Josh McNally says London Irish have a point to prove when they head to Jersey on Saturday.
The Exiles moved top of the Championship table with victory over Cornish Pirates last time out and will be seeking to make it nine wins from nine as they round off the first half of the campaign this weekend.
But they face a tough task against Jersey, the only club to beat Irish in the Championship two years ago.
“They were a team that really unstuck us last time,” said captain McNally.
“We lost to them two weeks on the bounce in the league and B&I Cup. We can still be hurting.
“There’s a few lads still here from that season so we want to go and prove a point and really put a bit of space now between us and the rest of the guys in the league.”
This is the only league game taking place this weekend, meaning victory could take the Exiles eight points clear of the chasing pack.
“Jersey are scoring points for fun,” said director of rugby Declan Kidney.
“Playing them over in Jersey too, we need to adapt our own game.”
Kidney has made five changes to the side which beat Cornish Pirates with Ciaran Hearn, Stephen Myler, Pat Cilliers, Dave Porecki and Barney Maddison coming in for Brendan Macken, Brendan McKibbin, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, Motu Matu’u and Jake Schatz.
The game kicks off at 2pm.
LONDON IRISH: McLean, Ojo, Hearn, Campbell, Hassell-Collins, Myler, Meehan, Cilliers, Porecki, Hoskins, Maddison, Paulo, McNally (c), Cowan, Rogerson.
Reps: Matu’u, Hobbs-Awoyemi, Saulo, Schatz, Gilsenan, Steele, Tonks.
