Thursday, August 30, 2012

New recruits and new hopes for many teams

CLIFTON kick off the new season with a new-look pack for tomorrow's home National Two South opener with title favourites Hartpury (2.30pm).

Bristol's George Biagi, a summer signing from Aironi, is named in the second row with 18-year-old colts product Charlie Bullimore handed a start at tighthead and Scott Witcombe, formerly of Newbury, on the flank.

Matt Salter is back at No 8 with Bath Academy's James Stephenson at openside and Sheldon Stevens given a debut at centre after signing from Cinderford.

Bristol Academy duo Steve Uren and Joe Joyce make their first starts for a new-look Dings Crusaders, who are away to Southend.

Uren is in the back row with new skipper Ed Hack, and lock Joyce forms a new engine room partnership with the returning Dave Bufton.

It's all change, too, in the backs with four old boys returning to the starting line-up: centre Christian Gervais (Taunton), stand-off Mark Woodrow (Birmingham), scrum-half Waylon Jennings (Hartpury) and winger Taylor Stevens (Cleve).

Regular stand-off Mitch Burton moves to inside centre in place of Sam Cox who is away.

Old Bristolians, elevated to Western Counties North for the first time in the club's history, kick off with a testing home date against Berry Hill (3pm). Four men are handed debuts tomorrow. Ross Osbourne, from Frampton, packs down at tighthead with Tim Child, a summer arrival from Devon, on the loosehead and Pete Burcher in the back row. Henry Bird, who has signed from Cirencester, slots in at centre for Old Bs who are once again captained by Mike Barton.

James Letherby, released by Bristol at the end of last season, slots in at fly-half for Hornets who are home to local rivals Yatton (3pm).

Hooker Sean Kent has been appointed captain of the Weston side and he lines up with loosehead and new player-coach Alex Chase.

Barton Hill, under new coach Dave Lupton and new skipper Joe Sansum, are away to Avon.

There are league debuts for centre Ben Payne, formerly of Imperial, and fly-half Oli Nowell (Broad Plain) with promising 18-year-old loosehead Ray Chase also handed a start.

Former skipper Sam Steer packs down in the back row alongside the returning Luke Bickford with Matt Rankin named at scrum-half.

North Bristol, this season celebrating their 80th anniversary, open with a Combination derby against Bristol Harlequins (3pm).

Scrum-half Alex Cue is the new captain of the Almondsbury outfit with Jon Goodridge joining Bristol team-mate Wayne Thompson on the coaching team. Winger Carl Smith will be making his 200th appearance for the club, while there are debuts for prop Kallan Keenan and flanker Jake Holcombe. Simon Mortimer is handed the No 10 shirt after returning to North following two seasons at Reds.

For Quins, Greg Wookey makes his debut at No 8 after impressing new coach Mark Rogers. Dave Priddy starts at fly-half while Lee Pearn, last season's leading try scorer, returns to the wing.

Keynsham, meanwhile, go into their home opener against Wells (3pm) boosted by winning Ashley Down's Robbie Johnson Memorial Trophy.

New recruits  and new hopes  for many teams

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