Centre Sam Grimshaw will return to action for Bournville in Saturday’s National Two West match against Devonport Services at The Rectory (2.30pm).
Grimshaw scored two tries in the draw against Loughborough Students at Avery Fields two weeks ago but was unavailable for last weekend’s disappointing 57-17 defeat at Hornets.
He returns as the only change of personnel in the matchday squad but as one of four changes to the starting XV.
Grimshaw renews his centre pairing with Will Tanner which allows Jacob Fewtrell to revert to fly-half in place of Oscar Fawkes-Underwood, who is named on the bench this week.
Adam Collingwood, who came off the bench at Hornets, starts at scrum-half this week in a swap with Reiss Price with the other two changes in the pack.
Jake Thompson starts at tighthead prop with Clarkson McLeod switching to the bench and Kieran Henderson called up to partner captain Ben Meakin in the second-row in a swap with Harry Dawson.
Bourns make the long trip to Devonport seeking a first away win since they returned to the National Leagues a third straight win against the Services.
Bourns won 40-22 at Avery Fields in the opening match of the 2024/25 season in Devonport’s first-ever match in the National Leagues and ended the campaign with a 47-29 victory at The Rectory, by which time both clubs knew that they had been relegated.
Devonport, like Bourns, made a swift return to the National Leagues by winning Regional One South West and they have also found life hard at the higher level. They have lost all nine of their league games so far this season but were only beaten by 12 points by leaders Luctonians in their last home match and they took a try bonus point from last week’s defeat at Loughborough Students.
Bournville | 15 Sam Clarke; 14 Joe Jenkins, 13 Will Tanner, 12 Sam Grimshaw, 11 Cam Smith; 10 Jacob Fewtrell, 9 Adam Collingwood; 1 Scott Rudge, 2 Jamie Harding, 3 Jake Thompson, 4 Ben Meakin (C), 5 Kieran Henderson, 6 Harry Sigley, 7 Adam Shaw, 8 Callum Nicholls.
Replacements | 16 Jonjo Fanning, 17 Clarkson McLeod, 18 Harry Dawson, 19 Reiss Price, 20 Oscar Fawkes-Underwood.
*Bournville Blues resume their Counties Two Midlands West (East) season with a trip to Southam on Saturday (2.15pm).
Lock George Jewell, who was a replacement for the first team at Hornets last weekend, starts for the Blues along with Mikey Ho who was a first team starter against Loughborough Students two weeks ago.
Full-back Harry Housley, centre Elliot Tanner, scrum-half Joe Carter, prop Kuba Kijak and number eight Paddy Smallman have also featured in National Two West this season.
Bournville Blues | 15 Harry Housley; 14 Tomos Howells, 13 Mikey Ho, 12 Elliot Tanner, 11 Aaron Esiri; 10 Gregor Watson, 9 Joe Carter; 1 Moise Tshiangala, 2 AN Other, 3 Kuba Kijak, 4 Callum Bates, 5 George Jewell, 6 Bhairaj Rai, 7 Myles Hibbs, 8 Paddy Smallman (C).
Replacements | 16 Lionel Muskwe, 17 Jack Meakin, 18 Stephen Terera.
