Ex-England star Matt Kvesic to make competitive return after nasty injury

Matt Kvesic returns from injury tomorrow when Coventry take the trip north to face in-form Doncaster Knights.

The former England flanker has been sidelined since the start of 2025 by a ruptured bicep suffered in training and as a result has missed his club’s last 11 competitive outings.

Cov’s back row is also boosted by the availability of Fijian no.8 Senitiki Nayalo who is back with the Blue-and-Whites following a one-week absence for last weekend’s Army-Navy encounter at Twickenham.

Tom Ball is again named on the blindside flank and head coach Alex Rae also opts for continuity in the second row where Rhys Anstey combines with last week’s try-scorer Dan Green.

In addition, Cov make changes to the forwards named on their bench where flanker Aaron Hinkley returns from a three-match suspension.

His presence enables Suva Ma’asi to revert to covering his preferred hooker role while Chester Owen provides Rae and his coaching team with options across the back five of the pack.

Behind the scrum the pacy David Opoku is named on the right wing with top try-scorer Jimmy Martin on the opposite flank while on-loan Glasgow full-back Logan Trotter completes the back three.

Cov move Oli Morris to inside centre and give the pacy Jake Henry a first opportunity in their no.13 shirt in a midfield combination bursting with attacking potential.

They appear outside on-loan Exeter scrum-half Sam Maunder and leading points scorer Tommy Mathews who are named as the Blue-and-Whites’ starting half-back combination for a seventh time.

Cov go into this round 19 clash in fourth place in the Championship table, two positions and three points ahead of the Knights.

Rae’s team edged a 24-23 verdict when the clubs met at the Butts Park Arena in January after previously completing a league double over the Yorkshiremen in each of the last two seasons.

However, Cov face a stiff test of their top three credentials at Castle Park against a home side whose run of six consecutive league wins has seen them claim the scalps of top two Bedford and Ealing.

Coventry: Logan Trotter; David Opoku, Jake Henry, Oli Morris, Jimmy Martin; Tommy Mathews, Sam Maunder; Toby Trinder, Jordon Poole ©, Eliot Salt; Dan Green, Rhys Anstey; Tom Ball, Matt Kvesic, Senitiki Nayalo

Replacements: Suva Ma’asi, Jevaughn Warren, Tye Raymont, Chester Owen, Aaron Hinkley, Josh Barton, Liam Richman, Will Lane