Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
In what is surely a first in professional rugby, two Canadian internationals will captain their clubs against each other in the first round of the British & Irish Cup this Saturday at Mennaye Field in Penzance. Richard Thorpe runs out for the first time since the World Cup to lead London Welsh, while on the other side Matt Evans will skipper Cornish Pirates.
Two other World Cup Canucks take part for the Pirates, with Brett Beukeboom starting in the second row and Aaron Carpenter returning from concussion to find a spot as a back row reserve. Chilean prop Francisco Deformes is on their books as well but does not take part. Meanwhile US Eagles centre Thretton Palamo gets his second consecutive start for Welsh to give the match extra Americas flavour.
Though both clubs normally compete against each other in the Greene King IPA Championship, this match is part of the British & Irish Cup, a competition comprised of the second division of English professional rugby as well as the reserve sides of Guinness Pro 12 teams Leinster, Ulster, Munster, Connacht, Scarlets, Dragons, Blues, and Ospreys.
CORNISH PIRATES
1 Marlen Walker 2 Tom Channon 3 Adam Jamieson 4 Will Graulich 5 Brett Beukeboom 6 Matt Bolwell 7 Joe Atkinson 8 Tom Duncan 9 Alex Day 10 Laurence May 11 Craig Holland 12 Tom Hendrickson 13 Max Bodilly 14 Jack Arnott 15 Matt Evans (capt.)
16 Jack Innard 17 Tyler Gendall 18 John Stevens 19 Aaron Carpenter 20 Jack Oulton 21 Will Cargill 22 Rob Coote
LONDON WELSH
1 Ricky Reeves 2 Nathan Morris 3 Eddie Aholelei 4 Brendon Snyman 5 Ben West 6 Richard Thorpe (capt.) 7 Jesse Liston 8 Will Skuse 9 Josh Davies 10 Will Robinson 11 Alan Awcock 12 Thretton Palamo 13 James Lewis 14 Guy Armitage 15 Martyn Thomas
16 Koree Britton 17 Nathan Trevett 18 Ben Cooper 19 Josh McNally 20 Ben Pienaar 21 Rob Lewis 22 Olly Barkley
