Yorkshire Carnegie v Jersey: Inside knowledge for Carnegie coach Boden

Yorkshire Carnegie's forward coach Steve BodenYorkshire Carnegie's forward coach Steve Boden
Yorkshire Carnegie's forward coach Steve Boden
THERE will not be much need for second-guessing when Yorkshire Carnegie forwards coach Steve Boden sees his former Jersey colleagues arrive at Headingley tonight.

He held the same role with their Championship rivals for four years before moving back ‘home’ to Leeds in the summer to take charge of their pack.

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Boden has had an instant impact given Carnegie’s forwards already look much improved on last term and have won all six league games so far.

Jersey, meanwhile, won their opening two Championship fixtures but lost their next four plus a British & Irish Cup match against Ulster before finally returning to winning ways in that competition last week against Cardiff Blues.

“On paper they have a hell of a squad but they have lost a few players to injury which has disrupted them a bit and not helped,” said ex-Doncaster Knights hooker Boden.

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“They have struggled and are in a bit of a rough patch but, if anything, that makes them a bit more dangerous on Friday than if they’d been winning.

“They will be really hungry for a victory and, so, it is a potential banana skin for us.

“I know their forwards coach (Alex Rae) extremely well – I coached him as a player – and they are doing quite a few things similar to last year.

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“But he has also put his own stamp on things, too. He’ll know a lot about what I do here and vice versa but we can’t focus on that.

“We have to do everything a little bit better than them but I am pleased with how the guys here have bought into the changes I’ve made and we’ll be looking to protect our unbeaten league start.”