H&B tackle league leaders

The rugby club will entertain a King’s College Hospital side which has won its first four Kent One matches, scoring 149 points in the process. Kick-off at William Parker Sports College is 3pm.

H&B head coach Kevin Smith said: “We don’t want to lose three in a row. We want to win obviously against the league leaders and give ourselves a platform to build on. If we could beat them it would be a great boost for the confidence.”

Having targeted promotion at the start of the campaign, H&B got off to the ideal start with a 46-0 win at home to Old Gravesendians, but their subsequent two matches have resulted in away losses against Beccehamian and Southwark Lancers.

“I still believe we’ve got a squad to do it,” continued Smith, who expects to be at full strength. “We’ve taken a dent and the omens don’t bode well, but the guys have looked at their performance and probably thought ‘we’re going to have to work a damn sight harder’.”

Not involved in the RFU Junior Vase again this term, H&B - who have conceded fewer points than anyone in the division - contested a friendly away to Hove III last weekend.

Rye RFC, meanwhile, will be looking to return to winning ways away to second-from-bottom Midhurst tomorrow.

The New Roaders had won four out of four in Sussex One prior to tasting their first defeat of the season in the RFU Junior Vase last weekend.

“By no means is it going to be any sort of walkover,” said Rye chairman Tony Pierce. Toby Aylett is expected to return. The seconds take on their Hastings & Bexhill counterparts at New Road, kick-off 3pm.