James Weaver will come out of retirement to help out Bournville in Saturday’s National Two West match against Cinderford at Avery Fields (2pm kick-off).
The front-row forward made what was supposed to be his 121st and final first team appearance at Devonport Services in April 2025 before he moved into a coaching role with Bournville Blues.
But Weaver will lace up his boots again this weekend to provide front-row cover against the visitors from the Forest of Dean with Scott Rudge unavailable this weekend as he is getting married.
Jonjo Fanning, who was replacement hooker in the first two matches of the season against Redruth and Lymm, is required as a starter in the back-row this weekend so Weaver, a former club captain, has answered an SOS call.
Fanning starts in place of Adam Shaw, who has been ruled out by a shoulder injury with Kieran Henderson moving across the back-row to openside flanker to accommodate Fanning.
The other change to the side that started at Hinckley last week is at scrum-half where Reiss Price starts in a swap with Adam Collingwood.
Hooker James Randall, who is on loan from Birmingham Moseley along with Price – who joined them from Bourns during the summer – and wing Sam Peppitt is again among the replacements.
Paddy Smallman returns to the squad as a back-row replacement.
Saturday’s match will be Cinderford’s second visit to Avery Fields having snatched a last-gasp 20-18 victory in December 2024.
That match was played in dreadful weather as Avery Fields was battered by Storm Darragh but, thankfully, the weather forecast suggests much calmer conditions this weekend.
Cinderford return to Avery Fields with a similar playing record to Bourns this season with a win and two defeats and six points from their first three matches with their victory coming at home to Loughborough Students last week after defeats by Clifton and Luctonians.
Bournville | 15 Joe Jenkins; 14 Cam Smith, 13 Will Tanner, 12 Sam Grimshaw, 11 Sam Peppitt; 10 Jacob Fewtrell, 9 Reiss Price; 1 Clarkson McLeod, 2 Jamie Harding, 3 Jake Thompson, 4 Ben Meakin (C), 5 Harry Dawson, 6 Jonjo Fanning, 7 Kieran Henderson, 8 Callum Nicholls.
Replacements | 16 James Randall, 17 James Weaver, 18 Paddy Smallman, 19 Adam Collingwood, 20 Oscar Fawkes-Underwood.
*Bournville Blues open their Counties Two Midlands West (East) campaign against Woodrush at Forhill on Saturday (3pm).
The Blues’ league season was delayed by two weeks by the RFU due to concerns about pitch conditions across the country following the extremely dry summer but they did manage to play a friendly against a strong Silhillians side two weeks ago in which they went down 31-19 to higher-ranked opposition.
Harry Sigley, who has been a back-row replacement for the first XV so far this season, starts for the Blues this weekend with Zimbabwe international Stephen Terera at full-back.
Owen Westhorp, a former West Hartlepool centre, makes his club debut having moved into the area to start a new job as assistant rugby coach at King Edward’s School in Edgbaston.
Bournville Blues | 15 Stephen Terera; 14 Craig Manning, 13 Owen Westhorp, 12 Rhys Williams Goldman, 11 Louis Stival; 10 Elliot Tanner, 9 Joe Carter; 1 Lionel Muskwe, 2 Ben Harper, 3 Moise Tshiangala, 4 George Jewell, 5 Harry Belcher, 6 Jamie Maynard, 7 Harry Sigley, 8 Myles Hibbs (C).
Replacements | 16 Conor Thorneycroft, 17 Bhairaj Rai, 18 Gregor Watson.
