Jersey RFC have confirmed plans to host one of the biggest names
in English rugby for a pre-season match in August.
Jersey and Leicester Tigers, who met for the first time at St
Peter in 2012, will lock horns again on Saturday August 24th in a
match sponsored by Ashburton.
Leicester have been the pre-eminent club side in the English
game in the past two decades, winning eight English Premiership
titles in that period, as well as back-to-back Heineken Cups in
2001 and 2002. They will contest the Aviva Premiership final
against Northampton this Saturday, and have six players who have
been selected in the British & Irish Lions squad for the summer
tour to Australia.
Last season's match, won 21-34 by Leicester in front of 4,500
spectators, preceded Jersey's entry to the RFU Championship for the
first time, and after surviving for a second attempt in 2013/14,
the Island side are eagerly looking forward to another crack at the
Tigers.
"Taking on Leicester 12 months ago was a terrific challenge for
our young squad, who were meeting such a high calibre of opponent
for the first time," said Jersey's Director of Rugby Ben Harvey.
"The match was an important part of pre-season and we're delighted
we've got another chance to measure ourselves against the
best."
Chairman Bill Dempsey added: "The first match with Tigers was a
terrific occasion and we received a great response from both the
Jersey public and a couple of hundred noisy visiting fans who came
over. It's fantastic that, thanks to the great support we've been
offered by Ashburton, that we have a return match with which to
kick off the new season."
Peter Bourne, Managing Director of sponsor Ashburton said: "As a
result of Ashburton's long-term relationship with Leicester Tigers,
sponsoring the ever-popular Tigers Rugby Camps for the past eight
years here in Jersey, we have again chosen to sponsor this summer's
pre-season match.
"Ashburton's small contribution to the development of rugby
excellence in Jersey over the years is something of which we are
proud. We hope to continue helping to develop the Island's young
players, from taking their first steps onto the pitch at the tender
age of seven through to the Colts, Elite Players Development Group
and ultimately into the First Team."
Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill said: "We
had a very enjoyable and worthwhile trip to Jersey last summer,
they are an ambitious club and showed tremendous spirit in
their first season in the Championship this year. As a
club we have a number of strong links with the Channel Islands and
we're delighted to be making a return trip there this summer.
"Every year we look to have a mixture of environments to play
our warm-up games and we have another good combination this
year.
"We have players joining the training schedule at different
times after their international tours, but everything is geared up
to being prepared for the start of the new Aviva Premiership season
in September.
Details of tickets for the match, and hospitality packages, will
be announced shortly.
