Raiders ready to make National Two debut
Guernsey Raiders travel to Old Albanian on Saturday to make their debut in National Two South.
The club won promotion via a play-off last season to lift them to the fourth tier of English rugby for the first time.
Raiders coach Jordan Reynolds is missing ten players through injury who would have been challenging for starting spots.
Several new arrivals will make their debuts, including Nico Alexandre at scrum-half, alongside young Tom Teasdale at ten.
Reynolds told ITV News: "We've always been really keen to produce the guys that are coming through the academy and offer them opportunities".
"Having Owen Thomas and Blair Campbell both injured gave an opportunity for Tom Teasdale to start this weekend", he added.
"He's been training with the first team all summer at fly-half and there is potential there, but we've just got to slowly develop them as they come along".
"We have made the jump up to National Two, but we're still staying very close to our own ambition and that is to develop guys as best we can,"
The Raiders will play 30 games this season, four more than their regular campaign last year, and start at home against Worthing on Saturday 8 September.
Guernsey Raiders squad to face Old Albanian:
Starting XV: Anthony Armstrong; Daley Aremu, Elia Morisio, Alex Gow, Taylor Quate; Tom Teasdale, Nico Alexandre; Sam Steventon, Tom Ceillam, Charlie Currie, Lewis Hillier, Nick Merrien, Dom Rice, Doug Horrocks, Matt Thomas.
Replacements: Layton Batiste, David Anderson, Brad Webb, Matt Creber, Ben Holland.
Watch: Raiders coach Jordan Reynolds on what got them to National Two and what, they hope, can keep them there.