RUGBY UNION: Newton Abbot have completed their round of summer signings

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NEWTON Abbot have completed their summer signing programme with three more captures.

Rory Blackmore, a lock, has made the short trip down the road from New Cross.

Sam Gibbins, a fly-half who had an injury ravaged season with Cullompton, has also joined the All Whites.

And Newton have signed Tom McGrattan, who was registered with Okehampton last season but barely played a game.

McGrattan, a No.8 with a turn of pace that saw him play on the wing from time to time, swapped codes last season.

He played soccer for Okehampton Argyle most Saturdays, but made himself available for the rugby club if Argyle didn’t have a game.

Former Okes’ coach Brett Luxton – he has been replaced by ex-Newton hooker Gareth Evans – rated McGrattan highly and was disappointed when he plumped for soccer ahead of rugby.

With Corey Whane stepping up from the youth section into the senior ranks, coach Colin Stewart has a clutch of new faces to call on in the season ahead.

The roll call so far is prop Tom Brown (Cornish All Blacks), centre Tom Ivory (UWIC/Torquay), centre Jordan Anderton (Ivybridge), flanker Luke Mingo and prop Will Cole (both Withycombe), wing Sam Fellows (Taunton), prop Matt Finn (Ivybridge) and flanker Ben Smith (Barnstaple).

Article source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/06/11/rugby-england-marler-idUKL4N0OS0UL20140611

RUGBY UNION: Newton Abbot have completed their round of summer signings