Winger to make return for Hawks’ showdown at Canterbury

HENLEY Hawks head into the business end of the season with a tricky run of fixtures, starting with a clash at Canterbury’s Marine Travel Ground today, kick-off 3pm.

Canterbury have looked far more assured this season and currently sit in fourth place in National 2 East, seven points ahead of Henley, who lie in seventh place on 66 points.

The two sides met at Dry Leas back in November in atrocious conditions, and it was Henley who came out on top of that encounter with a narrow 17-16 victory, thanks to an injury time Spencer Hayhow try and a nerveless conversion from Max Titchener.

Canterbury have been in resurgent form this season with 14 victories and eight losses to their name.

In terms of team selection, Hawks’ director of rugby Luke Allen names a fairly settled side with only a couple of changes from the team that beat Havant last Saturday.

In the pack, Dan Wallis-Downham moves to the second row to replace Sam Lunnon, while Will Benning comes back into the starting line-up at number eight. In the backs, Guy Rawsthorn also starts on the wing in place of Jamar Richardson, who is named among the replacements. Kadeem Collins, who has been so impressive for Henley this season in the front row, also comes back into the match day squad on the bench.

The provisional Hawks side to face Canterbury is as follows: 1 Louis Bailey, 2 Spencer Hay- how, 3 Rory Mason, 4 Dan Wallis-Downham, 5 Liam Goodison, 6 Marcus Lowe, 7 Roan Noone, 8 Will Benning, 9 Aidan Pugh, 10 Toby Howe, 11 Lailand Gordon, 12 Leo Webb, 13 George Wood, 14 Guy Raws- thorn, 15 Max Titchener. Replacements: 16 Kadeem Collins, 17 Ivor Langley, 18 Jake Rawcliffe, 19 Jamar Richardson, 20 Callum Jones.

Elsewhere this weekend, on Saturday Henley 2nds are away at Newbury 2nds, kick-off 2.30pm, while Henley 3rds are at Reading 2nds, kick-off 2pm. On Sunday, the Hawks Women face off against Old Albanian at Dry Leas, kick-off 2pm.