Malvern loan star gives backs boost (From Malvern Gazette)

Malvern loan star gives backs boost

4:01pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in Local

MALVERN have added further firepower to their back-line resources ahead of tomorrow’s National Three Midlands trip to Newport (2.15pm) with the loan capture of Gary Dipple from Stourbridge.

Dipple, a former University of Worcester student, is a specialist centre but can cover all positions behind the scrum and has been with the National One outfit for two seasons.

Malvern head coach Liam Hughes said: “Bringing Gary in will add some creativity to a back-line that has been on fire in recent weeks.

“I’m delighted Stourbridge have the confidence in the standard of environment at the club that allows their young players to grow and develop.”

Dipple said: “I’ve spoken to many players at Malvern and Stourbridge about the club to make sure this is the right move for me right now.

“Malvern have a great reputation for helping players to progress in their playing careers together with a really positive feel around the club.

“The team is on an upward curve at the minute and I can’t wait to be part of it.”

Tomorrow’s match, should it beat the freezing temperatures, will be the first of two consecutive weekends where Malvern travel to the Shropshire club — the second being the North Midlands Cup semi-final on February 11.

Newport, until they lost 22-18 at Scunthorpe last weekend, were on a six-game winning streak, moving them clear of the relegation battle and taking them one place above Malvern in the league.

Games between the two teams in the last four years have been tight with the most recent being a 15-11 victory for Newport at Spring Lane earlier in the season.

Hughes added: “Confidence and momentum are really starting to build in the squad now after two strong performances in the last couple of weeks.

“The challenge now is to make sure we carry that in to our form away from Spring Lane.”

Tomorrow’s Malvern teams

First XV v Newport (a, 2.15pm): Milton; Fleming, Mustow, Miller, Watkins; Dixon, Longley; Tsang, Humphreys, Clarke, Williams, Smith, Owen-Jones, Edwards, Gratwohl. Replacements: Daws, Prosser, Dipple.

Development XV v Birmingham Medics (h, 2.15pm): Hillier; Jenkins, Cooney, Griffiths, Ziegler; Budd, Southall; Bailey, Rambridge, Woods, Wilkes, Gaubert, Clarke, Parsons, Fraser.

Replacements: Potter-Farrant, Shevas.

Third XV v Pershore II (a, 2.15pm): Carlen; Clarke, Williams, Richards, Sharratt; Schofield, Oliver; Bees, Campbell, Cooper, Hocking, Wolfe, White, Hughes, Purcell. Replacements: Page, Brownhill, Page, Green, Merrick, Horsely, Venn.