32 - 18

18 - 49

35 - 10

27 - 22

34 - 24

47 - 32

30 - 33

19 - 22

14 - 0

29 - 20

11 - 10

20 - 15

29 - 10

24 - 54

21 - 17

56 - 25

21 - 27

24 - 7

20 - 17

23 - 22

15 - 40

28 - 10

20 - 12

3 - 13

Today

09:00

Today

09:00

Today

14:05

Jersey unveil 7 more signings, including an Aussie rules convert, an ex-Super Rugby No9 and a recent RWC player

By Liam Heagney

13 Jun 2020

(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Aussie rules convert Kurt Heatherley, ex-Brumbies scrum-half Michael Dowsett and Namibian World Cup utility back Lesley Klim are among the seven latest signings confirmed by Harvey Biljon at Jersey for the 2020/21 Championship season, bringing to 15 the number of new additions announced by the second-tier English club this week.

Eight forwards were unveiled earlier this week, new pack coach Rob Webber, the ex-England and Sale hooker, influential in bringing hooker George Edgson (Doncaster), props Ollie Dawe (Bristol), Jack Higgins (Plymouth) and Ciaran Parker (Munster), locks Zak Farrance (Oyonnax), Shay Kerry (Ampthill) and Sean O’Connor (Munster) along with back row Lewis Wynne (London Scottish) to the club.

Now director of rugby Biljon has added seven backs to list of Jersey newcomers with the hope of improving the potency of a side that finished sixth last season, the Reds winning six of their 14 matches before the Championship campaign was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.

RugbyPass brings you Away Days, a day on the terraces at Kingsholm, home of Gloucester in the English Premiership

Twenty-eight-year-old Dowsett arrives as an experienced No9 having made 22 Super Rugby appearances for the Brumbies across three seasons before switching to Worcester in 2016 and spending the last two years in Japan with Canon Eagles.

James Elliott is a 21-year-old who gained Championship exposure last season at Yorkshire Carnegie while Sam Leeming is a 22-year-old out-half who was recently at Bedford.

Hear what Harvey has to say about the four new signings announced today, thanks to @JerseyRedsTV – https://t.co/NYpiYfFKiE ???
— Jersey Reds (@JerseyRedsRugby) June 13, 2020

Further across the backline, Jersey have recruited Klim, Jack Roberts, Ryan Hutler and Heatherley. Klim, a 25-year-old who was at Ospreys, made appearances at the 2019 World Cup in Japan. Roberts is a 28-year-old Welshman who spent three years at Leicester before stints at Cardiff Blues and Doncaster Knights.

Twenty-two-year-old Hutler has signed from Bedford while New Zealand-born Heatherley forged a professional career in Australian rules with Hawthorn in Melbourne before switching codes and playing rugby in last year’s Mitre Cup with Auckland.

Jersey boss Biljon told the club website: “Michael is a really great acquisition for the club who brings a lot of experience, but still has a great deal to offer. Sam has impressed me when we have played Hartpury and Bedford in recent seasons, while James is at an early stage of his career but I believe has the skill set and attitude to grow as a player at this level.

“Lesley and Jack are both experienced players who have the potential to become key parts of our squad – supporters will be excited to see them in action, as well as Kurt’s aerial skills and Ryan’s proven ability as a try-scorer.”

“I hope we all get some external help because I would hate… it would be disastrous for the game if we lost clubs" @CoventryRugby boss @njperformanceuk fears the worst – writes @heagneyl ???https://t.co/W0CU4euLRu
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 29, 2020

LIVE

Comments

0 Comments

Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Latest Features

LONG READ

'Springbok Galacticos can't go it alone for trophy-hunting Sharks'

Lesser known names must step up if the franchise is to fulfil its aim of winning the URC and Champions Cup this season.

LONG READ

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Enforced rotation, poor results, and logistical and political issues have raised questions over the viability of South African Champions Cup involvements.

LONG READ

Return of 30-something brigade provides welcome tonic for Wales

The enduring class of Taulupe Faletau, Liam Williams and Josh Adams on their returns gives Wales hope after a wretched year.

Comments on RugbyPass

GrahamVF 7 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 8 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 12 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 16 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 20 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 21 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Of course not Nick 😉

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 25 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

We have our own theories about The Sharks. Plumtree is a good coach but he has not done anywhere near the best he could with the talent and money he has at his disposal and it doesn't help to have a marquee director of rugby who has spent by far the majority of his career playing and coaching sevens.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 30 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Don't worry - you'll win again soon then you'll feel a lot better. Right now get on with your SH comps and we'll get on with being barely the best in the world.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 33 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

JW you really have no idea of how Africa works. It will take generations not decades no matter how much SA puts into it. The poverty in Africa is something that is obviously beyond your understanding. Do you think the governments of impoverished nations are going to watch happily as rugby pours massive investments into infrastructure to promote what is essentially a white western game? And SA was trying hard to develop the game in Africa until the African vote blocked our "23 bid after the independent consultants to the RFU voted unanimously for SA? The Confederation of African Rugby virtually excluded South Africa.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 43 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Nick, our association with Argentina Rugby runs very long and deep. We are exploring reciprocal two/three test tours in the future - and even more games at neutral venues such as in Europe where a lot of both teams have players anyway.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 46 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.

"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"

After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.

It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I think this debate is avoiding the elephant in the room. Money. According to the URC chief executive Martin Anayi, the inclusion of SA teams has doubled the income of the URC. There is no doubt that the SA teams benefit from the URC but so do the other countries' teams. Perhaps it doesn't affect a club like Leinster but the less well off clubs benefit hugely from South African games' TV income. I don't think SA continued inclusion in the URC is a slam dunk. They don't hold all the cards by a long way - but they do have an ace in the hole. The Ace of Diamonds.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

How Wallace Sititi humbly reacted to All Blacks Player of the Year honour