Tomorrow, we host National League Rugby at Goddington Lane for the first time since 2012 with Esher RFC, who last year were plying their trade in National One, arrive for what is to be a scorching day!

Esher travel off the back of a narrow, high scoring 38-39 defeat to Barnes last week. That said Esher pose a significant challenge for us as they’re stacked with quality players throughout their squad and are very well coached by British and Irish Lion Peter Winterbottom and, another ex-coach of mine, Chris Wilkins

We come into the game following last weeks narrow defeat at Tonbridge Juddians in our return to this level. The game finished 26-20 and having been 26-3 down early in the second half, if was promising to see us claw our way back into a position where we could’ve won the game and finished the stronger of the two sides. We’ve taken a lot out the game in terms of lessons and understanding what it takes to compete at this level, and we look forward to returning home tomorrow for another stern test.

The front row remains unchanged with Todd Bailey starts at loose head, Calum Harris at hooker, and Maik Timmerman at Tighthead, off the bench Elliot Roofe covers both sides of the scrum and Taine Wagstaff covers hooker. In the second row Rafael Dutta slides up to start alongside Henry Kenny.

The back row sees Harry Hudson shift to blindside, with Aydan Godden at openside for his debut, and Nick Cook returns and starts at No.8 and captains the side. James Blackmore gives back five covers from the bench.

In the halfbacks Ben Fryatt starts at scrum half after several excellent displays off the bench, and he partners Alex Cahill at fly half, with both halfbacks having come through the clubs mini and junior sections. In the midfield Matt Harrison returns to start at inside centre, alongside Sam Rhodes at outside centre.

The back three remains unchanged with Toby Wallace at full back, Kiran Thompson and Tom Burman start on the wings. Kyan Braithwaite and Ricki Gould, who comes in for his debut, give reinforcements to the backline from the bench.

Squad vs. Esher RFC
(15-9, 1-8): Wallace, Thompson, Rhodes, Harrison, Burman, Cahill, Fryatt, Bailey, Harris, Timmerman, Dutta, Kenny, Hudson, Godden, Cook ©

Replacements: Wagstaff, Roofe, Blackmore, Braithwaite, Gould