isport

Aviva Premiership Rugby Football Union club the London Irish has confirmed that Setaimata Sa, the Samoan international will link up with the players of the club this week.

The former star for the Catalan Dragons was signed up by The Exiles last year on a three year deal but was unavailable to the club after being denied a work permit in the United Kingdom. But now, all the protocol issues have been sorted out and the Samoan has been given his UK visa which means he will be available for The Irish for the remainder of the season.

Aviva Premiership Rugby Union club the London Irish is hopeful that their young starlets such as Matt Garvey, Jamie Gibson and Anthony Watson will follow in the footsteps of their fellow young team mates and sign a contract that will see them pledge their future to The Exiles for the foreseeable future.

This news comes in just a week after Tom Homer, the 22 year old full back for the club, followed in the footsteps of his senior partner Bryn Evans at second row by signing an improved two year contract with the club.

Brian Smith, the Director of Rugby of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Union club the London Irish has stated that neither he nor his coaching staff has any interest in emulating the route taken by Saracens FC to glory as he attempts to ring in the changes at the club this season.

The boss man at the London club has insisted that the club has nothing of note to learn from the champions of 2011, which are their opponents on the opening day of the 2012/13 season of the Aviva Premiership in a double header at Twickenham Stoop.

Darren Allinson, the scrum half for the Aviva Premiership Rugby Union side the London Irish is relishing the competition for places in the starting lineup with the no. 9 jersey, following the acquisition of Tomas O’Leary by the club in the off season.

The 24 year old, however, is no stranger to having stiff competition for a place in the starting lineup, having faced a similar situation during his stint with the Cardiff Blues as well as two year spell with the Reading based side.

Shaun Edwards, the defense coach of the Wales Rugby Team is set to take over at Aviva Premiership side the London Irish as their head coach after the Grand Slam winners return from their tour of Australia at the end of June.

The news of Edwards taking over at the helm of The Exiles comes in the wake of the departures of Justin Bishop, Toby Booth and Neal Hatley from the club. Edwards will continue to serve in his capacity as the defense coach of the Welsh team but under the clause of his contract, he will be allowed to spend a day a week with the Irish.

The Director of Rugby for the Aviva Premiership side the London Irish Brian Smith expects the players in his team to show the same kind of passion and determination that they showed in the match against the Leicester Tigers when they take on Exeter Chiefs this week.

The Exiles made a late effort in the match against the Tigers when almost everyone present in the ground thought them to be dead and buried but they rallied from a huge deficit to cut down the lead.

London Irish will face Harlequins on Saturday at the Stoop. Harlequins will be boosted by the return of their very important player Matt Hopper who was busy with his England Saxons duty.

Matt Garvey is a 24-year-old London Irish player. He covers the second-row forward position and the cap for Saturday’s England Saxons rugby team has surprised him. He mentions that he wasn’t even drafted for his own county to find himself now debuting for England’s second national rugby team.

The Saxons clash with Ireland Wolfhounds, the second Irish national team, at Exter this Saturday. Garvey’s excellent appearances for London Irish recommended him for the Saxons team.

Steven Shingler lined up for London Irish against Cardiff in the Heineken Cup this weekend after a frustrating week as his international eligibility has been the hot topic in Rugby all week.

Shingler has been the centre of the row between Wales and Scotland over who he has the right to play for.