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The Greene King IPA Championship also gets underway this weekend as a dozen teams begin their quest for promotion to the Aviva Premiership. A significant change in the off-season has seen the troublesome playoff system dispensed with entirely and final league standings now the only barometer of success. While this gives more weight to each fixture, it also means that the clubs have their work cut out for them if they hope to stop the relegated Bristol from taking the top spot at a canter.
Saturday will see some high quality Americas exports making their Championship debuts. US Eagles flanker Andrew Durutalo starts on the openside for Ealing Trailfinders against Cornish Pirates, with another club newcomer, Canadian prop Djustice Sears-Duru, on the bench. Pirates will have only one of their four Americas players in the lineup but it’s a significant one as Nicolás de Battista is named captain for the first time.
A third debutante is Canada’s Kyle Baillie, who will have to wait patiently for his London Scottish bow as he is named among the replacements for the match against Yorkshire Carnegie. His countryman Aaron Carpenter wears the No 8 jersey for Doncaster Knights when they travel to St. Peter in a tough road match against Jersey Reds.
One-time Eagles cap Ronnie McLean is the only other Americas player on duty as he starts in the Richmond midfield against Bedford Blues. There is no sign of Tyler Hotson, Richard Townsend, or Adam Lee in the Richmond side while Justin Blanchet is absent from the Blues lineup.
Sunday’s matches will see Rotherham Titans face off against Nottingham, while the biggest miss-match of the weekend has a star-studded Bristol team welcome Hartpury to the professional ranks at Ashton Gate. Former UBC Thunderbirds forward Sam Jeffries starts at lock with All Blacks loose forward Steven Luatua on the flank. Irish international Ian Madigan is at flyhalf with Australian flyer Luke Morahan on the wing.
