With the weather intervening yet again last weekend, Birmingham & Solihull get the first of four consecutive home fixtures in March underway this Saturday against Nuneaton (10th March, KO 3pm at Portway).

Nuneaton have had a mixed season to date by their own standards, having won only eleven of their twenty league games, but they have gained some scalps along the way.

This has included victories over Newport Salop (both home and away) and at Scunthorpe, and they lost only narrowly to Peterborough Lions at home last month. They currently sit in 8th place in the table with 59 points, 28 points adrift of league leaders Bees.

Back in November, when the two sides met at Liberty Way, the Bees came away with a 11-56 victory so we can expect a hard fought contest with "Nuns" keen to balance the books and not return home having had the double done on them.

Ahead of Saturday’s game, Pete Glackin and Stewart Pearl has made some tweaks to the starting line-up that extended their lead at the top of the league to 10 points a fortnight ago.

Matt Spink combines with Andy Weaver in the engine room, with Ashley Scriven returning at blindside flanker and Michael Stephens at openside, with Umraan Jadwat also back at No.8.

There is also a return for Nathan Tilsley who partners Ben Phillips in the centres, with Tawanda Chipadza restored to the right wing. A new look bench features Matt Probert, Marcus Brown and, back from injury, Jimmy Oliver.

The Hornets also welcome Nuneaton 2nds to Portway for their Midlands Reserve League fixture.

Bees squad v Nuneaton (H, 3.00pm KO): - 1. Joe Foreman, 2. Zane Raimondi, 3.Kurtis Payne, 4. Matt Spink, 5. Andy Weaver, 6. Ashley Scriven, 7. Michael Stephens, 8. Umraan Jadwat, 9. Jack Jolly ©, 10. Max Rodman, 11. Steve Johns, 12. Nathan Tilsley, 13. Ben Phillips, 14. Tawanda Chipadza, 15. Harry O’Brien, 16. Matt Probert, 17. Marcus Brown & 18 Jimmy Oliver.

Referee: - Carl Adams

Hornets squad v Nuneaton 2nds (H, 3.00pm KO): - 1. George Radburn, 2. Charley Robinson, 3.Harry Smith, 4.Keanan Cooper, 5. Harry Barnes, 6. Reece Donaldson, 7. Jacob Lisle, 8. Chris Thompson (C), 9. Jack Secher, 10. Tyler Price, 11.Joe Cave, 12. Ben Cooper, 13. Sonny Young, 14. Tom Johnson, 15. Reiss Boon, 16. Tom Greevy , 17.Harry Jackson, 18. Sam Allen, 19. Cameron May, 20. Diaba, 21. Ace Summers.