photo credit: Lissy Tomlinson / Ealing Trailfinders

British & Irish Cup – Semi Finals Preview

A pair of North American international goal kickers will go head-to-head on Saturday as Ealing Trailfinders host Bedford Blues in the British & Irish Cup Semi Final at Vallis Way.

Canada’s Shane O’Leary will line up for the home side as he winds down his time with the club before moving to Nottingham next season. On the other side of the pitch will be new Eagles cap Will Hooley, who will stay at Bedford after re-signing last month.

The Blues will be missing Canadian flanker Justin Blanchet, who isn’t fit to partake. They do have another Americas link in reserve prop Camilo Parilli-Ocampo. Born in London to South American parents, he spent time living in both Venezuela and Colombia as a youth before returning to England at the age of 10.

Other notables taking part include England Sevens veteran Mark Bright, who will lead out the Trailfinders, while former England XVs international Lee Dickson will partner Hooley in Bedford’s halfbacks. A number of players also boast Premiership experience such as former Northampton and England Saxons forward Sam Dickson and long-time Wasps hooker Tom Lindsay.

The other Semi Final will take place on the Channel Island of Jersey where the Reds host Leinster ‘A’.

EALING TRAILFINDERS
1 James Gibbons, 2 Alun Walker, 3 Lewis Thiede, 4 Sam Dickinson, 5 Harry Casson, 6 Dan Temm, 7 Rayn Smid, 8 Mark Bright (capt.), 9 Luke Carter, 10 Shane O’Leary, 11 James Cordy-Redden, 12 Joe Munro, 13 Piers O’Conor, 14 Seb Stegmann, 15 Luke Daniels

Replacements: 16 Rhys Lawrence, 17 Will Davis, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 Llewelyn Jones, 20 Ollie Curry, 21, Dan Grant-Adamson, 22 Peter Lydon

BEDFORD BLUES
1 Sean McCarthy, 2 Tom Lindsay, 3 Ben Cooper, 4 Jordan Onojaife, 5 Will Carrick-Smith, 6 Alex Rae, 7 Josh Buggea, 8 Huw Worthington, 9 Lee Dickson, 10 Will Hooley, 11 Dean Adamson, 12 Michael Le Bourgeois (capt.), 13 Rory Hutchinson, 14 Howard Packman, 15 Richard Lane

Replacements: 16 George Edgson, 17 Camilo Parilli-Ocampo, 18 Alex Penny, 19 Ed Taylor, 20 Ben Adams, 21 Jordan Burns, 22 Harry Sheppard

About Americas Rugby News

Formally created in June 2015, this website's goal is to increase media exposure of the Tier 2 rugby nations, and create a hub with a focus on the stories of rugby in the Americas - North, Central and South.

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