Nation III North leaders Huddersfield RUFC will be raring to go away at Hull.
Head coach Gareth Lewis’ side travel tomorrow (3pm) with the only 100 per cent record in the division after a flying start to the season.
The Lockwood Park outfit will look to make it five wins from five on Humberside, and Field recorded their first bonus point of the season in the 34-12 win against Billingham last time out with Chris Bell’s late fourth try.
However, Lewis knows his side haven’t hit peak form just yet and said: “It’s been a good start, but it’s important for us to keep our feet on the ground as well.
“We haven’t had an 80 minute performance yet this season that we’ve been totally satisfied with.
“We’re pleased with a lot of facets of our game, but there are still areas we need to improve without doubt.”
Lewis also knows that a Hull win could see his opponents join Huddersfield on the same points in the table and how difficult it will be to come up trumps against a side who have also made a strong start to the season.
“We’re going into a different challenge again this weekend and we know we need to step up our level of performance again to put ourselves in a position to get a result against a quality Hull side,” added Lewis.
“Hull have certainly recruited quite heavily and they will be as physical as ever.
“They always have a good scrum and their driving lineout will be strong.
“They will always look to take you on at the set-piece and with the physical ball carriers in and behind the scrum they have, the battle of the gain line with or without the ball, will be huge. We will need to meet that physicality head on.”
Hull sit fourth in the table having only having only lost one match and, like Huddersfield, have one bonus point.
Similar to the Field, they started off the season with a good 15-20 away win against Kendal before beating Billingham at home 30-17.
However, their winning formula came undone against Ilkley as they lost 31-8 but they bounced back with a good 45-17 win at Firwood Waterloo last weekend.
And if you’re into omens, the last time the two sides met Huddersfield were on a four match winning streak, as they are today, and Lewis’ side came out 31-15 winners at Hull.
Huddersfield also won the reverse fixture 26-11 earlier on in that 2014/15 season as they finished a respectable ninth in the National II North, while Hull were relegated.
Lewis, though, insists that a lot has changed since that season and said: “A lot has happened in that time as we’ve both dropped down a division.
“Games are always tough between us and I’m expecting the same this week”.
Captain Alex Battye remains an absentee after his head injury in training which means Reuben Pollard, who was strong at scrummage against Billingham, retains his place in the starting XV.
Fellow prop Adam Tamanis starts against his former club, while Mark Pease is still recovering from a groin injury and Joel Hinchliffe is unavailable – Kristian Sharples is available for the Falcons.
Ben Morrill also returns to the bench after 12 months out with injury, and Lewis is very pleased with his hard work in rehab during his time on the sidelines.
Huddersfield XV: Workman; Conway, Hodgson, Owen, Grainger; Bell, Jeffrey; Pollard, Entressangle, Tamanis, Rhodes, A Thompson, Bradley, Malthouse. Sharpe. Replacements: Hoyle, C Thompson, Morrill
