Premiership
London Irish Match Preview: Jersey Reds (A)
Fixture: Jersey Reds vs London Irish
Competition: Pre-season friendly
Date: 27th August 2022
Kick-off: 3pm
Stadium: Stade Santander International
Capacity: 5,000
Another fixture, another new season- London Irish are back in action this forthcoming Saturday for a trip to the Channel Islands to face Championship side Jersey Reds in the Club’s first pre-season friendly.
The Exiles return to St. Peter for the first time since a spell in the Championship in the 2018/19 season, where honours were even, each a home win, in a split of league meetings that campaign.
Having finished last season in fourth, Jersey achieved their highest league positioning since Irish’s departure from the second tier after back-to-back sixth-place finishes.
Reds amassed their highest points haul in the Championship (69 points) since their promotion to the division a decade ago, with their biggest winning margins coming against capital side London Scottish both in the league (40 points) and cup (47) competitions.
Harvey Biljon, coach in Jersey since midway through the 2013/14 season, recently committed to a seven-year deal at the Stade Santander International.
The island took on current Gallagher Premiership champions Leicester Tigers on home soil last weekend, and following on from a 7-17 loss last season, ran the Midlanders close in a 26-35 defeat.
The boss- Harvey Biljon:
Upon conclusion of the 2021/22 season, Biljon committed to the aforementioned lengthy deal to keep him at the Championship Club until the summer of 2029.
The 45-year-old, a previous attack coach at another second-tier outfit Cornish Pirates before his time in Jersey, led Reds to their best ever finish in the Championship last term and into the top four.
He navigated the Club past relegation relegation in the 2013/14 term with a 41-31 win over Bedford Blues, going on to attain 3 league and cup wins against Irish in the former’s two spells in the Championship in 2017 and 2018.
A South-African native, he was born in Kariega and represented Natal Sharks’ under-21 side as a youth player.
The former scrum-half spent time as a player in the Premiership as a member of Wasps’ squad, joining in the year 2000 and remaining for six years.
One to Watch- Eoghan Clarke:
Jersey Reds have a points-scoring hooker of their own at their disposal, with Irishman Eoghan Clarke aiding in his Club having the highest points amassed in the Championship outside of champions Ealing Trailfinders (+596).
Clarke touched down 17 times in the 2021/22 Championship, a league-high that was matched only by Championship veteran Mark Bright of Richmond.
The 24-year-old is a former member of the Munster Academy, and moved over when in 2021 upon TJ Harris’ injury but has made a significant impact at the Club since.
He represented his country at under-20 age-grade level and also made five appearances for the Red Army’s A-side.
Classic Encounter: London Irish 42-29 Jersey Reds – 27th November 2016 – Championship
The Exiles put their Channel Island opponents to the sword at the Madejski Stadium in a 42-29 win in Reading back in 2016, but it was former player Guy Armitage who registered the first score of the meeting.
Front-row physicality from David Paice and Richard Palframan via rolling mauls saw Irish reply swiftly, with Paice going on to add a second in the second-half.
An injection of influence from the backs meant wingers Ben Ransom and Tom Fowlie got in on the act for Irish but Jersey did not walk away empty handed, nonetheless.
Marc Thomas, Nick Haining and George Watkins all added to Armitage’s earlier score on to bag a try bonus point, with the result making it 10 league wins from an available 10 for Irish at that stage of the season.
London Irish
Tries: David Paice (2), Richard Palframan, Ben Ransom, Tom Fowlie
Conversions: Tommy Bell (4)
Pens: Tommy Bell (2)
Drop-goal: Tommy Bell
Jersey Reds
Tries: Guy Armitage, Marc Thomas, George Watkins, Nick Haining
Conversions: Sam Katz (3)
Penalties: Sam Katz
Pre-match patter:
Jersey Reds Head Coach Harvey Biljon was full of praise for both sets of players after his side showed plenty of character to regain a foothold in the second half of a 26-35 loss to Leicester Tigers last weekend.
“A huge amount of character and resilience was shown by all the players,” Biljon stated post-match.
“Although it’s game one, there’s headaches already for the coaches.”
Reds held their Premiership counterparts to one try in the second forty whilst Lewis Wynne, James Hadfield and Ben Woollett, the latter two both debutants, all touched down for the home side.
Biljon looked ahead to the remainder of his side’s pre-season billing, which includes games against the Exiles and also Bath Rugby, and how the schedule will benefit the Championship side ahead of their league campaign.
“It’s a happy camp, they’re working hard but we’ve a long way to go.
“We can’t get too excited but what an absolute privilege it was to host the Premiership champions here in Jersey and I think we will definitely take a huge amount out of it, and I think they will too.
“It puts us in a great position going into the season- we’re definitely going to be tested each week and it’s going to be tough again next week with London Irish a team definitely on the up in the Premiership.”
Content & Images from – London Irish Rugby
Sale Sharks have agreed a deal to sign Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu from French Top14 side Toulon.
The explosive centre, who starred for his country during the recent World Cup, has signed a one-year contract with an option for a further year.
He will join up with Alex Sanderson’s Sharks squad ahead of the start of the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season.
Waisea, 33, said: “I’ve watched the Premiership for a long time and it’s always been in the back of my mind that I would love to play there one day and experience rugby in England.
“Now that opportunity has arrived and I’m really, really happy and grateful. I’m so excited to get over there and join the boys and see how I can contribute to the team.
“I have spoken to Telusa Veainu and he only has positive things to say about the club and about Manchester.
“I’m looking forward to playing with some of the guys I’ve played against, like Tom Curry and George Ford. But I also know there are a lot of really talented young players in the Sale Sharks squad and I’m excited to share my experience and help them develop as much as I can.
“I told Alex that it’s what I’ve been doing for the last few years of my career and it’s something I’m passionate about.”
Nayacalevu, who stands at 6’4” and weighs in at 16st 7lb, spent ten years at Top14 side Stade Français before making the switch to Toulon in 2022.
He has won 34 caps for Fiji, slotting in at both centre and on the wing, and captained his country at last year’s World Cup, where the Pacific Islanders made the quarter-finals, losing 30-24 to England in Marseille.
He also famously scored for Fiji in their memorable pre-World Cup win against England at Twickenham.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
Phil Brantingham to join Saracens
Prop-forward Phil Brantingham will leave Newcastle Falcons in the summer to join Saracens.
The 22-year-old has played 25 games for his home town club, and leaves with the thanks and best wishes of everyone at the Falcons.
Chairman of rugby Matt Thompson said: “Phil has done well for us and we made him a good offer to stay here.
“We respect his decision and wish him all the best for his move in the summer, but between now and then he will be fully committed to finishing the season strongly for Newcastle Falcons.”
Source – Newcastle Falcons Rugby
Sale Sharks can confirm that forward Cobus Wiese will leave the club at the end of the season to return to South Africa.
The 26-year-old lock has played almost 80 games for the club and scored five tries since joining from the DHL Stormers ahead of the 2020/21 season.
He played a key role last year as Sale reached the Premiership final, and this season he has featured a further 13 times for Alex Sanderson’s side.
Alex said: “Cobus will be missed by all of us on so many levels. He’s the most polite and courteous of people off the field, but the most wildly excitable man on the field, and on a night out.
“To say Cobus wears his heart on his sleeve is to do him a disservice with regards to his emotional commitment for which his body has paid the price on occasion.
“He leads by example and has earnt the respect and adoration of the group both on a professional and a personal level. We wish him every success and happiness with his move back home.”
Everyone at Sale Sharks would like to thank Cobus for his contribution to the club and the team during his time here and we wish him all the very best for the future.
Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby
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