NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
ENGLAND
GREENE KING IPA CHAMPIONSHIP
LONDON IRISH
Captain Josh McInally Coaches Declan Kidney (DoR), Les Kiss (head), Declan Danaher (defence), George Skivington (forwards) Irish secured an immediate return to the Premiership with a squad sprinkled with international class, including Stephen Myler, Saia Fainga’a, TJ Ioane, Napolioni Nalaga and Bryce Campbell.
Under the experienced Kidney and Kiss, the Exiles won 20 of their 22 league games with Jersey (17-14) and Yorkshire Carnegie (26-12) their only slip-ups.
As well as scoring more points (835) and tries (127) than any other side in the Championship, they also conceded only 340 points. It gave them a points difference of 495 – more than double that of runners-up Ealing Trailfinders.
All-time record try-scorer Topsy Ojo, 33, retired having played more than 300 matches in 16 years. While Ojo moves into an off-field role, Irish are bringing in big names for their top-flight return, including Ireland back-row Sean O’Brien, All Blacks wing Waisake Naholo and Wallabies Adam Coleman, Sekope Kepu and Nick Phipps.
NATIONAL ONE
AMPTHILL
Billy Johnson Mark Lavery (DoR), Paul Turner (head), Soane Tonga’uiha (player-fwds), James Pritchard (player-backs) The ‘Mighty A’s’ lived up to their name as they were promoted to
