Match Preview

Aireborough’s 1XV squad travel to the relatively unknown quantity that is Sheffield Medicals RUFC for the second game of their 2017/18 Yorkshire Division 3 campaign. Aire will be looking to bounce back from last week’s disappointing result at home to Northallerton and will need a much better opening half to ensure they don’t leave themselves with too much to do in the second half again.

Sheffield Medicals were thumped 60-11 away at Wensleydale in their season opener; although the visiting Aireborough side should be wary about reading too much into this result – having been soundly beaten away at Wensleydale themselves last season and knowing that, historically, student sides have poor starts to the season as the sides await the return of their full squads.

Aireborough make a number of enforced changes to the wolfpack with Richard Holmes, unavailable for the next three weeks due to family commitments and holiday, being repaced by Crusader’s stalwart Alan Justham who particularly impressed in the pre-season defeat against Yarnbury 2’s. Vice-Captain and pack leader, Christoper Chapman, returns to the squad following his unavailability last week.

The backs are also re-jigged following last week’s defeat with fellow scribe and Crusader Captain, James Underwood, replacing the unavailable Stuart Wilson at scrum half and utility player Thomas Copsey moving from flank to wing as Matt Trevithick drops from the squad.

The meet time on Saturday is either 11.45 at the club or 13.30 at Sheffield Medicals ground.