Huddersfield YMCA are hoping to get international clearance to play Australian second row Glyn Edwards at table-topping Sheffield Tigers on Saturday.
The 28-year-old from Perth has played first-grade rugby in Western Australia and chose to sign at Laund Hill after considering a number of clubs in the area.
Lock James Bell and utility back Gavin Stead are unavailable for the National III North trip to South Yorkshire, but director of rugby Damon Scholes says everyone has been lifted by the 34-26 win at Stockport.
“Glyn Edwards is a big unit and he looks impressive, so we’re hoping to get the clearance through for him to be involved,” explained Scholes.
“He has moved up to Huddersfield and looked at a number of clubs, but he’s chosen to play for us and that’s great, because he has very good experience, looks an excellent line-out jumper and will bring a little big more steel into the forwards.”
Sheffield Tigers lost 28-24 to Firwood Waterloo last week – the Merseyside team YM lost 46-41 to the previous week – so Scholes expects the home side to come out firing.
“We need to try and build on our win against Stockport, particularly the second-half performance when defensively we were outstanding,” he explained.
“Dave Larder has done a lot of work on our defence this week and we want to see the benefit of that.
“I expect Sheffield Tigers to come at us because of their result last week, but we are more than capable of holding our own.
“Our squad is slowly starting to build up, and we are gradually getting the strength in depth that you need.
“We’ve got Tom Sharrock to come back in the next couple of weeks as well, so hopefully after the international break for the World Cup final our squad will look very tasty.”
YMCA: Dyke, Wrafter, Moore, Watson, Slater, Edwards, Housley, Seif, Starbuck, Robertson, Wilson, Barber, Morton, Ryder, Hodge, Perfitt, Fletcher, Peet.
