Chairman's Welcome

Welcome to the Reds’ digital programme for what will be our first home game of Championship rugby since we played the Falcons here on February 29th, 2020. We can’t wait!

There will be a few differences to your previous experience if you have pre-bought your electronic ticket to come to the ground (and please remember there will be no sales at the gates). We do ask that you follow Government spacing recommendations outside your family groups. Also, the outside bars around the ground will be closed as we clearly would not be able to provide seated service, as is currently required. However, the marquee will be open for seated service of snacks, soft and alcoholic drinks and will be available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Also, please note that the club is now 100% cashless but your club smart-card and all major debit and credit cards will be accepted across the ground.

We offer a huge welcome to our old friends from Nottingham. Both teams have had a difficult start to the season and find themselves in the unfamiliar position of propping up the table. Nottingham have lost all their games to date, of which 3 have been at home and they picked-up their only bonus point in a 15-13 defeat at Hartpury.

The Reds have had a tough first 5 games, being on the road for all 5. They are also the only team in the league that have already played the top-three teams of Ealing Trailfinders, Doncaster Knights and Saracens. The boys are desperate to add to their tidy defeat of Bedford Blues and are so excited that they will have a partisan crowd here urging them on.

I want to thank all our members, supporters and sponsors for sticking with us during these difficult times. We couldn’t do this without you all!

Welcome rugby back to Jersey with gusto!

Come on you Reds!

Today's Opposition

Nottingham v Jersey Reds was one of the first fixtures to be lost to Covid-19, with the game called off on Friday March 13th 2020, just over 24 hours before the scheduled kick-off, after two Jersey players were identified as having been on the same plane as a positive case.

Although some Championship matches took place over that weekend, by the following week the entire league schedule had been paused before being eventually cancelled.

Fast-forward 13 months and the Reds get to welcome the Green-and-Whites to the Island for the first home game of the Championship season.

Nottingham had a tough start to the league programme, taking on ambitious Ealing Trailfinders and suffering a 3-52 defeat – a similar margin to the Reds’ loss to Ealing last weekend.

Since the opening weekend the results for Nottingham have been much closer, although as yet they haven’t registered that elusive first league win.

After taking an early lead at Ampthill, Neil Fowkes’ men lost 31-15, and then were highly competitive against Coventry on home turf, trailing by 24-29 in the closing stages before a late Cov try sealed the outcome.

It was even closer at the Alpas Arena in the following round, when Max Clementson scored a try with the very last play to see Hartpury claim a 15-13 win.

Last weekend Nottingham hosted Cornish Pirates, who built a 3-26 half-time lead but were then pegged back in the second half, with the final score being 22-33.

Fowkes announced earlier this month that he would be ending a 30-year association with Nottingham at the end of the season, having been Head Coach since 2018.

Since the Reds reached the Championship in 2012, the sides have met on 15 occasions in league matches, winning nine times, while Nottingham have won five games in the series with one draw. The most recent encounter was at Stade Santander in November 2019 – Jersey trailed 7-10 at the break but battled back to win 19-10, with Luc Jones, Roy Godfrey and TJ Harris scoring the tries.

Meet the opposition

Harry Graham

Harry is a tricky winger who has been at the club since progressing through our fruitful Nottingham Trent University programme. Graham can operate as a scrum-half, but has mainly featured on the wing for Nottingham during his time at The Bay.

He scored two outstanding tries on his first appearance of the season just a few weeks back, as Nottingham looked to fight back against Coventry, but the game ultimately ended in defeat for the Green and Whites.

The pacey winger has scored four tries in ten appearances in total for Nottingham.

Karl Garside

The tighthead prop, on dual-reg from Northampton Saints, began his rugby career at Oaklands College, before joining up with Northampton Saints after a trial period with the Club in 2018.

The tighthead prop featured in the RFU's AASE League – playing against the likes of future Saints teammate James Grayson – and represented Hertfordshire and England Counties before making the switch to National One outfit Ampthill and District from Old Albanians in 2017.

This is Karl’s second spell with Nottingham Rugby. He first spent time with the club on dual-reg last season in the campaign which was ultimately cut short due to the pandemic.

Garisde scored his first try of the season last time out in a 22-33 defeat to Cornish Pirates.