Saturday 08 May 2010

 On Sunday 9th May 2010 the West Country Cavaliers will make the short trip to Bradford-on-Avon RFC for the annual 7's tournament and beer festival, with the aim of defending the title won in 2009.  The organising team at Bradford-on-Avon, led by Karen Wilson, have attracted 20 men's teams from across the area who will compete in 4 groups of 5 teams before the Cup and Plate knock-outs.

As well as the West Country Cavaliers, other established local sides include the Godfathers, managed by Adam D'arcy-Wass, D7W, and also Chippenham RFC, who have enjoyed recent success on 2 consecutive weekends going into this tournament after wins at the Wootton Bassett 7's in April and the Bath Combination 7's last weekend.

The West Country Cavaliers have named a strong, experienced squad for the season opener, even with a number of regular Cavs missing out through club commitments and injury.  The side will be coached by John Gould and Chris Eames.  Captaining the side will be ex-Bath Rugby wing Jake Babb, supported in the role by Newbury Blues utility back Charles Perry.  It will be Babb's first opportunity of captaining the side and one that he is fully looking forward to.  Rumour is that he has even bought new white and gold boots for the occasion.  With regards to Perry, it is great to see him back in a Cavaliers shirt after suffering a broken ankle in a tackle with Mark Lee against the Army last Summer at the Newquay Surf 7's.

Other squad members include current Plymouth Albion winger Ben Mercer who will be making an appearance for the Cavs for the first time since 2008, and Huw Bevan, a Newbury Blues winger who represented Susies at Kinsale 7's last weekend, and faced Justin Marshall and Saracens on Thursday evening at the Rosslyn Park Floodlit 7's whilst playing for London Scottish.

Competing for the half-back spots will Pertemps Bees number 9 Sam Brown, former White Hart Marauder Rhidian McGuire, Zimbabwe-born Frome star Ryan Mee, and current Westcombe Park playmaker Lee Audis.  Joining Perry, Mercer and Bevan out wide will be Newbury Blues and former Samurai flier Chris Ridgers, who has scored a number of important tries in National Division 1 this season.

Joining Babb up front will be Ien Ascroft-Leigh, also of Newbury Blues, Nigel Francis, a solid, pacy player who has received international honours with the Wales Deaf team this season, and Brendan O'Mara, a former Avon RFC flanker or scrum-half who is keen to represent the Cavs in 2010.

West Country Cavaliers Squad for BoA 7's:

Ien Ascroft-Leigh (Newbury), Lee Audis (Westcombe Park), Jake Babb (c) (Frome), Huw Bevan (Newbury), Sam Brown (Pertemps Bees), Nigel Francis (Wales Deaf Team), Rhidian McGuire (Chippenham), Ryan Mee (Frome), Ben Mercer (Plymouth Albion), Brendan O'Mara (Avon), Charles Perry (VC) (Newbury), Chris Ridgers (Newbury)

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday...