Action from last season’s England Deaf v Wales international

ENGLAND Deaf have included six new caps, five of them in the starting XV, for their international against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday January 31 (2.30pm).

Henley Hawks number eight Jake O’Leary, the son of former England B, Wasps, Bath and Saracens lock Sean, will make his debut for England Deaf along with Cannock loosehead prop Matt Madsen, Hitchin scrum half Ollie Fountain, Penryn centre Ben Jordan, and Sheffield Hallamshire wing Andrew Flook.

Oswestry’s Richie McFie is the one uncapped player among the replacements.

England, who will be captained by Barkers’ Butts openside flanker Luke Cheyne, will be bidding to avenge two defeats by Wales last season, including one at the Arms Park, and reclaim the Broadstreet Cup which they last won in 2012 with their first win over Wales in eight years.

England Deaf Women will play a 12-a-side demonstration match against Wales at Penallta RFC on Saturday January 31 (12pm) as a curtain raiser to the men’s international.

The England Deaf Rugby Union was formed in 2003 to give deaf and hard of hearing players the opportunity to represent their country.

Players are eligible to play for the England Deaf team if they have a combined average hearing loss of 25 decibels or more in both ears, which roughly translates to a minimum hearing loss in both ears or a moderate hearing loss in one ear, but can hear normally in the other.

England Deaf

15 Guy Lavery (Unattached)

14 Andrew Flook (Sheffield Hallamshire)

13 Cameron Roberts (Hartpury College)

12 Ben Jordan (Penryn)

11 Max Thorne (Dunstablians)

10 Tom Bridgeman (Kettering)

9 Ollie Fountain (Hitchin)

1Matt Madsen (Cannock)

2 Ollie Evans (Lydney)

3 Joshua Sprules (Bletchley)

4 Barney Reed (Pulborough)

5 Kris Mannering (Guildford)

6 Aaron Beesley (Hove)

7 Luke Cheyne (Barkers Butts – captain)

8 Jake O’Leary (Henley Hawks)

Replacements:

Richie McFie (Owestry), Tom Cowdale (Dudley Kingswinford), Paul Cooper (Thurrock), Ryan Arbon (Hitchin), Grant Reynolds (Wolverhampton) Liam Rowe (Royal Wootton Bassett), Sam Scadeng (Sutton Coldfield), Adam Faulkner (Oswestry).