Friday 11 June 2010

Koru Kamikaze will use all 14 available spaces this weekend at Rugby Rocks as they pick a largely unknown quantity retaining only 6 players from their previous outing, the ULR7s in Bury. The other 8 members of the squad include 5 debutants and 3 players drawn from the Kamikaze Academy team, Up’N’Under Sevens.

The forward pack remains largely unchanged from Bury, retaining the Kent based trio of Carlton Littlechild and Kiwis Eddie Roche and Shaun Cooper. The team also secures the services of Captain Sam Showering, who has thus far turned down offers to play in the newly created UR7s National Series. Worthing No.8 Semisi Taulava will make his debut replacing Zane Winslade, who will be bolstering the ranks of Samurai International this weekend in the National Series. Semisi, who has made a massive impact in National League 2 this year, is set to join Championship side Rotherham Titans next season. Also unavailable are brothers Darren and Adam Clayton, from Plymouth Albion and Birmingham Bees respectively , who impressed for Kamikaze in Bury and in Amsterdam for Millfield Old Boys. Also absent is forward Jamie Sutton with a shoulder injury.

In contrast the back line contains only two players from Koru Kamikaze’s last outing at Bury and is comprised of mostly new, unseen talent. Tom Lawrence is rewarded for strong academy performances to join fellow Kiwi Stefan Cole at Scrumhalf. Greater Birmingham County Captain Aaron Higgins and former Leeds and current Newport Gwent Fly-half/Fullback Adam Greendale will join Blackheath's Martin Olima at fly half. Marc Bennett Jones will have a short lived return in the centre, the talented Welshman who has realistic ambitions to play for Wales will join former Kamikaze player Mikey Rust at National Series side Ronin Impact next week for the Bath leg of the tour. Joining Marc in the centre will be Westcliff's Elliot Harvey who is another player trialled in the academy set-up. Impressive IRB Series winger Kevin Mackenzie has returned home to Guyana for National trials and French 7s International wingman Silvere Giansen is still unavailable. Filling the void is former Blackheath wing Prince Moyo. Prince has spent the last two seasons in the rugby wilderness after visa restrictions forced the Zimbabwe born winger to lower level rugby. With this issue resolved Prince has already received trials at Saracens and Esher. Challenging Prince for the wing berth is former Moseley and Birmingham Bees flyer Luke Smith making his debut for the Rising Suns. Experienced campaigner Tom Allen of Rotherham Titans is unavailable this weekend, but is expected to return along with Jamie Sutton for next weeks West Country Sevens in Bath.


Team for Rugby Rocks:


Sam Showering (Capt.)

Carlton Littlechild (Vice)

Eddie Roche

Shaun Cooper

Semisi Taulava

Stefan Cole

Tom Lawrence

Martin Olima

Adam Greendale

Aaron Higgins

Marc Bennett-Jones

Elliot Harvey

Prince Moyo

Luke Smith


Coach: Stefan Smith