The Championship club are adding to their jigsaw puzzle for the 2020/21 season piece by piece this week, with four announcements in four days taking their professional squad for next term up and over the 30-player mark. Further names, including potential loan deals, are due to be released in the coming weeks.
Following their opening statement yesterday – outlining fresh faces in the front row – Reds officials this morning provided details of four more players who are ready and waiting to join the pack at St Peter.
Among three new second-rows are Saracens Academy product Zak Farrance, Munster’s Sean O’Connor and former New Zealand U17 Shay Kerry, while the back-row is now complemented by the services of 2015 Junior World Cup cap Lewis Wynne (23), who arrives from London Scottish.
Farrance (24) has spent the last six seasons with Union Sportive Oyonnax in France – playing in the Top 14 and ProD2 – while Kent-born Kerry (25) brings experience from near and far, having spent his childhood in New Zealand before returning to Europe in 2013. He has since played for for Worcester Warriors, Oyonnax, Narbonne and Ampthill.
Irish Junior World Cup cap O’Connor (23) joins Munster team-mate Ciaran Parker in making a switch to Stade Santander, having spent four seasons with the PRO14 club.
Reds’ director of rugby Harvey Biljon said: ‘Zak, Shay and Sean are specialist second rows who will bring some real physicality to our pack. Lewis is an open-side flanker who also brings leadership experience and we expect a real contest for the number seven shirt between him and Josh Bainbridge.’
The new signings will join 15 players from Jersey’s 2019/20 squad, as well as up to eight more new faces who are set to be unveiled tomorrow and on Saturday. Yesterday, the club confirmed the signings of hooker George Edgson and props Ollie Dawe, Jack Higgins and Parker.
Jersey Reds squad 2020/21 – as it stands
Hooker: TJ Harris, Jack Macfarlane, Jack Higgins* (new signing).
Prop: Zi Alexis, Dan Richardson, Roy Godfrey, George Edgson*, Ciaran Parker*, Ollie Dawe*.
Lock/back row: Max Argyle, Josh Bainbridge, Rory Bartle, Kyle Hatherell, Jake Upfield, Zak Farrance*, Sean O’Connor*, Shay Kerry *, Lewis Wynne*.
Fly-half: Brendan Cope.
Centre: Apakuki Ma’afu, George Spencer.
Wing and full-back: Brendan Owen, Tom Williams.
Recently departed
Prop: Leeroy Atalifo, Alec Clarey, Harry Morley, James Wayland.
Lock/back row: Charlie Beckett, Liam Hallam-Eames, Conor Joyce, Janco Venter, George Willmott.
Scrum-half: Will Homer, Liam Howley.
Fly-half: Aaron Penberthy, Greg Dyer.
Centre: Mark Best, Rodney Iona, James Newey
Wing: Auguy Slowik, Jack Stapley, Leroy Van Dam.
