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BATH LONDON IRISH

Saturday 10 October 1998 Kick-Off 3.00pm

OFFICIAL PROGRAMME PREMIERSHIP £2.00

RugbyCall 0891 884554 Internet: www.bathrugby.co.uk

PLAYER PO PLAYER N 15 Full tack Conor O'Shea (Capt) 15 Official equipment Official Sponsor 14 Jim Fallon Rightping Justin Bishop 14 supplier 13 Kevin Maggs Centre Robert Todd 13 12 Jeremy Guscott Centre Brendan Venter 12 11 lain Balshaw Left Wing Niall Woods 11 10 Fly Half Matt Jones 10 9 Steve Hatley Scrum Half Kieran Campbell 9 1 Kevin Yates Prop Mike Worsley 1 2 Andy Long Hooker Richard Kirke 2 Official kit supplier 3 John Mallett Prop Rob Hardwick 3 4 Martin Haag Lock Nick Harvey 4 5 Ben Sturnham Lock Malcolm O'Kelly 5 6 Nathan Thomas Flanker Kevin Spicer 6 achaa 7 (Capt) Flanker Kieron Dawson 7 Eric Peters No. 8 Rob Gallacher REFEREE

Chris Rees PLAYER PLAYER No. TOUCH JUDGES Chris Morrison 16 James Brown 16 Geraint Ashton-Jones 17 Richard Neville 17 18 Nick Burrows 18 19 Mike Howe 19 20 Kris Fullman 20 21 Russell Earnshaw Matthew Bird 21 20 22 Deiniol Jones Matthew Jarvis 22 21 by Dick Tugwell

PERHAPS nothing mirrors starting to bear fruit with new recruits from nearer the dramatic upheaval some impressive results to home include ex-Bristol within the realm of rugby date. prop Kris Fullman, former union in the professional Gloucester prop Mike Worsley, era more vividly than the Under Best's stewardship, fly halves James Brown from wholesale changes that Irish have made wholesale Coventry and Michael Jones have taken place this changes to their ranks in the (Moseley) and centre Robert summer at Sunbury, past few months, transferring Todd from London Scottish. home of London Irish. or releasing no less than 23 members of last season's Best believes this season will The Exiles used to be squad and recruiting a wealth arguably be the most something of a Cinderella of new talent from far and important in the history of club, famed for its convivial near, especially from the London Irish and feels he hospitality, the Guinness, southern hemisphere. has recruited a squad that imported direct from will compete effectively in the Emerald Isle, Former All Black scrum half Premiership One and their and a tradition of Steve Bachop and full back form so far certainly bears fielding teams of Jarrod Cunningham have been that out. predominately Irish signed from Wellington extraction, which Hurricanes, but have yet to Irish were unlucky not to beat arguably hindered the make their bow in the Allied Gloucester at Kingsholm in club's ambitions of Dunbar Premiership, while their opening game before achieving success in hooker Michael Howe from losing 29.22 and then gained the top flight of the Bay of Plenty and Australian a convincing 44-20 win at English game. flanker Rob Gallacher from West Hartlepool before going Manley have already made down 36-24 at home to But not any longer. their mark in an encouraging Wasps. However their most Weary of fighting a start to the new campaign. satisfying performance to constant battle to retain date came three weeks ago their Premiership One A completely revamped Irish when they toppled current status, the Irish, currently line up also boasts four new champions Newcastle 23.21 celebrating their centenary players from South Africa in at Gateshead to end the year, have opened their doors to all- centre Simon Berridge and Falcons 25-game unbeaten comers under new director of rugby, flanker Jake Boer from run at home, and last week Dick Best, the former England and Western Province, prop Peter they were only foiled by a last Harlequins coaching supremo and Rogers (Transvaal) and lock gasp try in a 33-29 home already the new policy approach is Ryan Strudwick (Natal), while defeat by Richmond.

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