Tigers draft in talented recruits (From Prestwich and Whitefield Guide)

Tigers draft in talented recruits

4:17pm Wednesday 6th May 2009

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SEDGLEY Tigers have announced five news signings and one departure as they prepare for third-tier rugby union next season.

On the way in are a handful of players snapped up from rivals Manchester — two of them familiar faces.

Twenty-five-year-old hooker Richard Oxley along with 34-year-old lock Ed Norris return for a second stint, while for Garth Dew, Richard Wainwright and Nick Flynn, the move to Park Lane will be a new experience. Going the other way is highly rated prop, Petrus Du Plessis, who has signed a full-time contract with Guinness Championship side, Nottingham.

“We’re obviously very disappointed to lose ‘Parra’ but we wish him all the best,” said Tigers’ head coach, Rich Senior.

“Going full-time is something he’s always wanted to do. We couldn’t offer him that and we didn’t want to stand in his way if another club did. Now he’s got his chance we’d like to think he can go even further.”

Along with Oxley and Norris, Dew, Wainwright and Flynn stood out for Manchester in a tough league campaign last season.

Dew, aged just 20, is already a hard- working, hard-nosed openside flanker while 26-year-old prop Flynn is an experienced quality scrummager and Barnsley-born 23-year-old Wainwright is an exciting fly-half who can also play full-back.

“In “Oxo” and “Nozzer” we’ve brought in experienced players who we’ll be looking to be role models both on and off the field, while the other three are all young and hungry,” added Senior.

While Oxley said: “I’d have liked to have returned to Sedgley last season, only it wasn’t the right time, but I’m back now, I always intended to return and I’m looking forward to it.

“I want to get involved as much as possible. I believe if you’re picking up a few quid for playing it’s not too much to ask to turn up and help out with coaching the juniors, for example.”

Away from rugby 25-year-old “Oxo” is a health and safety manager for a Merseyside-based construction company and bumps into new team-mates Gareth Roberts and Juan Crous at the University of Bolton once a week, where all three are studying for a diploma in occupational health and safety.

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