Blues hoping for a seaside special

RUGBY: Newbury travel to 100 per cent leaders Bournemouth in pursuit of a winning breakthrough

NEWBURY BLUES will be hoping that improved league form will see them through Saturday's potentially daunting trip to Division Three South West leaders Bournemouth on Saturday.

Bournemouth have averaged more than 50 points a game in their 5-0 season so far, and says Blues director of rugby Andy Widdop: "We know it is going to be a tough game, but it can't be any tougher than some of our games last season."

Blues are waiting on the fitness of prop Luke Sawyer, who went off with a shoulder injury in last week's narrow home defeat at the hands of Barnstaple with Tom Erskine likely to step up from the second row if he fails to make it.

Ashley Taylor will take Erskine's place in that event, while scrum half Alex Kane also misses out with Dominic Payne and option, otherwise Dan Thorne will switch across from fly half to accommodate the return of Oscar Matthews.