Ex-Files Volume III

Sad news in the Championship as Ollie Dodge has suffered a broken leg as his Bedford side went down away to James Grindal’s Bristol, Greg Gillanders and Phil Boulton also featured for the Blues.  Elsewhere loanee Kieran Brookes made a victorious debut for Doncaster alongside Dante Mama, Will Simpson and Jethro Rawling as they overcome Moseley despite 2 tries from Ben Pienaar.  No fewer than 7 ex-Tigers featured for Notts in their victory away to Plymouth, not including the on loan pair of Alex Lewington and Jonny Harris, Joe Cobden grabbed his third try of the campaign.  Diccon Edwards's Leeds side went down 21-8 against the Cornish Pirates, Callum Green played 60 minutes.

Dean Richards and John Wells have lead to Newcastle to yet another bonus point win, their 6 maximum out of 7, this time downing crisis stricken Rotherham 33-0 on a snow swept Kingston Park on Friday night, Jon Golding started at prop.

One league down sees Ollie Smith’s Esher sitting 4^th, already ten points off the promotion spot occupied by Ealing, after a 19-12 victory at home to Cinderford.  Charlie Walker has played 4 games, scoring twice, in their promotion push.  Luke Myring was sin binned and Ben Toft bagged a try as Coventry lost away to Fylde, Alex Loney propped for the home side.  Joe Atkinson played for Scott Bemand’s Loughborough Students side that was not at the races as they lost to Blaydon.  Rob Conquest started and Michael Gillick featured from the bench as Cambridge lost to Blackheath at Rectory Field.

In the lower leagues, in National 2 North Will Hurrell has scored 6 tries in 8 games whilst elder brother Rob Hurrell has featured in 7 as Stourbridge continue the season unbeaten.  Meanwhile Estonian international Luke Veeble has dotted down once in 6 appearances for Leicester Lions alongside Marc Howgate.

In Japan Ben Herring’s NEC Green Rockets have had a tough start to the season losing 6 out of their first 8 and all four since our last update to leave them in 11^th.  Alex Tuilagi has had a better season scoring a try against the Canon Eagles and starting three of the last four matches which have seen NTT Shining Arcs go on an unbeaten run to reach 6^th in the Top League, he has also been called up for Samoa’s Autumn Internationals squad.

In Pro D2, France, Ayoola Erinle has featured twice more on the wing for Carcassone without troubling the scorers.  Cristophe Lassuacq’s Stade Francais had a topsy turvy win over Toulouse at the Stade de France, putting them 10^th with 19 points from 9 games.  Ephraim Taukafa made his first top tier appearance since playing for Tigers against Newcastle in February 2006 as Mont du Marsan played Stade at the start of the month, this weekend he started against Bordeaux-Begles though Mont du Marsan continue their winless run now at 10 matches.  In Italy’s Ecellenza David Young featured for Lazio in a losing effort, whilst Lee Robinson missed out as L’Aquilla lost their 4^th straight match.

Michael Horak the defence coach of the Orange Free State Cheetahs will be happy as they won the first leg of their relegation play off 53-14 against the Eastern Province Kings.  Down in New Zealand Aaron Mauger is another victorious coach as his Canterbury back line won the ITM Cup, previously the National Provincial Championship, 31-18 against eternal rivals Auckland.  Daryl Gibson has resigned his position of Crusaders backs coach, which Mauger is favourite to fill, and will now concentrate on coaching the New Zealand Maori on their forthcoming European tour.   In the Americas Rugby Championship Seb Pearson has made his Canada A debut, though he has missed out on selection for their November tour to Europe.

It’s been a busy week in the Premiership for the Ex-Tigers, headlines include Dan Hipkiss getting sent off against Exeter and Tom Varndell grabbing a brace of tries for Wasps.  Marco Wentzel was captain as Wasps beat London Welsh, with Varndell contributing two of the tries.  On Friday night Andy Goode bagged 19 points (1 try, 2 conversions, 3 penalties) as Worcester beat winless Sale.  Whilst at Bath along with Hipkiss’s red card Ignacio Meires came off the bench to grab a try and conversion for Exeter; Chris Whitehead also featured for the Chiefs as Sam Vesty came off the bench for Bath.  At Franklyn’s Garden Paul Gustard and his Sarries charges beat Dorian West’s Northampton 16-6, the try coming from Alex Goode.

In the Rabo Direct Pro 12 Andy Tuilagi scored a consolation try as Newport were thrashed 46-19 at home by a rampant Ulster side; Ian Nimmo featured from the bench for Newport.  Greig Tonks and his Edinburgh side also lost at home, conceding a 79^th minute penalty to Llanelli.  Johne Murphy made his first appearance of the season from the bench as Munster took the bonus point win at home to Zebre.  Tom Ryder started as Glasgow won away to Treviso 24-13.  Leo Cullen played the first half as Leinster romped to a 9 try thrashing of Cardiff at the RDS, 59-22 was the final score as Cardiff managed 3 tries of their won.