The ISRFC Lambs have named their side for their second game of the season, against Crawshays Welsh XV.

The game takes place at USK RFC in Wales a 12pm on Sunday. Much like the Lambs’ recent games against the Irish Exiles, games against Crawshays have tended to be incredibly close. Last year the Lambs won 21-20 in a thriller at Ealing Trailfinders.

They will be hoping to be able to repeat the feat on Sunday, and having won a thriller against Irish Exiles last week, 27-25, they will be full of confidence ahead of this weekend’s game.

There are five players in the starting XV that started that game against the Exiles. Matt Harris (Berkhamsted) keeps his place at number 8 and captains the side. James Peachey of Stamford also retains his place and will run the backline from inside centre. His partner in the centres last week has Joshua Hart of Denstone College. Hart stays in the team but moves to the right wing, with Jack Garvin coming in for his debut at outside centre.

There rest of the back three remains the same, with Uppingham’s Milo Linney on the left win and Queen Ethelburga’s Henry Wright at full back.

There is a new half back pairing with Durham’s Sam Newton and King’s College Taunton’s Tom Pittman taking on starting roles after coming off the bench against the Irish Exiles.

In the pack Trinity’s Thomas Petty, Denstone College’s Tommie Collingwood, and Felsted’s Hugo Brown all start in the front row having come off the bench last week.

The skipper’s, Harris, schoolmate George Carter starts in the second row having been on the bench last week, he is joined by new cap Ben Waddington of Woodhouse Grove.

Joining Harris in the back row is Waddington’s Woodhouse Grove schoolmate Louis Fraser. Fraser actually played for the Lambs last year and started in that win over Crawshays at Ealing. He will add valuable experience to the team from the blindside flank, with Royal Hospital School’s Cedric Hoskyns-Abrahall completes the pack at openside flanker.

The bench includes three of last week’s starters, half backs Tobias Allday and Elliot Adamson from Royal Hospital School and Pocklington, as well as second row Jack Rye of Felsted, who also forms a part of the leadership group. Alexander Zenda, Charlie Agbo, ,Will Bird, Guy Whittaker, Sam Howell, and George Finney could all make their debuts from the bench.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s fixture, Lambs National Director Alex Laybourne said:

“Much like the Irish Exiles game, this fixture against Crawshay’s Welsh is always a classic. They are a strong side who will put us under a lot of pressure as we attempt to play our brand of rugby. It is earlier in the season than normal to be playing them and we are in Wales, and those are factors that the squad will need to challenge head on to be successful on Sunday.”

“This week we have rotated the squad as normal and welcome a host of players making their first appearance for the Lambs. With a blend of some players making their second appearance I am confident they will come together quickly, led by Matt Harris (Berkhamsted) who was outstanding last week, and with Jack Rye (Felsted) and James Peachey (Stamford) from the leadership team also playing again this week.”

ISRFC Lambs v Crawshays Welsh – Sunday 5^th February, 12.00pm, USK RFC