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Mantella and Bright Named In Championship XV Squad

10th October 2014
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London Scottish duo Mark Bright and Miles Mantella have been included in the Championship XV squad to play Canada at Sixways Stadium next month.

Championship XV coaching team Martin Haag and Kevin Maggs revealed their team this morning ahead of the fixture on Sunday, November 2, 3.15pm kick-off.

The Championship XV concept has been reignited following its 2012 success against the Maori All Blacks.

The best English qualified XV from across the league face Canada at Sixways in a showpiece game highlighting the talent on offer in the second tier, providing a unique international experience for players and spectators alike.
 
“I'm very happy with the squad we've selected,” head coach Martin Haag said.

“We wanted to spread the load among all the clubs, so that everybody is represented.

“I'm delighted with what we've ended up with and very excited about the players we will have – it will be a great opportunity for them to test themselves against a national team”

Two London Scots claim spots among the league's top 10 try scorers, and both men are included in the Championship XV squad.
 
Back-row forward and Player of the Month nominee Mark Bright, who has scored back-to-back hat-tricks this season and sits top of the try-scoring table with nine, joins last season's Championship top try scorer Miles Mantella.

Bristol Rugby's Jack Tovey is named in the Championship XV at full back.

Tovey was initially named in the side to face the Maori All Blacks two years ago, but was unable to join the team after suffering an injury during a league game. 
 
Dougie Flockart is also included. He has been instrumental in Doncaster Knight's impressive return to the second tier, kicking 60 points and earning a Player of the Month nomination. Michael Keating completes the wing options, having proved vital in Rotherham's best season for 10 years during 2013/14.
 
Moseley provide two centres with both Greg King and Will Owen representing the Birmingham club. Owen joined Moseley from Newport Gwent Dragons in the summer and has since appeared in all five of the Birmingham side's opening fixtures, while King has been a first team regular since signing for the club in 2011.
 
Lawrence Rayner is Plymouth Albion's sole representative in the XV. He already has 61 points to his name and a spot at the top of the kicking table, so it is clear to see why Haag and Magg have included the fly half.
 
Former Albion man Dan Mugford will also join the Championship XV as a potential number 10, having signed for Nottingham Rugby ahead of the current season.
 
Completing the backs at scrum half are Tom Kessell and Ryan Glynn. Kessell will represent Cornish Pirates at Sixways on November 2, both as a club man and a proud Cornishman who started his career with the Penzance side back in 1995. 
 
Just a short trip from the West of Cornwall sits Jersey RFC, Glynn's new side after he joined the Islanders from Northampton Saints ahead of the current season.
 
“One of the things from the backs perspective is the age – we've picked a pretty young back-line,” said assistant coach Kevin Maggs, a former centre himself.

“For us it's about creating the space and giving these guys the opportunities to run. What excites me is that there is a lot of speed and a lot of talent in the back-line and that's always hard to defend against. The guys can also be quite physical which they will need to be to get over the gain line, so we're really excited with who we have chosen”.
 
In the forwards, Ryan Bower (Worcester Warriors) and Lee Imiolek (Yorkshire Carnegie) are named as loosehead options, while Tom Cruse (Rotherham Titans) and Charlie Clare (Bedford) will share the hooking responsibilities. Michael Holford of Nottingham Rugby occupies tight-head.
 
The entire front-row boasts Premiership experience aplenty, including spells at Leicester Tigers, London Wasps and Sale Sharks respectively.
 
Yorkshire Carnegie and Bedford Blues each claim two other players in the forwards, with Ryan Burrows and Nick Fenton-Wells joining their front-row team mates.
 
Bedford captain Fenton-Wells joined the Blues from Saracens over the summer and was named skipper ahead of the new campaign. He is joined by Burrows, who has made nearly 80 appearances during his four seasons at Yorkshire, scoring 70 points.
 
Bristol's Marco Mama completes the back-row personnel, having donned the Bristol shirt 89 times since joining the club as an Academy player in 2009, progressing through to a regular first choice flanker.
 
Finally, Cornish Pirate Darren Barry and Worcester's James Percival complete the Championship XV squad.
 
Having joined Cornish Pirates from Bristol Rugby in 2012, Barry has made 66 appearances for the Penzance side. He is joined by 19-stone Percival, a member of England U21's Six Nations Grand Slam victory back in 2004.

“There's a lot of size to that forward pack and quite a lot of experience as well which is great,” continued Haag.

“It's a big mobile pack, so it should fit in to the way we want to play, which is getting the ball from the set piece and bringing our big runners into the game.
 
“I'd just like to thank the directors of rugby and head coaches for their help with the availability of players and everything else.
 
“It's always a difficult time to let some of your best players go and everyone has been very good to us in terms of being very encouraging and very positive.”
 
Championship XV squad

Forwards

Charlie Clare (Bedford Blues)
Darren Barry (Cornish Pirates)
James Percival (Worcester Warriors)
Lee Imiolek (Yorkshire Carnegie)
Marco Mama (Bristol Rugby)
Mark Bright (London Scottish)
Michael Holford (Nottingham Rugby)
Nick Fenton-Wells (Bedford Blues)
Ryan Bower (Worcester Warriors)
Ryan Burrows (Yorkshire Carnegie)
Tom Cruse (Rotherham Titans)
 
Additional tight-head prop and second-row to be confirmed.
 
Backs

Dan Mugford (Nottingham Rugby)
Dougie Flockhart (Doncaster Knights)
Greg King (Moseley)
Jack Tovey (Bristol Rugby)
Lawrence Rayner (Plymouth Albion)
Michael Keating (Rotherham Titans)
Miles Mantella (London Scottish)
Ryan Glynn (Jersey RFC)
Tom Kessell (Cornish Pirates)
Will Owen (Moseley)
 
Note: Due to injuries, a number of Championship players are unavailable for selection.
 
Support your club players in the Championship XV v Canada fixture at Sixways on November 2.

Tickets are available online at www.warriors.co.uk, at the club's Box Office or calling by 01905 459309.

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