Guernsey’s Siam Cup squad will defend the silverware tomorrow. Back row, left to right: Blair Campbell, Layton Batiste, Cameron Patten, Paul Thomas, Laurence Hill-Tout, Russ Roberts, Simon Sharrott, Nick Barton, Jason Cudby, Darren Jones, Hayden Green and Ben Mahy. Front: Mark Elliott, Ben Le Huray, Carl Gardner, captain Andy Bailey, Divon Crouse, Jim Elliott, Barry Goude and James Regnard. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0573505)
THEY are always the underdogs, even when they are the holders, but Andy Bailey is confident that Guernsey have the big game players needed to retain the Siam Cup tomorrow.
The Sarnians are looking to become only the second green-and-whites team to retain the trophy and their captain would love to be part of a squad who create history. ‘[A Guernsey win on home soil] has not been done since 1995 and the Siam has not been retained by Guernsey since the 60s. History is against us, but it would be a tremendous achievement to buck that trend,’ Bailey said.
He knows that it is going to be far from easy. ‘Man for man, we have to have exceptional games – we are under no illusions about that. But we have done it before.’
‘There is nothing to fear. It’s XV versus XV and we are going to play our own rugby as we always look to.
‘Discipline is going to be key. If we go down in number [through ill-discipline during the match], it’s going to be very hard.
‘A big part of our run up to the game has been focusing on keeping our discipline.’
Guernsey finished their London Three South-West campaign with 13 wins, a draw and eight losses, three of which were the last three games, admittedly against top-of-the-table opposition.
Amazingly, though, the biggest margin of defeat has been a mere five points and in those eight games the total points difference has been only 21 – an average of less than a successful penalty kick or drop goal per game.
‘It’s incredible when you look at those statistics. It’s also very frustrating,’ said Bailey.
‘It shows it’s all there. A couple of things went against us, but you make your own luck.
‘It has been a very competitive league, but I am still of the opinion that we are good enough to challenge for promotion and hold our own in the division above.’
He admitted that three successive defeats is ‘not ideal’ in the build-up to a Siam.
‘In periods we have played some good rugby, but generally slow starts have let us down,’ said Bailey, who is keen to avoid a repeat against the old enemy.
‘If we give Jersey a head start, we’re in trouble.
‘We need to lay a good foundation, get a good platform and go from there. It is imperative that we have an 80-minute performance.’
Jersey come into the game on the back of their 15-0 play-off victory over Staines, which clinched promotion to London One.
Bailey does not expect them to be suffering any hangovers from that, though.
‘They want the trophy back – motivation is not going to be lacking,’ he said.
‘Congratulations to Jersey for their promotion – it is a fantastic achievement for CI rugby.
‘It is also something we can aspire to because I believe that there is still a lot more to come from this side.’
The captain does not expect a repetition of two years ago when, as holders, Guernsey were too apprehensive at Foote’s Lane and got blown away in the first half by a Jersey juggernaut.
Instead, he believes having players with experience of a Siam victory should hold them in good stead.
‘We had had a lot of changes that season – we were a side in transition.
‘[Now] we have the basis of the squad who were involved last year and that should be of benefit.
‘Jim Elliott, Jim Regnard and Billy [Darren Jones] are going for a hat-trick of Siam wins, which is virtually unheard of for Guernsey players. It would be great for them, and the whole team, to do it on Saturday.’
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