Bournville welcome back number eight Jonjo Fanning for Saturday’s tough National Two West assignment against promotion-chasing Dings Crusaders at Shaftesbury Park (3pm).
Fanning missed the resounding victory over Newport two weeks ago and the defeat at Exeter University the last time Bournville were on the road after he was ruled out by concussion suffered against Loughborough Students.
But he has now passed all the necessary concussion protocols and comes back into the starting XV with Ben O’Sullivan moving from the back-row to lock.
O’Sullivan replaces Nick Murphy who is unavailable this weekend in the other change to the pack with Owen Williams, who was unavailable to face Newport, returning at full-back.
Williams’s brother Rhys, who deputised at full-back against Newport and scored two tries in an impressive performance, switches to the centre to partner Sam Grimshaw this week.
That means a week off for Alex Grove who will concentrate on his other role as defence coach this week although he will also be with the squad as a travelling reserve.
On the bench back Joe Nellany is in line to make his first appearance in seven years having recovered from a serious knee injury.
Nellany is a former Worcester Warriors Academy player who has experience of National One rugby from a spell on a dual registration with Coventry 12 years ago. He has been a regular for Bournville Blues this season.
Prop Scott Rudge also returns to the squad as a replacement.
Bournville head down the M5 seeking a first away win of the season but will face a Dings side who beat Luctonians at Mortimer Park two weeks ago to move to within two points of them at the top of the table.
Dings are the form side in the league at the moment with their last defeat coming on September 30 which was their third in the opening five rounds of matches.
Only Clifton – who edged a Bristol derby 16-15 – have beaten Dings at home this season although Bournville will be encouraged by their efforts at Avery Fields earlier in the season when they made Dings battle hard for a 24-17 win and also a 45-41 reverse at Shaftesbury Park in September 2022.
Bournville | 15 Owen Williams; 14 Alex Evans, 13 Sam Grimshaw, 12 Rhys Williams, 11 Nathan Declamer; 10 Jacob Fewtrell, 9 Jay West; 1 James Burgoyne, 2 James Weaver, 3 Stefan Thorp, 4 Ben Meakin, 5 Ben O’Sullivan, 6 Louis Mifsud, 7 Chris Idehen (C), 8 Jonjo Fanning.
Replacements | 16 Ollie Stone, 17 Scott Rudge, 18 Lewis Hall, 19 Joe Nellany, 20 Will Aylen.
