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Jebb Sinclair will make his first start of the season for London Irish as they face the Jersey Reds in the British & Irish Cup Semi Final at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday. The 30-year-old Canadian forward runs out at lock having made a try-scoring impact as a replacement against Yorkshire Carnegie in his return from long-term injury earlier this month. Also starting for Irish is fellow East Coaster Ciaran Hearn who is named at his preferred position of outside centre.
The pair will be tasked with seeking redemption in the rematch against Jersey Reds, who handed Irish their first Greene King IPA Championship defeat of the season at St. Peter just a week ago by a score of 15-11. It was just the second loss across all competitions for the Exiles, with an immediate return to the Aviva Premiership all but written in stone pending the results of the Championship knock-out rounds.
While undoubtedly more challenging opponents on their Channel Island home turf, Jersey should prove tricky with four of their starting pack already committed to Premiership contracts next season and two full internationals in Tongan Apakuki Ma’afu and one-time Scotland cap Jack Cuthbert in the backs. The winner of the match will go on to play Munster ‘A’ in the Cup Final on April 22 after the Irish province defeated Ealing Trailfinders on Friday evening.
LONDON IRISH
1 Harry Elrington, 2 Todd Gleave, 3 Oli Hoskins, 4 Will Lloyd, 5 Jebb Sinclair, 6 Jerry Sexton, 7 Conor Gilsenan (capt.), 8 Senitiki Nayalo, 9 Darren Allinson, 10 Theo Brophy-Clews, 11 Tom Parton, 12 Ross Neal, 13 Ciaran Hearn, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 15 Greig Tonks
Replacements: 16 Gerard Ellis, 17 Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, 18 Josh McNally, 19 Luke Narraway, 20 Brendan McKibbin, 21 Jacob Atkins, 22 Ben Ransom
JERSEY REDS
1 Jake Woolmore, 2 Joe Buckle, 3 Simon Kerrod, 4 Pierce Phillips, 5 Dave McKern, 6 James Freeman (capt.), 7 Gary Graham, 8 Nick Haining, 9 Kieran Hardy, 10 Callum Sheedy, 11 Nick Scott, 12 Apakuki Ma’afu, 13 Jordan Davies, 14 George Watkins, 15 Jack Cuthbert
Replacements: 16 Sean McCarthy, 17 Nick Selway, 18 Jake Armstrong, 19 Uili Kolo’ofa’i, 20 Max Argyle, 21 Joel Dudley, 22 George Eastwell
