Team England Squad Announced (Update)

30th April 2004

The ESFL have announced an experienced 19 man squad to compete as Team England in their trip to Ireland at the beginning of May. The team will be flying out from various locations over England on Friday 7th May, with the game taking place against the best flag team in Ireland (the Drimnagh Cycos) on the Saturday afternoon. The team return?s on the Sunday.

The squad has been drawn from 8 ESFL sides, and features standout players in each position. LB Martin Brown is the sole survivor from the last time England played in Ireland, when they lost 27-7 in Dublin. The team also features four players who have played for the GB Bulldogs Collegiate side (Tim Smith, Gurkinder Mann, Andre Clarke, Nick Michael), and also two players who have played for England at the World Cup of Flag Football (Nick Watson and Tesh Patel). North Devon Dogs explosive offense makes up the bulk of the England O.

Flag football in Ireland is played 7-on-7 with all players eligible, all players wearing three flags and kickoffs (that can be punted) amongst some of the differences from the English version of the game. Drimnagh Cycos won the Irish League in 1996, and were runners-up to the Dublin Pirates (who graduated into a kitted team) in 1997, 1998 and 2000 (the last time the Irish Flag League held a full season) and have played English opposition on a number of occasions in recent years. The last team to play them were the Leicester Eagles who won 12-6 in Dublin in July 2003. Team England last played played in Ireland in 2000, when they returned from Dublin with the tail between their legs after a 27-7 drubbing.

Squad:
Offense

Quarterbacks - Nick Watson (Chichester Sharks), Roy Tanton (North Devon Dogs)
Runningbacks - Simon Allen (North Devon Dogs), John Parsons (Bournemouth Deckchairs)
Center (eligible) - Nick Michael (Bournemouth Raiders)
Left guard (eligible) - Dave Duncan (North Devon Dogs)
Right guard eligible) - Matt Heasman (Bournemouth Raiders), Barnaby Kerr (Bournemouth Deckchairs)
Receiver right - Nick Moffatt (Fen Harriers), Matt Stevenson (North Devon Dogs)
Receiver left - John Stevenson (North Devon Dogs)

Defense

Defensive end - Hitesh Patel (Team Extreme)
Defensive end - Dave Duncan (North Devon Dogs)
Linebacker - Martin Brown (Fen Harriers)
Linebacker - Nick Michael (Bournemouth Raiders)
Defensive back - Abdul Lawal (Bournemouth Raiders), Vincent Gurrea (Bournemouth Raiders)
Defensive back - Andre Clarke (Leicester Eagles), Gurkinder Mann (Staffordshire A)
Safety - Tim Smith (Bournemouth Raiders)

Special teams

Kicker - Richard Cleveland (Bournemouth Deckchairs)
Punter - Martin Brown (Fen Harriers)

Schedule

Friday afternoon/night 7th May - Arrive and make your own way to your hotel
Saturday morning 8th May - Light training session in Phoenix Park
Saturday afternoon - The match, Marlay Park Rathfarnham
Saturday night - Nightout!
Sunday afternoon 9th May- Leave

Tour management:

Team Manager - Matt Heasman
Offensive Coach - Nick Watson
Defensive Coach - Hitesh Patel