THORNBURY have their biggest game of the season so far this Saturday as they host Bridgwater and Albion at Rockhampton Road.

Although third-placed Thorns are comfortably above their Somerset opponents in the league table, Thornbury are yet to hit top gear, although there have been signs in their most recent games that performances are improving.

With six games played, Thorns have played the bottom four sides in the table, somehow managed to beat Clevedon and lost at Drybrook, yet the controlled manner of the last victory, at Matson, suggested that good days are ahead.

Against a fired-up side that started both halves of the game at top speed, Thornbury showed good discipline and were more clinical than their Gloucester opponents.

Bridgwater have undergone substantial off-field changes and have a completely new coaching team, headed by Simon Morrell, last season’s Teignmouth coach and featuring former Gloucester scrum half Brad Field who was a Doncaster player last season.

Field is player-coach but the coaching team will be concerned that their charges are yet to get going.

They have a number of new players from the southern hemisphere who have recently joined and may make their debuts at Thornbury.

Bridgwater will be desperate to address their last result, a home defeat to Teignmouth, and the team will be expected to respond to severe criticism from their coaches and former players. Lying tenth, that position belies their potential. Their expectation for the season remains a top three finish.

In recent seasons Bridgwater have based their game around a big pack of forwards and good ball-carriers supported by a high-quality back row including skipper Ollie Dunn, a regular with Bristol United last season.

Their defence is tight and aggressive and not easy to penetrate. In the backs they possess the influential Rob Allen who always seems to have a good game against Thornbury. Wing or centre, he will need to be watched.

Thornbury hope to have a strong squad available for that game, which will give Head Coach Rob Higgitt a few headaches with selection. With a group of high quality back-row forwards, including skipper Liam Pemberton, Higgitt will have to choose three from six.

The tight forwards have improved game on game whilst a rash of injuries have made three-quarter selection a challenge over recent weeks. Several of the players have been carrying injuries, but they will have enjoyed a rest last weekend.

With a full squad Thornbury are more than capable of repeating last season’s 30-7 home win. Measured, disciplined and clinical rugby, as played at Matson in the last game, will be essential but Thorns should do enough for the win.

It should be a terrific contest and kicks off at 3pm.