London Welsh Team v London Wasps – Tom Voyce to make Exiles debut

Posted on Oct 26, 2012 in London Welsh

Tom Voyce makes his first start for London Welsh against his former club London Wasps at Adams Park on Sunday (3pm).

Having impressed Exiles head coach Lyn Jones during a trial period, which included several Aviva ‘A’ League appearances, Voyce agreed a deal with the club this week and is named at full back in place of the injured Tom Arscott.

Voyce, 31, began his career at Bath, where he made the first of his nine England appearances, which included three tries. He joined Wasps in 2003 and over the next seven seasons won two Heineken Cups in 2004 and 2007 and three Premiership titles in 2004, 2005 and 2008.

He moved to Gloucester in 2009 and helped the club to LV=Cup success in 2011, setting the Cherry and Whites on their way to a 34-7 win over Newcastle with an early try.
“I am delighted to be joining London Welsh and excited to be able to contribute to what has been a good start to their season. Lyn and the players have been great in welcoming me into their culture,” said Voyce.

“For me it’s a case of getting my head down and proving a few points. There are some great challenges ahead for us as a team and that is what rugby is all about.”

Voyce is one of 12 changes made by Jones to the side that provided the club with its first-ever victory in Europe, a 32-31 win over l Cavalieri Prato. Second row Martin Purdy, who won Heineken Cup and Premiership medals during a seven-year career at Wasps, flanker Michael Hills and Seb Jewell, another former Wasp, are the only survivors from that team.

Sonny Parker returns to the Welsh starting line up from the injury in suffered in the Exiles’ defeat to Gloucester at the Kassam Stadium on September 30.

London Welsh: 15. Tom Voyce*, 14. Phil MacKenzie*, 13. Sonny Parker*, 12. Seb Jewell, 11. Nick Scott, 10. Gavin Henson*, 9. Tyson Keats, 1. Franck Montanella*, 2. Neil Briggs, 3. Paulica Ion*, 4. Martin Purdy , 5. Matt Corker, 6. Jonathan Mills ©, 7. Michael Hills, 8. Ed Jackson.
Replacements: 16. Dan George, 17. Tom Bristow, 18. Arthur Joly, 19. Kirill Kulemin*, Alfie To’oala*, 21. Nick Runciman, 22. James Lewis, 23. Joe Ajuwa.

* Denotes full international

Welsh make one change to face Chiefs

Posted on Sep 14, 2012 in London Welsh

London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones makes just one change from the starting line up which faced Harlequins for Sunday’s Round 3 clash with Exeter Chiefs at the Kassam Stadium on Sunday (kick-off 3pm).

Nick Scott, who scored seven tries in 12 Championship appearances for the Exiles last season after joining the club on loan from Bath, comes in for Joe Ajuwa on the wing, with Scott’s place on the bench taken by the versatile James Lewis.

The only other change sees Jonah Holmes, a try scorer against Harlequins in the sides’ Aviva A League meeting, return to the London Welsh match-day 23 in place of Nick Runciman.

Sunday could also throw up a bit of sibling rivalry with London Welsh full back Tom Arscott set to head-to- head with Exeter full back and brother Luke.

Sunday will be the sides’ first meeting since Exeter’s 2009/10 promotion season – the inaugural season of the Championship. A 13-9 defeat at Sandy Park during the regular season was reversed by the Exiles at Old Deer Park, 12-10, thanks to Guy Mercer’s last gasp try and Gordon Ross’ conversion.

The sides met again in that season’s play-offs with the Exiles going down 32-6 at Sandy Park, before extracting revenge, 16-15, in the return game, which was played at Esher’s Molesey Road ground.

London Welsh: 15. Tom Arscott, 14. Phil Mackenzie*, 13. Sonny Parker*, 12. Hudson Tonga’uiha*, 11. Nick Scott, 10. Gordon Ross*, 9. Tyson Keats, 1. Frank Montanella*, 2. Neil Briggs, 3. Paulica Ion*, 4 Jonathan Mills ©, 5. Matt Corker, 6. Daniel Browne, 7. Mike Denbee, 8. Ed Jackson.

Replacements: 16. Dan George, 17. Tom Bristow, 18. Arthur Joly, 19. Kirill Kulemin*, 20. Alfie To’oala*, 21. Jonah Holmes, 22. James Lewis, 23. Seb Jewell.

* Denotes full international

Welsh will play to win, says Lewis

Posted on May 24, 2012 in Latest Rugby News

No bonus points on offer at Mennaye Field on Wednesday night, but the bonus for try scorer James Lewis and London Welsh could come next week if the Exiles go on to be crowned Championship winners.

Lewis claimed the Exiles’ fourth try in their 37-21 1st Leg victory over the Cornish Pirates – the second of two Welsh tries in the space of two minutes, after centre partner Hudson Tonga’uiha had burst through to score under the posts.

But despite taking a 16-point lead into next weekend’s 2nd Leg at the Kassam Stadium, Lewis is adamant that the Exiles will not go out just to defend.

“If we win, we’ve won the Championship. We don’t want to play to win on aggregate – we want to win the game,” he said.

“We’re not going to think about being 16 points ahead – it’s a nil-nil scoreline and it’s another game we need to win.

“That was probably the most intense game we’ve played all year – it was very quick.

“The first ten minutes they came at us hard, but we expected that. We soaked it up and then started to put our game plan together for the rest of the game.

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Jones delighted with Pirates victory

Posted on May 24, 2012 in London Welsh

London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones was delighted by his side’s 37-21 win over the Cornish Pirates in the Championship final 1st Leg at Mennaye Field on Wednesday night, but has warned against getting too carried away.

“What you’ve got to take into consideration is the magnitude of the match and the standard of the opposition,” said Jones

“For us to come down in the middle of the week, against a highly motivated Pirates side, where not many people do well, and score 37 points, we’re delighted. We’re not hiding that, we are delighted.

“But also we’re not hiding away from the fact that these guys will have a lot of motivation for next week to come back at us.”

The Exiles ended a run of three straight defeats at Mennaye Field thanks to tries from Joe Ajuwa, Nick Scott, Hudson Tonga’uiha and James Lewis, and 14 points from the boot of full back Alex Davies.

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