The RFU Championship XV is an invitational rugby union team composed of English qualified players from the second-tier competition, the RFU Championship. The team was originally formed for a one-off match against a strong Māori All Blacks team as part of the 2012 end-of-year rugby union tests. However, on 10 September 2014, it was announced that the team will be re-formed for an uncapped match against Canada for the 2014 end-of-year rugby union internationals.Sixways to host Championship XV match against Canada
The 2014 fixture will see Martin Haag, head coach of Nottingham, take over from Mike Rayer, Bedford Blues head coach, who led the XV side to a 52–21 loss in the Māori All Blacks fixture. On that occasion, the match was played on 17 November 2012 at Castle Park, as part of the 2012 Māori All Blacks tour of United Kingdom, where the Māori side won two from three matches; 24–32 loss to Leicester Tigers, 52–21 win over RFU Championship XV and finally a 32–19 win over the XV's next opponent Canada.
Squads
2014 Squad vs Canada On 10 October, Martin Haag announced the first 21 players that would represent the team against Canada on 2 November.Mantella and Bright Named In Championship XV Squad
On 16 October, James Phillips was added to the squad.James Phillips Earns Call-Up To Championship XV Squad on London Scottish website, 10 October 2014 (archived)
On 27 October, Haag added a further 2 players to the team, in Jonny Arr and Max Maidment.Max Maidment Added To Championship XV squad
1 It was later announced that Jonny Arr had replaced Ryan Glynn, who withdrew from the squad due to injury.Jersey's Ryan Glynn is withdrawn from Championship XV squad
2 On 31 October, Kieran Hallett was added to the squad to replace Dan Mugford, who was forced to withdraw from the squad due to injury.Plymouth Albion duo start for Canada against Championship XV
The final team to face Canada was announced on the 31 October.Championship XV team to face Canada unveiled
Head coach: Martin Haag Player Position Date of birth (Age) Club Union Charlie Clare Hooker (22) Bedford Blues England Tom Cruse Hooker 30 March 1989 (25) Rotherham Titans England Lee Imiolek Prop 21 September 1990 (24) Yorkshire Carnegie England Ryan Bower Prop 25 February 1991 (23) Worcester Warriors England Michael Holford Prop 11 August 1982 (32) Nottingham England Max Maidment Prop 1 August 1991 (23) London Scottish England Darren Barry Lock 2 February 1990 (24) Cornish Pirates England James Percival (c) Lock 9 November 1983 (30) Worcester Warriors England James Phillips Lock 27 September 1987 (27) London Scottish England Nick Fenton-Wells Flanker 11 August 1986 (28) Bedford Blues South Africa Marco Mama Flanker 27 March 1991 (23) Bristol Zimbabwe Mark Bright Number eight 29 September 1978 (36) London Scottish England Ryan Burrows Number eight 25 April 1988 (26) Yorkshire Carnegie England Jonny Arr Scrum-half 29 November 1988 (25) Worcester Warriors England Ryan Glynn 1 Scrum-half 27 September 1991 (23) Jersey England Tom Kessell Scrum-half 21 January 1990 (24) Cornish Pirates England Kieran Hallett Fly-half 2 June 1985 (29) Cornish Pirates Ireland Dan Mugford 2 Fly-half 9 October 1991 Nottingham England Lawrence Rayner Fly-half 13 July 1992 (22) Plymouth Albion England Greg King Centre 24 April 1988 (26) Moseley England Will Owen Centre 30 March 1995 (19) Moseley Wales Dougie Flockhart Wing 25 November 1984 (30) Doncaster Knights Scotland Michael Keating Wing 30 July 1989 (25) Rotherham Titans Ireland Miles Mantella Wing 7 October 1991 (23) London Scottish England Jack Tovey Fullback 16 December 1990 (21) Bristol Ireland
2012 Squad vs Māori All Blacks 2012 Squad Player Position Date of birth (Age) Club Union Dan Baines Hooker 4 August 1989 (26) Rotherham Titans England Jon Vickers Hooker 23 December 1988 (23) Plymouth Albion England Oliver Tomaszczyk Prop 24 November 1986 (25) Newcastle Falcons England Mark Irish Prop 25 August 1981 (31) London Scottish England Tom Davies Prop 17 April 1987 (25) Doncaster Knights Wales Alan Paver Prop 27 November 1977 (34) Cornish Pirates England Calum Green Lock 15 July 1990 (22) Leeds Carnegie England Nathan Hannay Lock 5 December 1984 (28) Jersey England Nic Rouse Lock 10 February 1981 (31) Nottingham England Jacob Rowan Flanker 14 January 1990 (22) Leeds Carnegie England Phil Burgess Flanker 1 July 1988 (24) Cornish Pirates England Ben Pienaar Number eight 10 September 1986 (26) Moseley England Richard Mayhew Number eight 24 June 1985 (27) Newcastle Falcons New Zealand Luke Baldwin Scrum-half 15 September 1990 (22) Bedford Blues England Gavin Cattle (c) Scrum-half 5 April 1980 (32) Cornish Pirates Wales Tristan Roberts Fly-half 23 March 1987 (25) Bristol England Jake Sharp Fly-half 7 May 1991 (21) Bedford Blues England Charlie Hayter Centre 10 December 1988 (23) Moseley England Tim Streather Centre 14 June 1988 (24) Nottingham England Josh Bassett Wing 17 March 1992 (20) Bedford Blues England Jack Tovey Wing 16 December 1990 (21) Bristol Ireland Rhys Crane Wing 14 October 1985 (27) Nottingham England Dante Mama Fullback 22 January 1990 (22) Doncaster Knights Zimbabwe
Previous matches
Māori All Blacks (2012)
Team details FB 15 Dante MamaRW 14 Rhys CraneOC 13 Tim StreatherIC 12 Charlie HayterLW 11 Josh BassettFH 10 Tristan Roberts SH 9 Gavin Cattle (c) N8 8 Ben PienaarOF 7 Phil Burgess BF 6 Jacob RowanRL 5 Nic RouseLL 4 Nathan Hannay TP 3 Alan Paver HK 2 Jon Vickers LP 1 Mark Irish Replacements:HK 16 Mark Stagg PR 17 Tom Davies PR 18 Oliver Tomaszczyk LK 19 Calum Green N8 20 Row Burrows SH 21 Luke Baldwin FH 22 Jake Sharp WG 23 Mark AtkinsonCoach: Mike Rayer FB 15Trent RenataRW 14Kurt BakerOC 13Jackson WillisonIC 12Tim Bateman LW 11Declan O'DonnellFH 10Willie RipiaSH 9 Jamison Gibson-Park N8 8 Elliot DixonOF 7 Tanerau Latimer (c) BF 6 Nick Crosswell RL 5 Romana GrahamLL 4 Jarrad Hoeata TP 3 Ben AfeakiHK 2 Hika Elliot LP 1 Jacob Ellison Replacements:HK 16Quentin MacDonald PR 17Bronson MurrayPR 18Ben May LK 19Jason Eaton FL 20Shane Christie SH 21Frae Wilson CN 22Charlie Ngatai FB 23Andre TaylorCoach: Jamie Joseph
Touch judges: Steve Lee Simon McConnell Television match official: Trevor Fisher
Coaches Mike Rayer (2012) - Assisted by Ian Davies Martin Haag (2014) - Assisted by Kevin Maggs
Captains Gavin Cattle (2012)
See also 2012–13 RFU Championship 2014–15 RFU Championship New Zealand Heartland XV
References