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News
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Knights sign two Scottish international forwards to complete playing squad for new season
Doncaster Knights have now finalized their 34 man playing squad for the new season by the signing of two forwards that will once again put a formidable pack at the heart of their league campaign.
The priority search for a top flanker has led to Scott Gray joining from the Scottish Borders side that played last season in the Magners’ League and in the European competition. Gray, 29 years old, can play open and blind side flanker and won one full cap for Scotland against Australia in 2004 although he has been with their Churchill Cup squads the past two summers and played in the final in 2006 against the Maoris..
Born in Zimbabwe he moved at 18 to Australia where he played professionally with the ACT Brumbies Academy and at Canberra before switching codes to play at Brisbane Broncos. He then moved to UK to play at Bath before relocating north of the border to play for the Scottish Borders these past two seasons. With the disbanding of the Borders franchise, he was on his way to Glasgow but preferred the option of a move to Castle Park.
He said: “ what attracted me more than anything about moving to Doncaster was the genuine ambition within the club to achieve Premiership status. I asked a few mates at Bath what their view of the club was and they were all well aware of what has been achieved at Castle Park and of where Doncaster want to go. It’s a very professional set up in every sense and I have been made most welcome. I am looking to buy a property here and move my partner down from Edinburgh.”
Also heading South is Sean Tomes, a giant lock forward (1.99m and 118kg) from Premiership Newcastle Falcons, who has signed on loan for the full season.
The almost 23 year old has been on the Falcons’ books since a teenager, playing in the Scotland Under 21 World Cup teams of 2004 and 2005 and coming out of the Falcons’ academy to get a senior contract with the Falcons last season. Restricted in appearances by the strength of the Premiership side’s resources at second row, he comes to the Knights looking to play a full part in their National One campaign this coming season.
Of rugby stock, his father Alan was one of Scotland’s greatest locks, winning 48 caps between 1976 and 1987 as well as being a British Lion.
Falcons’ manager John Fletcher, with whom the Knights are developing a close relationship that involves a pre season fixture at Kingston Park, has worked with Tomes for a number of years, saying of the imposing second rower: “Sean is a great young man and a fantastic prospect. He obviously offers size, but in addition he is a top character and a very good footballer. His size and physical presence is a major asset at the set pieces and he is an enforcer around the field.”
The two new boys have joined up with other summer recruits Justin Bishop (London Irish), Chris Planchant (Waterloo), Mark Soden (Italy) and Scott Young (Ulster).
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