Young Exiles To Play Schools Barbarians
The Exiles will open the New Year with an U19 fixture v. the Independent Schools Barbarians on Sunday 6 January. The game will be played at Harrow School, kick-off 2.30 p.m.
The Independent Schools Barbarians was the brain-child of Roger Uttley OBE, the former British & Irish Lion, who – with like-minded individuals – decided that the route to representative rugby for many young players was being limited to those who were going through the RFU Academy system and was not necessarily conducive to those who wanted to ensure the balance of quality rugby and concomitant A level success at school.
After a launch last season, a North vs. South trial match has been held and the Exiles have been honoured to be invited to be the first opponents of the new organisation.
The Exiles squad has a solid core of last season’s U18 players, and will include Ireland Clubs U18 internationals hooker Joe MacManus, flanker Sean Dougall, No.8 Seamus McKimm, scrum-half Charlie Mulchrone, out-half Elliott O’Brien & centre Matt Keville. New recruits continue to be added, e.g. the Stonyhurst pair – centre Phil Leonard and flanker Patrick Clancy – and the Epsom College lock Max Eden.