NATIONAL 2 SOUTH

HENLEY Hawks have signed 18 players as they target an immediate return to National 1.

Their new faces include six players, who are dual registered with Premiership clubs London Irish and Wasps.

Scrum half Connor Murphy and lock Theo Vukasinovic join from Irish, while hooker George Edgson, prop Tom West, wing Piers O’Conor and back-row forward Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas (via Chinnor) move from Wasps.

Lock Josh McNally has joined London Welsh, while scrum half Luke Carter has moved to Rosslyn Park.

Off the field, Pete Davies has stepped up to head coach, with Nigel Dudding becoming director of rugby.

Luke Allen (forwards), Danny Batty (defence) and Will Downing (strength and conditioning) also join the back-room team.

Henley visit promoted Dorking in their opener and then host Chinnor a week later.

IN: F Pierrepoint (wing, Loughborough Students), L Owen (wing, RAF), T Gardner (centre, RAF), D Barnes (centre, Chinnor), C Murphy (scrum-half, London Irish, dual registered), T Coghlan (prop, Basingstoke & RAF), J Brodley (hooker, Bristol University), T Hall (back row, Cardiff Met), T Vukasinovic (lock, London Irish, dual registered), G Edgson (hooker, Wasps, dual registered), T West (prop, Wasps, dual registered), P O'Conor (wing, Wasps dual registered), J O'Leary (lock, Wasps Academy), S Kharbouch (back row, Redingensians), T Lushington (lock, Gloucester Academy), O Hirskyj-Douglas (back row, Chinnor, Wasps Academy, dual registered), I Brown (hooker, Wasps Academy), C Corrigan (wing, Wasps Academy).

OUT: M Nutt (utility back, Chinnor), R Long (flanker, Chinnor), J Robinson (wing, Chinnor), N Baggett (wing/centre, Windsor), A Brennan (prop/hooker, retired), L Carter (scrum half, Rosslyn Park), L Dwyer (hooker/back row, Australia), D Maddocks (prop, retired), L O'Neill (wing, Nottingham), J McNally (lock, London Welsh), A Penny (prop, Ealing Trailfinders), D Wells (centre, Clifton).

LAST SEASON: 14th, National 1.

PREDICTION: Top three.