NO. 8 Willo Bicknell skippers Rams as they travel to Super Rygbi Cymru outfit Aberavon for the Berkshire Boys’ second pre-season friendly tomorrow (2.30pm).
Last season’s Players’ Player of the Year grabbed an opening-game try in the 40-14 home victory against Clifton last Saturday, blind-side flanker Aaron Tull also dotting down.
Mikey Duda completes the back row trio at The Talbot Athletic Ground.
Teenager Paddy Jackson and summer recruit Shay Sainsbury are in the engine room for the trip to Wales.
And experienced props Ant Marris, along with Irishman Ryan Lomas, complete the front row with Harry Bicknell at hooker.
Ed Hoadley and another off-season signing, Ross McKay, are the half-backs – the latter’s booming boot catching the eye six days ago.
Blee debuts as Axel returns
Ellis Jones returns to his home nation off the back of a hard-carrying display versus Clifton, joined in midfield by Army debutant Matt Blee.
Axel Kalling-Smith is back with Connor Burns on the left wing, while Darren Atkins dazzled on debut last week and switched from No. 10 to full-back against The Wizards.
A large Rams squad features 15 replacements, starting with Berkshire Under 20s hooker Will Spain.
JJ Wozniak is loose-head prop cover, with the explosive Sam Stirling and Rams’ record cap-holder James Baker ready for action on the other side of the scrum.
Young second rows Seb Burgess – a try-scorer last time out – and electric line-out jumper Will Saunders will look to make an impact from the bench.
Two more off-season recruits, German international Johnny Ireland and former Scotland Under 20 Ollie Stirling will also look to push for a starting place in the National One opener against Sale on Saturday, September 5.
New No. 9s ready to go
Scrum-halves Matt Wickham and Epsom College graduate Arthur Garfield – back in his homeland – will look to do the same.
Last term’s top points-scorer Mike Cooke provided a second play-maker option at full back last week, and also covers fly-half.
Elsewhere Isaac Tokura is a big ball-carrying presence in midfield, Canada Sevens man Henry Kirwan and former Mini Theo Pett-Ridge both capable of playing at centre or in the back three.
Recent Bath University alumni and local south Oxfordshire border resident Oli Sedgwick rounds out the squad having shown flashes of quality on the wing against Clifton.
Entry for tomorrow’s game is £5 and we look forward to seeing the Ramily enjoy a first away game of the season.
Rams @ Aberavon
(15-9, 1-8) Atkins, Kalling-Smith, Blee, Jones, Burns, McKay, Hoadley; Marris, H Bicknell, Lomas, Jackson, Sainsbury, Tull, Duda, W Bicknell ©
Replacements: Spain*, S Stirling*, Wozniak*, Baker*, Burgess, Saunders, Ireland, O Stirling; Pett-Ridge, Sedgwick, Kirwan, Tokura, Cooke, Wickham, Garfield
