SCHOOLBOY fly-half Oscar Fawkes-Underwood will make his league debut for Bournville in Saturday’s Regional One Midlands match against Dudley Kingswinford at Heatbrook (3pm).
Fawkes-Underwood, 17, made his first senior appearance for Bournville in the pre-season friendly against Silhillians in August and produced a mature and composed performance in his first game of adult rugby.
His availability has since been restricted by his commitments at Old Swinford Hospital School in Stourbridge, but he is free of those this weekend and will make his competitive debut for the club.
Fawkes-Underwood’s appearance will complete his impression progress through the ranks at Avery Fields, from Bournville’s thriving Mini and Junior section through the club’s Player Development Programme.
To accommodate Fawkes-Underwood, Bourns have reshuffled their backline with Jacob Fewtrell switching to the centre to partner Mikey Ho, who moved from the right wing.
Adam Collingwood, who has started at inside centre for the last three matches, moves back to the wing in a swap with Ho.
In the pack, hooker Jamie Harding makes a welcome return having joined on loan from Birmingham Moseley.
Harding was a first team regular three seasons ago before moving to Dublin where he had two seasons playing for St Mary’s College.
He returned to the Midlands during the summer and joined Moseley but has now returned to Avery Fields on a loan deal and will make his first appearance for Bourns since the end of the 2022/23 season on Saturday.
Captain Ben Meakin, who came off the bench against Newent last week, returns to partner Harry Dawson in the second row with George Jewell starting at openside flanker in place of the injured Chris Idehen.
Number eight Callum Nicholls, blindside flanker Jasper Smith, replacement hooker Ben Rhodes and tighthead prop Jake Thompson will all be in familiar territory as former DK players with Forwards Coach CJ Osazuwa also having made the switch from Heathbrook earlier this year.
Saturday’s match will be the first meeting with DK since December 2023 when Bournville went down 17-3 at Heathbrook having won 29-22 at Avery Fields earlier in the season.
Bournville | 15 Mauro Miller; 14 Adam Collingwood, 13 Mikey Ho, 12 Jacob Fewtrell, 11 Nathan Decalmer; 10 Oscar Fawkes-Underwood, 9 Reiss Price; 1 Scott Rudge, 2 Jamie Harding, 3 Jake Thompson, 4 Ben Meakin (C), 5 Harry Dawson, 6 Jasper Smith, 7 George Jewell, 8 Callum Nicholls.
Replacements | 16 Ben Rhodes, 17 Clarkson McLeod, 18 Kieran Henderson.
