HULL RUFC

Hull will be on a vengeance mission this Saturday when they entertain Harrogate RUFC and will attempt to beat the team that have given Hull their biggest defeat of the season so far.

Harrogate are currently fourth in National League 2 North which is due in no small part to centre Sam Bottomley and his 11 tries this season. Last weeks victory over Preston saw the withdrawal of two players through injury and it is unlikely they will feature at the Ferens Ground. Jamie Broadley and prop Simon Davies suffered a knee and neck injury respectively which will hinder Harrogate’s effort to overturn what is becoming the in-form pack of the league in Hull’s front five.

Hull will be aiming to show much more than in October, when the trip to Harrogate ended in a one sided scoreline. The Harrogate match marked a low point in Hull’s injuries when no fewer than twelve players were injured or suspended. Since the recovery, Hull have gone on to record eight consecutive wins and the team selection looks much more promising going into this weekend’s fixture. Kicker James Cameron was forced off at Westoe last week with a suspected recurrence of his hamstring injury. Robin Kitching scored his seventh try of the season last week to become Hull’s top scorer so far and is set to play again this Saturday, as is opposite winger Danny Smith who had a very encouraging second debut for Hull against Westoe last week.

Hull prop Kris Fulman, who recently scored his first try for the club said before the game: ‘They have a really sharp set of backs and it will be important for us to keep the ball as much as possible and keep the play tight. Their back row is good and it is up to us to stop them where they are strongest’

The second XV are away at Harrogate this weekend in a 13:30 kickoff.

First XV (14:15 kickoff) from: Andy Gravil, Scott Plevey, Laurence Pearce, Alex Piercy, Chris Harding, Kris Renwick, Oliver Hardisty, Oliver Norman, Chris Kendra, James Ward, Guy Martinson, James Cameron, Maea David, Rob Devonshire, Dan Cook, Chris Murphy, Shaun Leaf, Neil Spence, Darren Wigg, Tevita Vaikona, Kris Fullman, Ben Dorrington, Matt White, Danny Smith

Second XV (13:30 kickoff) from: Luke Mower, Leroy McKenzie, Chris Bailey-Gibbs, Ryan Waudby, Pete Anderson, Mark Holness, Simon Edwards, Max Alderson, Sione Onesi, Matt White, Max Alderson, Ashley Taylor, Jody Opperman, Jack Everitt, Mark Harris, Eamonn Whelan, Mark Harling, Matt Davies, Richard Jones, Sam Taylor.