Pertemps Bees-v- Rotherham

12/11/2005 12.30PM

Sharmans Cross Road, Solihull

And so, back to the grindstone. Bees desperately need to get some league points and kick start a poor season. They should be looking to improve on last weeks high scoring performance and Rotherham will also be up for this game given their 70-12 drubbing of Halifax. Bees have never beaten Rotherham (home or away), but this year, Rotherham have been quite poor away from home. Either way, it should be an interesting game. One thing's for sure, Rotherham Head Coach Andre Betser is not happy about the 12:30 start: “I’m not happy though at the early kick off, we are the only ones affected. We appealed to First Division Rugby, but they turned us down. I think it’s ridiculous!”

Pertemps Bees centre Simon Martin will make a surprise return to action in the National League One game against Rotherham Earth Titans at Sharmans Cross Road on Saturday November 12 (12.30pm).
The former Bristol and Coventry player has not played since he suffered a knee injury in the defeat at Exeter five weeks ago. But he passed a fitness test before training this evening and comes straight back into the starting line-up in place of Mike Davies as a centre partner for Adam Billig.
Pertemps Bees also welcome back prop Andrew Le Chevalier who missed last week's Powergen National Trophy game against Cleckheaton because of illness. He also comes straight back into the starting line-up in place of Matt Long, who tore a calf muscle at Cleckheaton.
The experienced Adrian Olver will start only his second league game at tighthead and Matt Miles has been preferred to Liam Wordley at hooker in a completely new front-row.
Ben Harvey and Tim Walsh have been brought back at half-back in place of Paul Knight and Ryan Lamb. Knight, who is slightly short of match fitness after seven weeks out through suspension, will play for the Major Stanley's XV against Oxford University at Iffley Road on November 16 (7pm).
Walsh moved back to fly-half from full-back where he impressed against Cleckheaton. Dave Knight, who played in the centre against both Cleckheaton and Bedford Blues, reverts to his more familiar position at full-back.
Flanker Tu Tamarua, who joined Pertemps Bees from Rotherham during the summer, is in line to face his former club. Tamarua, who has not played since he sustained a rib injury at Exeter, has passed a fitness test and been named as a replacement.
Former England winger Tom Beim misses out because of groin and knee injuries which have forced him to withdraw from the Barbarians team to play Combined Services at Newbury next Tuesday.

Steve McCormack's Preview:

Second bottom Pertemps Bees entertain sixth placed Earth Titans knowing a win could move them up two or three places in the National One league table.

 

The Bees were comfortable winners at Cleckheaton in the Cup last Saturday as they ended a three match losing run. They are at home this week where they were beaten last time out by the Cornish Pirates but have won twice at Sharmans Cross Road this season over Coventry and Plymouth Albion.

 

Earth Titans progressed to the next round of the Powergen National Trophy last Saturday with a comfortable home win over Yorkshire rivals Halifax 70-12.  

On the road this season they have managed just the one win when they triumphed at the Butts Arena over Coventry, they have lost at Nottingham, Cornish Pirates and Bedford Blues.

 

Last season when these two sides met the Titans won this fixture comfortably 35-6 and with a 30-12 home win did the double over the Bees.  

 

Steve's Prediction: Titans to win by eight points. 

My prediction: 13-10 to Bees

Form Guide:

Pertemps Bees: WLLLW

Rotherham: WLWLW

 

Comparisons:

	Discipline	Kicker's Strike Rate	Leading Try Scorer	Total Tries	Home/Away Tries
Bees	4 1	76% (Harvey)	Backo	+10 -28	+10 -12
Rotherham	3 0	69% (Whitehead)	4 (Donald)	+18 -26	+8 -15

 

Other Matches:

 

 

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