Bournville will give a debut to wing Mauro Miller in Saturday’s opening Regional One Midlands match against Nuneaton at Avery Fields (3pm).
Miller has arrived in Birmingham from London where he played all his rugby for London Welsh, from the junior section to the senior squad. Having impressed in training Miller comes straight into the starting XV against Nuneaton to fill a gap left by an injury to Nathan Decalmer in the friendly against Silhillians two weeks ago.
With Decalmer’s regular wing partner Alex Evans again missing having extended his stay in Australia Adam Collingwood will start on the right wing on Saturday. Collingwood, a summer recruit from Kenilworth, started at scrum-half against Silhillians but moved to the wing for last week’s friendly against Sheffield Tigers.
There are also competitive debuts for props Danny Griffin and Jake Thompson, recruits from Lichfield and Dudley Kingswinford respectively.
Centre Josh Bloomfield will make his first league appearance in almost 18 months having recovered from a broken ankle with number eight Chris Idehen back in league action for the first time since he suffered an Achilles tendon injury against Loughborough Students.
Teenager Oscar Fawkes-Underwood, who shone in his first game of adult rugby against Silhillians, is unavailable this week because of his commitments at Old Swinford Hospital School.
Bournville | 15 Mikey Ho; 14 Adam Collingwood, 13 Josh Bloomfield, 12 Sam Grimshaw, 11 Mauro Miller; 10 Jacob Fewtrell, 9 Reiss Price; 1 Danny Griffin, 2 Jonjo Fanning, 3 Jake Thompson, 4 Ben Meakin (C), 5 Harry Dawson, 6 Kieran Henderson, 7 Adam Shaw, 8 Chris Idehen.
Replacements | 16 Ben Rhodes, 17 Clarkson McLeod, 18 George Jewell.
*Bournville Blues, who were promoted in their first season in the RFU Leagues, begin their Counties Two Midlands West (East) campaign with a trip to Berkswell & Balsall on Saturday (3pm).
Tom Harrington, a product of the club’s youth pathway system, will make his senior debut on the left wing, with two new recruits, hooker Ben Fortes-Mayer and openside flanker Piers Skeels-Caldwell both included in the starting XV for their club debuts. Fortes-Mayor and Skeels-Caldwell have joined Bournville having moved to Birmingham recently with Skeels-Caldwell, who hails from Bolton, beginning his comeback from a lengthy injury lay-off.
Centre Jamie Maynard, who came off the bench for the first team against Sheffield Tigers, will make his first competitive appearance along with lock Ollie Morris and blindside flanker Myles Hibbs, who also had game time as replacements last week.
Bournville Blues | 15 Alex Warner; 14 Niall Demel, 13 Jack Mitchell, 12 Jamie Maynard, 11 Tom Harrington; 10 Chris Crutchley, 9 George Ayliffe; 1 Scott Rudge, 2 Ben Fortes-Mayer, 3 Kieran McGuire, 4 Harry Belcher, 5 Ollie Morris, 6 Myles Hibbs, 7 Piers Skeels-Caldwell, 8 Bhairaj Rai (C).
Replacements | 16 Sean Kimberley, 17 Tom Underwood, 18 Ollie Panther.
