BIRMINGHAM University student Asher Futerman will make his debut for Bournville in Saturday’s Regional One Midlands match against Bromsgrove at Finstall Park (3pm).
Futerman, who took part in a Poland Under-20s training camp last month, only arrived at Avery Fields this week and comes straight into a re-jigged back division at full-back.
He will become the second player with Polish connections to represent Bournville after prop Kuba Kijak, already a Poland Under-20s international, who has been a regular for the second XV, the Blues, this season.
Futerman played his formative rugby for the Fullerians club in Watford – whose most famous product is the former England and Wasps full-back Nick Stringer – and he has also won county youth honours with Hertfordshire.
With Joe Jenkins unavailable this weekend, Mikey Ho switches from the wing to partner Adam Collingwood in the centre with Mauro Miller moving from full-back to the wing to accommodate Futerman.
With captain Ben Meakin also unavailable this weekend, fly-half Jacob Fewtrell will have the honour of leading the side.
Meakin’s absence means that Kieran Henderson switches from the blindside flank to the second row with Chris Idehen moving across the back-row and Jasper Smith starting at number eight.
In the front-row, Jonjo Fanning returns at hooker and Jake Thompson, who came off the bench in last week’s victory over Drybrook, starts at tighthead prop.
Scott Rudge, who can cover all three front-row positions, is set for his seasonal debut off the bench with back-row forward George Jewell returning from injury to rejoin the squad as a replacement.
Bourns head to Bromsgrove second in the table, just a point adrift of leaders Newport, with Bromsgrove five points behind in seventh place having beaten both Banbury and Nuneaton at home but lost on the road at Newport and Bridgnorth.
Although Bromsgrove have been regular opponents for Bournville in pre-season matches in recent seasons this will be the first league meeting between the sides since January 2020.
Bournville won 36-12 at Finstall Park that day to complete a Midlands Premier double in a season that was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bournville | 15 Asher Futerman; 14 Mauro Miller, 13 Mikey Ho, 12 Adam Collingwood, 11 Nathan Decalmer; 10 Jacob Fewtrell (C), 9 Reiss Price; 1 Clarkson McLeod, 2 Jonjo Fanning, 3 Jake Thompson, 4 Harry Dawson, 5 Kieran Henderson, 6 Chris Idehen, 7 Adam Shaw, 8 Jasper Smith.
Replacements: 16 Scott Rudge, 17 Callum Nicholls, 18 George Jewell.
• Bournville Blues continue their Counties Two Midlands West (East) campaign against familiar opponents, Claverdon, at Avery Fields (3pm).
The Blues were edged out at Claverdon in a pre-season friendly two months ago and return to Avery Fields seeking their second win of the campaign following a narrow defeat at Harborne last week.
Bournville Blues | 15 Niall Demel; 14 Ben Fellows, 13 Tyler Westwood, 12 Kristers Krupenciks, 11 Jack Mitchell; 10 Alex Warner (C), 9 Ollie Panther; 1 Sean Kimberley, 2 Ben Harper, 3 Kuba Kijak, 4 Ben Godley, 5 Steve Smith, 6 Harry Belcher, 7 Myles Hibbs, 8 Jamie Avery.
Replacements | 16 Ben Fortes-Mayer, 17 Piers Skeels-Caldwell, 18 George Ayliffe.
