Preocanin back to add weight to London Scottish

LONDON Scottish have been boosted by the return of lock Adam Preocanin for today’s trip to Goldington Road to take on Bedford Blues in the Greene King IPA Championship.

Adam Preocanin makes a welcome return against Bedford Blues

Preocanin has been sidelined with a leg injury since October and, having come through two matches for Blackheath on loan over the past fortnight, the forward goes straight into the starting line-up for today’s clash. Chevvy Pennycook also returns to the XV following a head-knock as the Scots make two changes from the side which beat Cornish Pirates. Having recovered from a groin injury, stand-off Lee Millar is named on the bench.

London Scottish backs and attack coach, Peter Richards, said: “In the forwards, we now have 20 training in our unit sessions, which was unheard of in the first part of the season, so we are really pleased to have players back competing for places.

“Perhaps guys who were sure of their positions before are not so sure now and we are really excited about how much firepower we have coming off the bench late in a game. In the backs, we are still a bit light but hoping to get a few more guys fit soon.”

Bedford Blues and London Scottish shared 66 points in the reverse fixture earlier in the season at Richmond Athletic Ground, with the visitors taking home two bonus points from a 36-30 defeat.

Bedford’s late rally that day, which saw them score two tries in the final quarter, will serve as a warning to Scottish this weekend according to Richards.

“Bedford stung us at home and almost pinched the game,” he said. “From a position of strength, in the last 20 minutes they scored two tries and almost a third to beat us. So we know that threat is going to come again. They pushed Bristol really close at Christmas and we have seen the tapes of them playing their past few games where they have scored some brilliant tries.”

He added: “We have got to take our home form on the road. That’s a big thing we have spoken about this week.”

London Scottish: Peter Lydon; Matt Williams, Matt Hawke, Connor Braid, Miles Mantella; Dan Newton, Jamie Stevenson; James Hallam, Adam Kwasnicki, Max Maidment, Josh Thomas Brown, Adam Preocanin, James Phillips, Chevvy Pennycook, Mark Bright (c). Replacements: Mark Lilley, David Cherry, Ben Prescott, Gregor Gillanders, Neil Best, Matt Heeks, Lee Millar.