Jersey Reds bolster squad with new signings

July 30, 2019
3365
Ultimate Rugby

Jersey Reds have added two more forwards to their squad ahead of the 2019/20 season, as well as naming the captain for the forthcoming campaign.

Second row Sam Offer and prop James Wayland, both of whom hail from Australia, have arrived at Stade Santander International and joined their new team-mates in preparing for the forthcoming campaign in the Championship.

Offer, 22, was born in Perth, Western Australia, where he attended Wesley College. He represented Western Force Under 20s from 2015 to 2017, as well as playing for Nedlands in the WA Premier. He moved to Europe in 2018 and spent a season as part of the academy squad at French ProD2 club US Carcassonne.

21-year-old Wayland was born in Sydney and played for Southern Districts in the Shute Shield from 2017 until he made the move to Jersey earlier this month. A keen all-round sportsman, he has also played baseball and rugby league.

The newcomers take the total of new signings so far for the Reds to 12, alongside 24 players from last season retained for 2019-20.

Apakuki Ma’afu, about to embark on his fourth season as a Red, has been chosen as the new captain for the new season.

The new captain will be assisted by Roy Godfrey and Max Argyle as vice-captains, and paid tribute to last year’s captain Godfrey.

The 24 Reds players who signed new deals, or whose existing contracts already extended into 2019/20, are:

Jack Macfarlane (hooker - joined the Reds in 2016)
Charlie Maddison (hooker - 2018)
Leeroy Atalifo (prop - 2017)
Alec Clarey (prop - 2017)
Roy Godfrey (prop - 2017)
Harry Morley (prop - 2018)
Zei Alexis (prop - 2018)
Charlie Beckett (lock - 2018)
Liam Hallam-Eames (lock - 2019)
Max Argyle (back row - 2016)
Rory Bartle (back row - 2017)
Conor Joyce (back row - 2017)
Jake Upfield (back row - 2017)
Kyle Hatherell (back row - 2018)
Janco Venter (back row - 2018)
Will Homer (scrum-half - 2018)
Liam Howley (scrum-half - 2019)
Aaron Penberthy (fly-half - 2018) (also a Jersey player 2013-16)
Apakuki Ma'afu (centre - 2016)
Mark Best (centre - 2017)
James Newey (centre/wing - 2018)
Jack Stapley (wing - 2018)
Auguy Slowik (wing/full-back - 2017)
Leroy Van Dam (wing/full-back - 2018)

New signings joined squad June 2019 (12):

TJ Harris (hooker) - Wasps
Dan Richardson (prop) - Rotherham Titans
James Wayland (prop) - Southern Districts
Alex Thompson (lock) - Ulster
Sam Offer (lock) - Western Force
George Willmott (back row) - Jersey Reds Athletic
Josh Bainbridge (back row) - Yorkshire Carnegie
Luc Jones (scrum-half) - Richmond
Brendan Cope (fly-half) - Yorkshire Carnegie
Greg Dyer (fly-half/ full-back) - Valladolid RAC
George Spencer (centre) - Edinburgh Academical
Tom Williams (full-back) - Cardiff Blues

The Reds have also taken steps to retain members of the existing coaching team into next season. DoR Biljon, who marked five years in Jersey this January, has signed an extended contract stretching to 2024. His coaching colleagues confirmed for next season are:

· Neil Tunnah (Assistant Coach - Forwards - joined the Reds in 2017)

· Ed Robinson (Assistant Coach - Backs - 2018)

· Jim Molony (Strength & Conditioning Coach - 2015)

· Emlyn Lynch (Head Physiotherapist - 2018)

· Shaun Slater (Analyst - 2018)

· Oliver Ware (Physiotherapist - 2018