Americas Players in B&I Cup – Round 3

The impeding demise of London Welsh has sent ripples through English rugby with the club announcing earlier in the week that it would be postponing their match against Doncaster Knights with a decision on their immediate future to be made by the courts on Monday. Despite hopes that they would be able to continue to field a team for the remainder of the season, the British & Irish Cup Organizing Committee has now made the extraordinary decision to disqualify the team from the remainder of the competition. The knock-on effect is that previous results against London Welsh have now been thrown out, with qualification for the knock-out stages now in disarray.

While the administrators now have their work cut out for them to sort out the mess, there are still a heap of games on the go this weekend and eight Americas players scattered among a handful of teams. US Eagles forward Cam Dolan led the Cardiff Blues Premiership Select side in their 16-10 loss to Ulster Ravens on Friday. Dolan was in line to be playing for the senior Blues squad against Bath in the Challenge Cup on Saturday but injuries forced Cardiff’s hand and with a strict limit on overseas players being enforced, it was the American who had to settle for a reserve grade fixture instead.

Saturday sees two surprise Argentine inclusions in Rotherham’s team to face Munster ‘A’. Juan Pablo Estelles has arrived on loan from Northampton Saints to start at outside centre, while Newcastle Falcons hooker Santiago Socino has also joined the squad as a loan player and will take up a spot on the bench.

Ciaran Hearn is back in the starting lineup, albeit on the wing for London Irish as they host Cornish Pirates at the Madejski on Sunday. The Pirates have opted to rest Hearn’s Canadian teammate Matt Evans but will start compatriot Brett Beukeboom at lock. Argentine midfielder Nicolás de Battista is also rested but not entirely as he takes up a reserve role.

Also on Sunday two more Americas players will be getting a rare outing for Richmond when they travel to play Nottingham. Canadian Tyler Hotson makes his 4th appearance in the second row while Argentine flanker Adam Lee is named in the team for the first time this season.