The lowdown on Park's opponents Jersey (From Surrey Comet)

The lowdown on Park's opponents Jersey

3:08pm Thursday 12th January 2012 in Rosslyn Park

If Rosslyn Park are to remain top of National League One, they will have to overcome a very strong Jersey side in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday.

Director of rugby Ben Harvey’s team are on a 12-match unbeaten run and are the only team in the league who are operating on a more or less full-time professional basis.

Indeed, if it was not for a five-point penalty, imposed after they fielded more than the two permitted overseas players in the 19-16 defeat at Cinderford at the start of October, the Channel Islanders would already be leading the way.

But it is since that defeat that Jersey have been on an upward curve, winning every match, including last week’s 24-16 win over then leaders Ealing Trailfinders, and soaring up to second place behind Park – who they beat 24-9 in September.

Players to look out for include headline summer singing Ben Evans, who has 27 caps for Wales, and former Bristol second row Jim Brownrigg.

Park’s Ross Laidlaw, leading the way in the league’s kicking statistics, could come up against the man who is chasing him in Michael le Bourgeois, who is fighting to be fit after limping out of the win over Ealing with a hamstring strain.