Ex-colt Walker to make debut and Coleman on the bench as Stortford reveal line-up for Darlington clash

Bishop's Stortford kick off their second season in National League 1 at Silver Leys on Saturday (Sept 1) with a match against last season's runners-up Darlington Mowden Park.

And Stortford director of rugby Andy Long has named nine of the starting XV that started the corresponding fixture nine months ago.

On that occasion, the Silver Leys club came from 22-7 down to salvage a draw against Darlington, with replacement full-back Nick Hankin scoring a try right at the death.

However, fly half George Cullen missed the conversion and Stortford had to settle for two points instead of four.

Cullen is one of the nine who began that match who will be in Saturday’s starting line-up, alongside captain and outside centre Sam Winter, wingers Jimmy Rea and Rob Duff, hooker Declan Caulfield, prop Sean Edwards, second-row pair Matt Tomlinson and James Apperley, and flanker Rory Banks.

Tom Walker – one of 11 Stortford colts last season who have been involved in pre-season with the first team squad – makes his competitive debut at full back.

Tom Coleman, who has returned to playing a year after he quit to join Long’s coaching staff, is named among the replacements.

STARTING XV: Tom Walker, Jimmy Rea, Sam Winter (c), George Keen, Rob Duff, George Cullen, Alex Patton; Seb Brownhill, Declan Caulfield, Sean Edwards, Jon George, Matt Tomlinson, James Apperley, Rory Banks, Charlie Kingham.

REPLACEMENTS: Sam James, Oli Jones, Chris Smith, Louis Castiglione, Tom Coleman.