There’s invariably eager anticipation at the start of any rugby season, but doubly so for Jersey RFC and Head Coach Myles Landick as the club embarks on a first season playing at level five since competing in National 3 South East between 2008 and 2010.
Landick, who was a playing member of the squad during that era, said: “We’re really excited – this is where we wanted to get to when the amateur JRFC side entered the league system in 2022.
“The last couple months have gone past very quickly, and we know it’ll be tough, but we are ready and raring to go.
First opponents are Tunbridge Wells, who competed at the top end of Regional 1 South Central for much of last season before a disappointing conclusion to their campaign, which brought four defeats in their last six outings, saw them drop to fourth behind champions Havant, Camberley and London Welsh.
The hosts are one of eight teams in R1SC who Jersey have never faced in a competitive match. Ahead of the trip, Landick said: “I don’t know much about Tunbridge Wells, but have spoken to some other coaches and I know they’re a quality side – you aren’t up towards the top of a league like this without being able to play a bit.”
Having seen high numbers at training and with just a single pre-season outing for players to showcase their ability, selection has been difficult for Landick and his coaching team.
The resulting squad includes lots of familiar names from past campaigns, but also several debutants: former Jersey Reds pros Huw Owen and Dan Barnes are named at prop and centre respectively, while lock Cameron Keys is a former Tunbridge Wells player who moved to the Island earlier this year. New Zealander Gene Syminton played against Guernsey in the Siam Cup in May, and four months on the hooker will be making his first league appearance for JRFC.
Elsewhere there are two other former professionals lining up – skipper Scott Van Breda at fly-half and Jerry Sexton in the back row – but also a host of young players who have graduated through the JRFC Mini and Junior section.
Some regular faces from last season are missing. Skipper Evan Whitson sustained an injury in the pre-season win over Silhillians (a fellow level 5 team based in the Midlands), while Charlie Hubert and Tim Corson are both preoccupied with the recent (Charlie – congrats!) or imminent (Tim – good luck!) patter of tiny feet. Aaron Penberthy is training for an Iron Man contest, while Jack Macfarlane is away at a wedding.
Landick said: “Hopefully we will see several of those who aren’t playing this weekend back later in the season – that would make selection even harder.”
The match is also the first in a competitive game for Landick’s new-look coaching unit, with Barnes and Van Breda working as player-coaches alongside former players Dan Hawkes and Guy Thompson, while both Sexton and Owen have also provided specialist input covering the lineout and scrum respectively.
“The coaching team we have is amazing and I think that’s one reason why we’ve had such good numbers in training,” Landick said.
JRFC (15-9, 1-8): Mark Boarer; Bevan Biggs, Nathan Rogers, Dan Barnes, Tom Bulfin; Scott Van Breda (capt), Max Harrington; Huw Owen, Gene Syminton. Tom Wilson. Cameron Keys. Euan Spencer, Jerry Sexton, Tom Tilstone, George Willmott. Replacements: Jake Bates, Nathan Thomas, Jacques de la Bat
The league season will start with back-to-back away games for JRFC’s Men, who will visit Hammersmith and Fulham on Saturday September 14th, while the following day JRFC Women will play their opening league game in NC 1 when they travel to Pulborough. Then it’ll be home openers at CoinShares Park the following weekend, with the guys taking on Brighton at 3pm on Saturday September 21st and the gals hosting Tonbridge Juddians the following day at 11am.
Landick, who was a playing member of the squad during that era, said: “We’re really excited – this is where we wanted to get to when the amateur JRFC side entered the league system in 2022.
“The last couple months have gone past very quickly, and we know it’ll be tough, but we are ready and raring to go.
First opponents are Tunbridge Wells, who competed at the top end of Regional 1 South Central for much of last season before a disappointing conclusion to their campaign, which brought four defeats in their last six outings, saw them drop to fourth behind champions Havant, Camberley and London Welsh.
The hosts are one of eight teams in R1SC who Jersey have never faced in a competitive match. Ahead of the trip, Landick said: “I don’t know much about Tunbridge Wells, but have spoken to some other coaches and I know they’re a quality side – you aren’t up towards the top of a league like this without being able to play a bit.”
Having seen high numbers at training and with just a single pre-season outing for players to showcase their ability, selection has been difficult for Landick and his coaching team.
The resulting squad includes lots of familiar names from past campaigns, but also several debutants: former Jersey Reds pros Huw Owen and Dan Barnes are named at prop and centre respectively, while lock Cameron Keys is a former Tunbridge Wells player who moved to the Island earlier this year. New Zealander Gene Syminton played against Guernsey in the Siam Cup in May, and four months on the hooker will be making his first league appearance for JRFC.
Elsewhere there are two other former professionals lining up – skipper Scott Van Breda at fly-half and Jerry Sexton in the back row – but also a host of young players who have graduated through the JRFC Mini and Junior section.
Some regular faces from last season are missing. Skipper Evan Whitson sustained an injury in the pre-season win over Silhillians (a fellow level 5 team based in the Midlands), while Charlie Hubert and Tim Corson are both preoccupied with the recent (Charlie – congrats!) or imminent (Tim – good luck!) patter of tiny feet. Aaron Penberthy is training for an Iron Man contest, while Jack Macfarlane is away at a wedding.
Landick said: “Hopefully we will see several of those who aren’t playing this weekend back later in the season – that would make selection even harder.”
The match is also the first in a competitive game for Landick’s new-look coaching unit, with Barnes and Van Breda working as player-coaches alongside former players Dan Hawkes and Guy Thompson, while both Sexton and Owen have also provided specialist input covering the lineout and scrum respectively.
“The coaching team we have is amazing and I think that’s one reason why we’ve had such good numbers in training,” Landick said.
JRFC (15-9, 1-8): Mark Boarer; Bevan Biggs, Nathan Rogers, Dan Barnes, Tom Bulfin; Scott Van Breda (capt), Max Harrington; Huw Owen, Gene Syminton. Tom Wilson. Cameron Keys. Euan Spencer, Jerry Sexton, Tom Tilstone, George Willmott. Replacements: Jake Bates, Nathan Thomas, Jacques de la Bat
The league season will start with back-to-back away games for JRFC’s Men, who will visit Hammersmith and Fulham on Saturday September 14th, while the following day JRFC Women will play their opening league game in NC 1 when they travel to Pulborough. Then it’ll be home openers at CoinShares Park the following weekend, with the guys taking on Brighton at 3pm on Saturday September 21st and the gals hosting Tonbridge Juddians the following day at 11am.
