanning.
Replacements | 16 Jake Bailey, 17 Kurtis Payne, 18 Louis Mifsud, 19 Sam Grimshaw, 20 Freddie Morgan.
…
