The North Wales Exiles Sevens will field their strongest line-up ever when they attempt to bring home Europe’s biggest prize this weekend.
AS the summer fast approaches the Rugby Sevens season is about to get underway.
The North Wales Exiles Sevens will field their strongest line-up ever when they attempt to bring home Europe’s biggest prize this weekend.
The team will play under the name of Samurai Exiles at the famous Kinsale Sevens, in Ireland, where 10,000 Euros awaits the winning team.
Only three players from the side who won the Manchester Sevens in July last year will travel with the 10-man squad as Exiles manager Marcus Copeland opts to go with experience for the two-day tournament.
UWIC captain Richard De Carpentier will skipper the Exiles for the first time topping off a fantastic season for the England and Great Britain students No8, who will celebrate his 21st birthday while the team are in Ireland. He is one of four internationals tipped to make the starting seven.
Full-back Danny Bibby and England students winger Ed Tellwright are the only other players to have previous experience with the North Wales invitational rugby side.
Copeland has already had to make a number of forced changes to his squad due to injury and rearranged fixtures.
Four players, including Welsh sevens internationals Ricky Thomas and Chris Davies, had to withdraw after Aberavon made Bank Holiday Monday’s Swalec Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium.
Copeland said: “The loss of the Welsh boys was huge but we have replaced them with some serious talent.
“England and GB Students captain Tom Mitchell will make his Exiles debut as will England, GB and Barbarians winger Paul Jarvis – widely regarded as one of the most talented sevens players in the UK.
“Jarv will be joined by his Hartpury College and Gloucester Sevens team mate Tim Stevenson as well as Cardiff Blues hooker Rhys James and Cardiff No8 Craig Everett. Tonmawr’s James Donovan will be one of two specialist scrum-halves in the squad and will be joined by Ireland U18s star Kieran Marmion.”
The North Wales Exiles will be hoping to raise their profile this season with appearances at several of the major UK sevens tournaments and their task will be made easier after attracting some much needed funding.
After Kinsale, the Exiles are due to defend their Manchester Sevens title on May 14/15.
Two weeks later the will hope to go one better than last year by winning the famous Caldy Sevens tournament (May 29).
Report kindly reproduced from Daily Post, April 28 issue
There are no events to show yet.