A debilitating injury list with almost half of the Scarborough first team sidelined sees the Seasiders travel to Bradford Salem tomorrow with no option to but to pick the same three inexperienced props who played last week when the game had to go to uncontested scrums. Apparently Wesley Langkilde has recovered from an injury sustained last week and joins Alessandro Zavatti and young Hayden Ogilvie who is also struggling for fitness. All three players tried their best but were out-classed by a hardened and experienced Malton front row. Behind them former skipper Phil Watson who injured his knee last week is also missing and is replaced by Jack Ireland who makes his debut.
MATTY YOUNG in action against MALTON photograph by ANDY STANDING
Behind the scrum, Graeme Jeffrey joins long-term injury victims Harry Domett and Anthony Coffey so skipper Tom Ratcliffe moves to fullback for Jeffrey and Toby Welsby plays on the wing. Martin Robinson returns at scrum-half and Jordan Wakeham joins Ogilvie and debutante Jacob Young on the bench.
Promoted from Yorkshire Two last season Bradford Salem are just behind Scarborough in Yorkshire One; surprisingly they have won more often on the road than at home where they have lost to Heath, Malton and Hullensians. However last week at home they had the upper hand in their game with Bridlington beating the men from Dukes Park 30-22.
Last week’s try scorer Tomasz Chadwick
Following a good start to the season which saw them grab seven wins and a draw from their first ten outings, Scarborough have lost their last three games; a 42-21 defeat at North Ribblesdale and consecutive home defeats by Bradford & Bingley and Malton. Due to their long injury list they have struggled in the forwards including last week’s reversion to uncontested scrums. Without set-piece it is just impossible to win rugby union matches and until they can resolve their problems up front the short-term future looks bleak.
British & Irish Cup POOL 3 table
On a brighter note Scarborough host Yorkshire Carnegie’s home fixture with London Scottish in Pool 3 of the British and Irish Cup at Silver Royd on Sunday. The ‘exiles’ lead the pool but Carnegie will hope a big Silver Royd crowd will give them the edge. Contender for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Kevin Sinfield will play for the Leeds-based and it will be interesting to see how this rugby league superstar has adjusted to union.
KEVIN SINFIELD
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