Brothers Ben and Will Tibbetts both return from injury for Bournville in Saturday’s National Two West match at Loughborough Students.
Scrum-half Ben suffered a hamstring injury and back-row forward Will an ankle injury in the season opener at Hinckley last month and have been sidelined since. But they have both regained fitness and Ben comes straight into the starting XV at Loughborough with Will named on the bench.
Their return means that Bournville will have two of the three sets of brothers in their senior squad in action this week alongside Owen and Rhys Williams.
There are three more changes to the side narrowly beaten at Redruth plus one positional.
Rhys Williams switches to fly-half to accommodate the inclusion of Sam Wilson who will partner Sam Grimshaw in the centre.
The other changes are in the back-row where Chris Idehen and Jonjo Fanning are unavailable this week.
Sam Sheppard returns on the openside flank as Idehen’s replacement with James Weaver demonstrating his versatility by starting at number eight, having played at prop and hooker in recent weeks.
Jacob Fewtrell, who has started at fly-half in every match so far this season, is named among the replacements this week.
Bournville are currently one place above Loughborough in the table but only by virtue of superior points difference.
The Students’ only win to date came at Dudley Kingswinford three weeks ago but they have earned a try bonus point from four of their five games apart from last week’s heavy defeat at Luctonians.
Bournville’s previous four meetings with Loughborough have all been close with two home victories by a three points margin for the students, a 26-24 win for Bournville at Avery Fields two years ago and a breathless 38-38 draw last season.
Bournville | 15 Owen Williams, 14 Alex Evans, 13 Sam Grimshaw, 12 Sam Wilson, 11 Nathan Decalmer, 10 Rhys Williams, 9 Ben Tibbetts; 1 James Burgoyne, 2 Jake Bailey, 3 Ryan Smeilus (C), 4 Nick Murphy, 5 Ben Meakin, 6 Louis Mifsud, 7 Sam Sheppard, 8 James Weaver.
Replacements | 16 Kurtis Payne, 17 Ollie Stone, 18 Will Tibbetts, 19 Jacob Fewtrell, 20 Will Aylen.
