Western Rugby League Challenge – Uni V Community Nov 2017

The South West Universities and West of England Representative side have organised a unique opportunity to take each other on in a challenge fixture.

The fixture will take place at Frome RFC in rural Somerset, this will be a historic event being the first Rugby League fixture to be held Frome on Sunday 12th November 2017, kick off 2.30pm.

Chris Chatten, Team Manager of South West Universities & Chairman of the West of England Squad, said
“We thought it would be a great challenge for the universities regional side to help select the final 20 man squad to take on the South East on Saturday 2nd December @ Maidenhead RFC, it also gives is the West of England an opportunity to give their large squad another run out after the Harry Jepson Trophy campaign, giving more game time to those who had limited minutes in the competition, who are preparing for a tour in the new year”
Bath Rugby League players who featured in the West v East challenge fixture (l-r: Tom Plance, Stevan Randall, Cieran Chester, Henry Beer)

Chatten, also encouraged Rugby League fans in the South West to come along to this fixture and see the best of the South West and West in action!

The South West had their first trial session on Sunday 5th November at Cleve RFC, Bristol with a number of Rugby Union coverts looking to make their way in the regional set up. The West of England via Glenn Tyreman (Director of Rugby) have already selected a strong squad for the fixture, but will be up against a strong University side featuring some players who have already represented England at student international level and others who have experience playing semi-professionally.

Locally Bath Rugby League’s young gun Henry Lyons gets a good opportunity to showcase his raw talent, vice-captain Stevan Randall gets a start in the front row and ex-South Wales Ironmen development/Scotland Student International Tom Plance gets the rotation hooker spot on the bench.

In the South West Universities team Bath Rugby League are represented by Josh Frost at Stand Off and Max Sangster a new signing who is likely to come off the bench and feature somewhere in the back line, both show some great Rugby League potential.

Max Sangster – Bath Rugby League and Cardiff Met Player

The West will have a strong contest with the universities side with four of their squad notably playing professionally with the University of Gloucestershire All Golds in League 1, Errol Carter, Ben Stead, James Mason, and Luke Stephens.

Below are the squads for the historic fixture which we hope will become an annual event:

West of England
  1. Arron Lambourne (Oxford Cavaliers)
  2. Ross Lewis (Oxford Cavaliers)
  3. James Collings (Somerset Vikings)
  4. Jack Daynes (Swindon St. George)
  5. Myles Everett (Oxford Cavaliers)
  6. Louis Richards (Oxford Cavaliers)
  7. Sean Hayes (Southampton Spitfires)
  8. Richard White (Swindon St. George)
  9. Sean Roberts (Gloucestershire Warriors)
  10. Stevan Randall (Bath Rugby League)
  11. Andrew Hoggins (Oxford Cavaliers)
  12. Matthew Blacker (Bristol Sonics)
  13. Kevin Cant (Southampton Spitfires)
  14. George Lenton-Hall (Oxford Cavaliers)
  15. Tom Plance (Bath Rugby League)
  16. Richard O’Donnell (Southampton Spitfires)
  17. Henry Lyons (Bath Rugby League)
  18. Padhraic Comerford (Southampton Spitfires)
  19. Connor Tomley (Swindon St George)
  20. Rhys Evans (Cheltenham Phoenix)

South West Universities

  1. Josh Verity (University of Gloucestershire)
  2. Jack Ellis (University of Exeter)
  3. Errol Carter (University of Gloucestershire)
  4. Kyle Johns (Cardiff)
  5. Callum Merrett (University of Gloucestershire)
  6. Josh Frost (University of Gloucestershire)
  7. Ben Stead (University of Gloucestershire)
  8. Paul Bolger (University of Gloucestershire)
  9. Luke Stephens (University of Gloucestershire)
  10. Brandon Jones (University of Exeter)
  11. Alex Ford (University of Exeter)
  12. Harris Jones (University of Gloucestershire)
  13. James Mason (University of Gloucestershire)
  14. Callum Bradbury (University of Gloucestershire)
  15. Connor Whittall (University of Gloucestershire)
  16. Josh Graham (University of Exeter)
  17. Lewis McCracken (University of Gloucestershire)
  18. Dominic Brooke (University of Exeter)
  19. Alex Mayo (University of Bristol)
  20. Max Sangster (Cardiff Met)
  21. Lartey Laryea (University of Swansea)
  22. Sam Fraser (University of Bath)
  23. Luca Cericola (University of Bath)
  24. Jordan Smith (University of Bath)

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