TEAM NEWS Devon starting XV to face Somerset
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 05 May 2016 15:51
- Published on Thursday, 05 May 2016 15:11
Devon kick off their Bill Beaumont Cup Division Two South county championship campaign on Saturday when they host Somerset at Teignmouth RFC 1500.
The Green and Whites, who reached six Twickenham finals between 2000 and 2008, are seeking a county rugby top flight return after suffering relegation in 2010.
Devon's squad this year is built around the five Devon clubs playing in National Three South West this season, champions Exmouth RFC, promoted runners-up Barnstaple RFC, Brixham RFC, Ivybridge RFC and Newton Abbot's Devon All Whites.
All five clubs have representatives on the coaching staff and players in the squad.
One of Devon’s coaches, Exmouth head coach Jon Hill said: “I think there is a lot of excitement within the squad and within the National Three clubs who have committed to driving Devon forward.
“There’s a lot of guys coming together but you can see the camaraderie because they have played against each other.
“I would like to think we can be very competitive this weekend, albeit we are going into the unknown as we have no idea who is playing for Somerset.”
Hill added: “We have had two warm-up games (against the Royal Navy and Cornwall) and although we have lost them both there was an element where we had thrown together a side.
“I think what you will see now is some of the better and stronger players who weren’t necessarily available for those games for whatever reason coming together with the stronger players from those two fixtures.
“It is about harnessing team spirit and there is some real good leadership qualities within that squad that could pull this team through, but time will tell.”
Saturday is Devon’s only home match of their 2016 campaign. Their second match will be next weekend against North Midlands at Dudley Kingswinford RFC and their final fixture will against Kent at Medway RFC on May 21.
Devon starting XV Dan Powell (Exmouth RFC)
14 Will Topps (Barnstaple RFC)
13 Lewis Paterson (Ivybridge RFC)
12 Mark Wathes (Exmouth RFC)
11 Ollie Rice (Exmouth RFC)
10 Steve Perry (Barnstaple RFC)
9 Jordan Petherbridge (Barnstaple RFC)
1 Isaac Dalton (Exmouth RFC)
2 Dean Avery (Newton Abbot RFC)
3 Matt Dowrick (Newton Abbot RFC)
4 Adam Thomas (Brixham RFC, capt)
5 Jack Fahy (Exmouth RFC)
6 Dan Williams (Torquay RFC)
7 Wayne Sprangle (Tiverton RFC)
8 Sam Thomas (Brixham RFC)
Ready on the bench Chey Bryce (Brixham RFC) Nigel Berry (Exmouth RFC) Dom Loomes (Ivybridge RFC) Alex Smith (Newton Abbot RFC) James Harris (Exmouth RFC) Dean Squire (Brixham RFC) George Meadows (Exmouth RFC)
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