Rugby Previews: Juggling act for Harding (From Dorset Echo)

Rugby Previews: Juggling act for Harding

8:50am Friday 11th January 2013 in Sport By David Williams, Sports Reporter

WEYMOUTH are looking at fielding a third different centre partnership in as many games as coach Paul Harding juggles with injury and unavailability for tomorrow’s trip to Oakmeadians (2.30pm).

Gareth Iles returns to the midfield and is set to feature alongside James Ford while Harding, inset, is hopeful of having Gary Hamlin and Sam Morris in the back row.

Both missed the defeat to Frome last time out as did wing Mike Robinson though he is also set to make a comeback.

Tomorrow’s game is one Weymouth will be favourites for with their opponents struggling near the foot of the Southern Counties South table after just one win all season.

And despite the frustration of having to chop and change his team, Harding is excited about the possibility of getting back to winning ways following the loss against Frome.

“If we play as well as we can we have every chance of winning,” he said. “Last week was a little bit disappointing but the performance at times was very good.

“We’ve lost a few players like Tim Comben, Tom Smethurst and Harry Charles but hopefully Sam, Gary, Mike and Gareth will all be back.

“It will be a tough game. Oakmeadians are a better side at home than they are away and have improved a bit of late.”

Harding also confirmed that Ryan Lewington will be out for four to five weeks after chipping a bone in his foot before Christmas.

After four weeks off, Dorchester resume their Southern Counties South campaign with a home fixture against Corsham (2.30pm).

The visitors sit one place behind Dorchester in the table having lost their last five in a row, a run which started with an 84-0 drubbing at Trowbridge.

Up until that point they had enjoyed a good start to the season with five wins in their opening seven matches, including a 22-11 success at home to Dorchester.

Fifth-placed Dorchester beat Wootton Bassett last time out though they’ll need to shake off any rustiness quickly if they are going to see off the Corsham challenge.

Coach Martin Oxland said: “Injuries and unavailability will again affect continuity in selection but is something we have had to deal with thus far.

“As always Corsham will be tough to break down but if we can play like we did in the second half against Wootton Bassett then there is no reason why we shouldn’t be able to produce another positive outcome.”

In Dorset & Wilts One South, Bridport also have home advantage as they try to bounce back from last weekend’s narrow defeat at Oakmeadians Seconds.

Blandford are the visitors tomorrow (2.30pm) and they are a side in form having won the last three although the second of those was a walkover against Oakmeadians Seconds.

Things don’t get much easier for Swanage & Wareham in South West One East as the side at the foot of the table entertain Reading (2pm), the team in third who put 50 points on Salisbury last Saturday.

Puddletown are without a league fixture this weekend and take a club side to Blandford for a friendly match (2.30pm).

A home clash against Ellingham & Ringwood Seconds lies in store for Puddletown next Saturday when they get back to the bread and butter of the league.