Experienced wing Dan Rundle returns for Bournville for Saturday’s National Two West match against Hinckley at Avery Fields (2.30pm).
Rundle played for Coventry and was a record try-scorer for Stourbridge then he helped Rotherhm Titans win the National Two North title last season before arriving at Bournville during the summer.
He limped off in the first-half at Hornets two weeks ago with a calf strain but has recovered from that injury and is one of four changes to the starting XV as Bourns attempt to get back to winning ways after last week’s defeat by league leaders Camborne. Rundle replaces Alex Evans who has been rested this week.
Number eight Jasper Smith, who missed last week’s game because of work commitments, returns in a re-shuffled back five of the pack which sees Jono Fanning move from number eight to the blindside flank and Ben O’Sullivan to the second row.
Hooker Ben Rhodes, who impressed off the bench last week, will start against Hinckley as James Weaver has been ruled out by an ankle injury with Wales Sevens international Joe Jenkins recalled in the centre in place of the unavailable Rob Knox.
On the bench, back-row forward Louis Mifsud returns to the squad for the first time since he sustained an injury winning his second cap for Malta three weeks ago.
Prop Chad Thorne also returns to the squad as a replacement having recovered from Covid.
Hinckley will be making their second visit to Avery Fields in six months having lost 28-27 in a thriller in the final match of last season in April.
That was Bournville’s first victory over the Leicestershire club in four National League meetings following a 45-28 defeat at Leicester Road in the opening match of last season and a double for Hinckley in 2022/23.
Having finished last season in a comfortable mid-table position, Hinckley made a slow start to the new campaign, losing their first four matches but they have found form recently winning their two most recent home matches against Clifton and, last week, Devonport Services 55-22.
Bournville | 15 Owen Williams; 14 Nathan Decalmer, 13 Joe Jenkins, 12 Joe Nellany, 11 Dan Rundle; 10 James Mann, 9 Freddie Morgan; 1 Clarkson McLeod,2 Ben Rhodes, 3 Stef Thorp, 4 Ben O’Sullivan, 5 Ben Meakin (C), 6 Jonjo Fanning, 7 Adam Shaw, 8 Jasper Smith.
Replacements | 16 Jake Bailey, 17 Chad Thorne, 18 Louis Mifsud, 19 Sam Grimshaw, 20 Mikey Ho.
*Loosehead prop James Burgoyne, who came off the bench against Camborne last week, will start for Bournville Blues against Silhillians Seconds at Avery Fields on Saturday (3pm).
The Blues were scheduled to host Kings Norton in a Counties Three Midlands West (South) match but have been awarded their third walkover of the season after Kings Norton forfeited the game.
Cleobury Mortimer did the same last week but the Blues have found an alternative fixture which should help to keep the players match sharp.
Former Scotland and Worcester Warriors centre Alex Grove, now Bournville’s defence coach, has been named among the Blues’ replacements and will make his seasonal debut if he gets on.
Bournville Blues | 15 Niall Demel; 14 Liam Turner, 13 Dallas Ororo, 12 Eddie Wiggins, 11 Harry Scarlett; 10 Alex Warner, 9 George Ayliffe; 1 Jame Burgoyne, 2 Kurtis Payne, 3 Sean Kimberley, 4 Sam Beckford, 5 Matt Spence, 6 Harry Belcher, 7 Harry Dawson, 8 Ben Harper.
Replacements | 16 Dan Lewis, 17 Ollie Daffey, 18 Bhairaj Rai, 19 Alex Grove.
