Team news: London Welsh team v Leeds Carnegie

Posted on Feb 24, 2012 in Championship, English Rugby, Leeds Carnegie, London Welsh

London Welsh may have already made sure of a top four finish, thanks to their mid-week victory over Doncaster Knights, but Lyn Jones’ (pictured) side will be eager to end the regular season on a high note when they welcome Leeds Carnegie to Old Deer Park on Saturday (kick-off 12:30pm).

It’s seems an age now since the two sides last meet at Headingley in September in round 1, when the Exiles ran out 26-13 winners thanks to tries from Liam Gibson and Simon Whatling, and 16 points from the boot of Gordon Ross.

Welsh will therefore be looking to do the double over Leeds, having done just that against London Scottish and Doncaster in the last five days, but the Yorkshire side can take heart from their last visit to Old Deer Park which saw them run out emphatic 38-0 winners on their way to winning promotion back to the Premiership under Neil Back.

Hooker Dan George is set to make his 50th League appearance for the Exiles against Leeds on Saturday.

London Welsh: 15. Seb Jewell, 14. Will Hurrell, 13. Paul Mackey, 12. Simon Whatling, 11. Ashley Smith, 10. Alex Davies, 9. Jack Moates, 1. Tom French, 2. Saul Nelson, 3. Billy Moss, 4. Matt Corker, 5. Mike Powell, 6. Lee Beach, 7. Michael Hills, 8. Ben Russell.

Replacements: 16. Dan George, 17. Greg Bateman, 18. Adam Brown, 19. Ed Jackson, 20. Rob Lewis, 21. Gordon Ross*, 22. James Lewis.

* Denotes full international

Russell’s double keeps London Welsh in the hunt

Posted on Feb 22, 2012 in Latest Rugby News

Ben Russell probably wishes he could play at the Athletic Ground every week, given his try record against London Scottish this season.

The flanker has now scored four tries in two appearances against Scottish there, including a brace in last Sunday’s 29-22 victory to keep Lyn Jones’ side in the chase for a top three finish.

Although delighted to cross twice, Russell, who arrived at Old Deer Park in 2010 after spells with Saracens and Racing Metro, was more concerned with Welsh’s team performance, with the Championship play-offs now just around the corner.

“We played really well at times and had them in all sorts of trouble but we turned the ball over a bit too much,” he said.

“I don’t know if the boys had their minds on three games in a week, but it was good to get the win and the bonus point.

“We’re letting teams come back into it. We need to get out of our half, play the territory and make the opposition score from their own half.
“It was a little bit closer than we’d have liked, but I thought we stuck in well at the end. It was a local derby and they were up for it.

“If we play like we can, and as we did in fits against Scottish, I think we’ll go alright.”

And if Sunday is anything to go by then Welsh need have few worries when it comes to their attack, with the visitors looking dangerous with ball in hand as they crossed for four well executed tries.

“When we actually put the phases together they couldn’t handle our attack. We touched the ball twice in the second half and scored twice, and from deep as well,” said Russell.

“Our attack was good and I think this will lead into Wednesday quite well. We’re getting a bit more of an attacking style together – just trying to change it up a bit.”

The play-offs may be fast approaching, but with Welsh welcoming Doncaster Knights to Old Deer Park on Wednesday (February 22) before rounding off the regular season at home to Leeds Carnegie on Saturday, there’s little time to be thinking about the play-offs just yet.

“We’ve got three games in a week and they’re important games. We’ll be out to win both of the games coming up. The boys know the play-offs are coming and it’s a bit of a cliché but you take each game as it comes,” added Russell.

“We know we’ve got to beat Doncaster and Leeds at home and hopefully that will set us up well to get us in a good pool for the play-offs. Then it will be the serious part of the season – the business end.”

Leinster ‘A’ team to face London Welsh

Posted on Dec 16, 2011 in British and Irish Cup, English Rugby, Irish Rugby, Leinster, London Welsh

The Leinster ‘A’ team to face London Welsh in Sunday’s Round 4 British & Irish (B&I) Cup clash in Donnybrook (KO: 2.30pm) has been named.

Prop Jack McGrath leads the team as the province bid to continue their fine recent run of form in the B&I Cup on Sunday afternoon.

Following last weekend’s 19-13 win in Llanelli, Ben Marshall forms the back row with Jordi Murphy and in-form number eight Leo Auva’a. With Steven Sykes rested after the birth of his first child, a boy, this week, Lansdowne second row Neilus Keogh will partner Mark Flanagan at second row.

In the backline John Cooney partners Noel Reid at half back with Fionn Carr coming into a pacey back three with Andrew Conway and David Kearney.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Round 4 game in Donnybrook, Leinster ‘A’ Coach Colin McEntee said: “We’re pleased with our progress so far this year but we have another big test against London Welsh on Sunday. We’ll have to be sharp and we’ll have to be accurate because they’re a tough side with a lot of flair out wide.

“We’re in a good position in our Pool having beaten Esher and Melrose previously – and to grind out a win in the manner in which we did in awful first half conditions in Parc y Scarlets was pleasing. The application of the players has been really high again this week and I know they’re looking forward to the challenge.

“After last Sunday’s win over Llanelli it’s important that we back up that effort with another big performance and try to round off this pre-Christmas block (of games) on a high.”

*There will be free entry for Leinster Season Ticket holders on Sunday upon presentation of this year’s membership card.

LEINSTER ‘A’:

15: David Kearney
14: Andrew Conway
13: Brendan Macken
12: Colm O’Shea
11: Fionn Carr
10: Noel Reid
9: John Cooney

1: Jack McGrath CAPTAIN
2: Aaron Dundon
3: Jamie Hagan
4: Neilus Keogh
5: Mark Flanagan
6: Ben Marshall
7: Jordi Murphy
8: Leo Auva’a

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Tom Sexton
17: Jack O’Connell
18: Jordan Coghlan
19: Conor Gilsenan
20: Luke McGrath
21: Cathal Marsh
22: Darren Hudson

REFEREE: Rhys Thomas (WRU),  ASSISTANT REFEREES: Sean Gallagher, Ken Henley-Willis (both IRFU)

London Welsh team news

Posted on Dec 16, 2011 in British and Irish Cup, London Welsh

London Welsh head to Dublin and Donnybrook on Sunday needing a victory against Leinster A if they are to have any chance of reaching the quarter-finals of the British & Irish Cup.

The Exiles will also be keen to bounce back after slumping to their first defeat in seven outings last weekend away to Nottingham, before their huge local derby with Esher at Old Deer Park on Boxing Day.

Welsh currently sit second in Pool 4 a point behind leaders Llanelli, who travel to Bedford Blues on Saturday, and four points clear of third place Melrose, who visit London Scottish the same day.

By the time Welsh take to the field at Donnybrook, Jones’ men will know whether they can still top the pool, or will be aiming for one of the two best runners up spots up for grabs.

Head coach Lyn Jones makes six changes for the trip to Dublin, including one positional. Will Hurrell comes back into the side on the right wing, with Liam Gibson moving to the left and Joe Ajuwa dropping out.

The rest of the changes all come in the forwards. On loan Wasps hooker Nathan Morris starts, while Gary Johnson and Matt Corker form a new second row partnership. Ed Siggery starts in place of Lee Beach at blindside flanker. Ed Jackson captains the side.

There’s a place on the bench for Ben Russell for what will be his first appearance since the 38-0 friendly win over Oxford University on November 8, as well as new addition and Varsity winning scrum half Sam Egerton, who recently helped the Dark Blues to a 28-10 win over Cambridge at Twickenham.

London Welsh: 15. Edd Thrower, 14. Will Hurrell, 13. James Lewis, 12. Seb Jewell, 11. Liam Gibson, 10. Alex Davies, 9. Jack Moates, 1. Tom French, 2. Nathan Morris, 3. Billy Moss, 4. Gary Johnson, 5. Matt Corker, 6. Ed Siggery 7. Michael Hills, 8. Ed Jackson ©.

Replacements: 16. Dan George, 17. Guillermo Roan, 18. Adam Brown, 19. Ben Russell, 20. Martin Purdy, 21. Sam Egerton, 22. Ashley Smith

Team news – London Welsh v London Scottish

Posted on Nov 18, 2011 in Championship, English Rugby, London Scottish, London Welsh

London Welsh will re-enact the first-ever fixture in the club’s 126-year history when London Scottish make the short trip to Old Deer Park on Saturday (2pm).

Scottish provided London Welsh’s first-ever opponents in October 1885, winning by a goal and a try to no score at the Athletic Ground, while Saturday’s Championship clash will be the fourth league meeting between the two great rivals.

The last time they locked horns in the league was in 1989/90 when Scottish won 18-14 in League 3 at the Athletic Ground. In 1988/89 in League 2 the two sides played out a 24-24 draw at Old Deer Park, while in 1987/88 Welsh came out on top 29-10, again at Old Deer Park.

London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones makes 11 changes for the visit of London Scottish, with hooker Vili Ma’asi, second row Adam Brown, flanker Mike Denbee and Seb Jewell the only players to retain their starting places from the side that beat Aberavon in the British & Irish Cup. Jewell, though, moves from outside centre to full back.

Gordon Ross takes over the captain’s armband from Gary Johnson, while Welsh give a start to on loan London Irish back row forward, and former Scarlet, Ed Siggery.

Welsh have had the upper hand in the sides’ recent meetings, enjoying a 44-9 win earlier this season at the Athletic Ground in the British & Irish Cup, as well as recording a pre-season victory over Scottish at the same venue in August 2010.

London Welsh: 15. Seb Jewell, 14. Will Hurrell, 13. Hudson Tonga’uiha*, 12. Simon Whatling, 11. Joe Ajuwa, 10. Gordon Ross*, 9. Rob Lewis, 1. Shawn Pittman*, 2. Vili Ma’asi*, 3. Billy Moss, 4. Adam Brown, 5. Martin Purdy, 6. Ed Siggery, 7. Mike Denbee, 8. Lee Beach.

Replacements: 16. Nathan Morris, 17. Marc George, 18. Mike Powell, 19. Ed Jackson, 20. Ben Stevenson, 21. Alex Davies, 22. Edd Thrower.

* Denotes full international

London Scottish goes into Saturday’s derby match (ko 2pm) with confidence and heart gained from their recent form, which has seen them gain seven points from their last four fixtures, especially in the way which they dealt with a stubborn and resolute Esher side. London Welsh are in many ways a side Scottish can learn from as they have established themselves as one of the leading contenders for the Championship title.
The fixture represents the first league meeting between the two sides for over 10 years, and for the more senior supporters of Scottish the match on Saturday will bring back many memories of games gone past between these famous old rivals. From the early seventies when both Scottish and Welsh were littered with internationalists and British & Irish Lions players and the matches were sometimes even considered to be international trial matches, through to the last time the teams played one another for league points in the 1989/90 season when Scottish came out on top 18 -14.
Injuries and recalls have disrupted Scottish’s preparations somewhat: recent dual-registration signings Elliot Daly and Guy Armitage have been called back into the Wasps and London Irish squads respectively, while full back Oli Grove is ruled out through injury. Argentine international wing Agustine Gosio moves to full back, and scrum-half Matt Heeks will hope to continue his try-scoring form as he shifts to the wing.
Scottish team:
15 Gosio
14 Heeks
13 O Holmes
12 O Brown
11 Howells
10 J Brown
9 Lalanne (c)

1 Liffchak
2 Kwasnicki
3 Thiede
4 Rudzki
5 Thomas
6 Andrews
7 Lonergan
8 Kellard

Replacements: Clarke, Stanfield, MacKenzie, Josh Thomas Brown, Calder, Amor, Holgate.