Four more players have been confirmed by Jersey Reds as the Greene King IPA Championship club continues to build for the 2017/18 season.
Four backs - Oli Bryant, Josh Hodson, Tom Pincus and Jason Worrall - make up the latest cluster of new faces who will be arriving on the Island next month in time for the start of pre-season training.
Fly-half Oli Bryant, 22, was born in Truro and played junior rugby for Redruth before joining Leicester Tigers at the age of 16. He has subsequently captained the Tigers' development side, made 1st team appearances in the Aviva Premiership and LV Cup, and spent time as a dual-registered player in the Championship with Rotherham Titans and Doncaster Knights. He was also a member of the England under 20 Junior World Cup squad in 2015 and has gained a sports science degree at Loughborough University.
Josh Hodson, 20, is a winger who was born in north-west London and attended Watford Grammar before moving to Llandovery College in west Wales. Qualified for Wales through his grandfather, he played for Wales under 18, Wales Development Sevens and for Llandovery in the Principality Premiership. This season he has played Championship rugby for London Welsh and in the LV Cup for Wasps.
Brisbane-born Tom Pincus has played for Queensland Country in the National Rugby Championship, the top level of the domestic game in Australia, and for the University of Queensland Red Heavies in the Queensland Premier Rugby league, twice finishing as the league's top scorer. Most recently he has featured in the equivalent league in New South Wales, the Shute Shield, playing for the Eastern Suburbs club in Sydney. The 24-year-old is primarily a winger but has played in most positions in the back-line during his career.
23-year-old full-back Jason Worrall grew up in Stellenbosch in South Africa and represented Western Province at u19 - when he was player of the year - and u21 levels, as well as being part of the South African u20 squad. He studied at Stellenbosch University for three years, graduating into the honours program in Management Accounting (CIMA) with distinctions in Accounting. He played for the University team, the Maties in the Varsity Cup.
Reds' Head Coach Harvey Biljon said he's looking forward to seeing the new signings in action next season.
"I believe there's going to be some real talent in our back-line as we approach the new campaign," he said. "Oli, Josh, Tom and Jason all have great ability and I expect them to be competing hard for places in our starting XV."
Jersey Reds have also confirmed a total of 18 players who are leaving the club this month at the conclusion of the 2016/17 season.
Harvey Biljon said: "It's the time of year for us to say farewell to a number of players. They are heading for a variety of destinations, some of which are already known and others not yet announced. All members of this season's squad have contributed to a successful year for the Reds, so I'd like to wish all those who won't be with us next season the best for the future. We'll be watching their fortunes with interest, and expect we'll see many of them again either as opponents or on trips back to the Island."
Those players confirmed as leaving the club are: Ross Adair, Joe Buckle, Nick Campbell, Jack Cuthbert, Sami Fisilau, James Freeman, Nick Haining, Gary Graham, Sam Katz, Simon Kerrod, Rich Lane, Sean McCarthy, James McKinney, Pierce Phillips, Lewis Robling, Nick Scott, Mark Tampin, George Watkins.
