Dorset & Wiltshire vying for U20 National Championship semi final spot
Apr
Dorset & Wilts Under 20s are through to the quarter-finals of the National Under 20s Championship and will take on Gloucestershire this Sunday (April 13th) at Lydney RFC, kick-off 2pm.
The Twin Counties youngsters booked their place in the final four after victories over Buckinghamshire in March at Devizes RFC (31-7) and Berkshire (11-38) at Thatcham RFC.
The squad, led by Head Coach Paul Ninnim and Manager Roy Farrant, includes 25 players from 12 different clubs across Dorset & Wilts and Dauntsey’s School. Wimborne RFC are the best represented with four players involved in the Under 20s squad.
Manager Farrant said: “We have no illusions about the size of the task facing us on Sunday. Gloucestershire are obviously an accomplished side and have been dominant in their matches so far. We need to play at our very best to get through to the semi-finals, but win or lose we are already proud of the achievements of the squad and look forward to them forming the nucleus of an even more powerful team next season.
“We have been playing an attractive blend of powerful forward play providing our talented backs with good quick ball to enable them to demonstrate their pace and great lines of attack. Because our players are selected from such a large number of clubs it has taken a little time for them to gel as a unit, but we are improving with every game. We are a young squad, the majority of whom will still be eligible to play for the under twenties next season.”
The final of the National Under 20s Championship takes place at Twickenham Stadium on May 10th, kick-off 11pm.
Dorset & Wilts U20 Squad v Gloucestershire
Prop - Nick Farrant Devizes RFC
Hooker - Ted Stagg Cleve RFC & Bath Academy
Prop - Ashton Price Wimborne RFC
2nd Row - Nick Morris Salisbury RFC
2nd Row - Dan Lock Devizes RFC
2nd Row / flanker - Sam Pailor Swindon RFC
Flanker - James Fox North Dorset RFC
Number 8 - Jared Sharman Wimborne RFC
Stand off - Cameron Brown Swindon RFC
Wing - Olly Linton Dauntseys School
Wing - Charlie Parish Swanage & Wareham RFC
Full back - Karim Lynch Wimborne RFC
Hooker / scrum half - Tom Wilson Bournemouth RFC
Hooker - Sean Murphey Wimborne RFC
Prop - Matt Pearce Blandford RFC
Wing - Mike Errington Bournemouth RFC
Centre - Ben Loosemore Swindon RFC
2nd Row / Flanker - Gavin Smith Blandford RFC
Wing - Steve Rich Wootten Bassett RFC
Centre - Rob Collis Devizes RFC
Flanker - Sean Barwick Salisbury RFC
Flanker - Angus Hogg Salisbury RFC
Stand off - Mike Pope Bournemouth RFC
Prop - Alex Penny Bath Academy
Scrum Half - Nick Hill Bridport RFC
