GUILDFORD RFC travel to Jersey for their last match in London South Division II tomorrow knowing that if they win and Portsmouth drop points to Maidstone, they will top the table and win automatic promotion.

Jersey RFC, in third place but nine points behind Guildford, know that this will be the biggest test to date, not least because they have lost to both Portsmouth and Guildford away from home.

A brief look at the table also shows that it is an odds-on certainty that Guildford will score points against them.

For the visitors have, since the start of the season, scored a massive 748 points – over 35 points per game – while having the second best defensive record in the league.

However, in his penultimate game in charge of the 1st XV, two weeks before the Siam Cup, head coach Dai Burton is looking forward to the challenge.

‘You couldn’t want for a better game,’ he said.

‘Our last league game of the season, second against third; and they play a good style of rugby, which means it will be interesting to see how our back three (wingers and full-back) compete against their back three.

‘And we shouldn’t have lost to them, away from home, earlier in the season.

We were drawing 17-17 with two minutes to go and gave away a penalty.

‘Then one of our players said something to the referee which meant we had to give away another ten yards, which gave them a chance to kick the goal, which they did.

‘When they came off the pitch they were rubbing the sweat from their brows, wondering how they’d got away with it! ‘Throughout the season we’ve played our best rugby against the better teams in this division, but to begin with we tired, and gave away points in the last 20 minutes.

We don’t do that any more.

If anything, in recent games, we’ve been finishing stronger than the sides we play against.

Yes, I’m looking forward to it, although I think if I was the Guildford coach, I’d be resting some of my players, for the play-off.’ That play-off will, almost certainly, see Guildford take on the Civil Service who have finished second in London 2 North.

Whichever team wins will, like the table-toppers, be promoted.

‘Guildford will obviously want automatic promotion, but I can’t see Maidstone beating Portsmouth,’ added Burton.

‘But I still think this will be the last time we see Guildford in this league as they’re a good club side and are good enough to win promotion.

‘But I also think we’ll beat them.

The squad I can pick from is the best I’ve had all season.

I’m looking forward to a very entertaining game.’ Kick-off at St Peter is 3 pm.

Jersey RFC squad: Marcus Nobes, Josh Chamier, Jim Brimelow, Roger Quirk, Ian Henderson, John Allo, Nathan Kemp, Latu Maka’afi, Brett Els, Dave Miles, Sam Cummins, Jim Milner, Ross Allan, Andy Whelan, Mark White, Steve O’Brien, Paul Nayar, Gareth Jeffreys.

Jersey 2nds play Guildford 2nds at St Peter tomorrow at 11.30 am.

Other games: Jersey U17 v Devonport Services (friendly) 11.30 am; Jersey U16 v New Milton (county match) 1 pm; Sunday’s fixtures: Jersey U15/16 v Dinan (friendly), 11.30 am; Jersey U17 v Devonport (friendly), 1 pm.

All above games at St Peter.