Stevenage Town Player in England Deaf Squad

ENGLAND have included Stevenage Town lock forward Ryan Arbon amongst ten new caps in their squad for their Deaf International against Wales at Pontypridd on Saturday March 21 (1.30 pm).

England will be without some experienced players including Josh Corcoran (Hertford and Hartpury College) because of injuries, but they have called up ten players, including Ryan Arbon, who are in line to win their first caps.

This will be the seventh Deaf International between England and Wales and England will be seeking only their second victory having been trounced 66-7 at Broadstreet last season.

The English Deaf Rugby Union has continued to recruit new players to the England squad by raising awareness of the minimum hearing impairment required to qualify.

Players are eligible to play for the England Deaf side if they have a combined average hearing loss of 25dB or more in both ears. This roughly translates to a minimum hearing loss in both ears or a moderate hearing loss in one ear but with normal hearing in the other.

Herts Players in Deaf Barbarians Squad

Hertfordshire have 2 players among the 14 England players in the Deaf Barbarians squad for their inaugural match against Wales at Pontypridd on Sunday November 23 (12 noon).

Both Josh Corcoran (Hartbury College and Hertford) and Ryan Arborn (Hitchin) have been selected as replacements for the match, which will help to mark the Wales Deaf Rugby Centenary. The Barbarians side has been selected by Lyndon James, secretary of the England Deaf RU, and Tony Stoyles the EDRU director of rugby.

The 14 England players have already been capped in Deaf Internationals and will use the Barbarians game for their post-Christmas internationals against Scotland and Wales.

Attempts are being made to encourage Ireland to establish a Deaf XV and the England Deaf RU are planning to visit to Dublin at the end of the season to play a demonstration match.

The Barbarians squad includes one Irishman in fullback Charlie James, who plays his club rugby at New Brighton, plus English-based players with bloodlines to other nationalities in Kris Mannering (Netherlands), David Steele (Australia), Ryan Arbon (Poland), Mark Lewis (New Zealand) and Truter Bothma (South Africa).

Lewis, of East Grinstead, will captain a Deaf Barbarians squad that also includes eight Scotland internationals.

The England Deaf team plays a series of international and representative matches home and away each season with players eligible to play if they have a combined average hearing loss of 25 decibels or more in both ears. This roughly translates to a minimum hearing loss in both ears or a moderate hearing loss in one ear.