By Stuart Dunn
Shrewsbury’s on-the-up rugby players are relishing their top of the table showdown at Willenhall on Saturday – aiming to make it an amazing 10 wins out of 10 as they bid to mark their centenary season with a title surge.
The two sides have set a blistering pace in the early months of the Midlands Four West (North) season, winning all nine league games – with something almost certain to give this weekend.
Shrewsbury are fully aware of the size of the task facing them but they travel to the West Midlands firmly believing they have what it takes to beat Willenhall.
“This is the big one, the game we’ve been earmarking as being very important since early in the season,” said Shrewsbury fly half Mattie Morris.
“It’s not a title decider yet but it could go a long way towards deciding what happens later in the season.
“Willenhall will be full of it and having home advantage makes them favourites. We’re expecting a tough game and know we will have to match them in all departments and probably weather an early storm.
“But we’re looking forward to it and there would be no point going there if we didn’t think we could win it.”
The Sundorne Castle men have the rare luxury of naming the same side victorious at Leek last weekend.
Jon Wareham is unavailable while Andrew Swann (ribs) together with Jason Allibone and George Daniels (bad backs) remain on the injury sidelines.
“We always expected Willenhall to be one of our main challengers this season,” added Morris. “They came third last season and ended strongly, just missing out on promotion to two strong sides who had money pumped into them.”
SHREWSBURY: D. Griffiths, N. Challinor, N. Williams, S. Owen, G. Adams, S. Evitts, R. Hodnett, J. Plant, P. Bolland, M. Morris, W. Jones, N. Hughes, S. Barnett, JJ Lowrie-Herz, J. Pugh. Reps: B. Jenkins, S. Wycherley, M. Edwards.