The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Borough boy in England debut
A former King’s School student and Peterborough RUFC and Deepings player made his England international debut last weekend.
Harry Wells (27), an accomplished six foot five inch lock or flanker, was one of 16 debutants as England smashed Canada 70-14 at Twickenham on Saturday.
Wells, who was born in Peterborough, played for an hour before being replaced.
Wells started his rugby journey with Borough before moving to Deepings in his mid-teens.
He was called up to the England Under 16 squad while at Deepings when he was also picked up by the renowned Leicester Tigers Academy.
Wells has remained at Leicester ever since, apart from loan spells at Nottingham and Bedford, and was part of the England Under 20 WorldChampionshipwinning side in 2013.
He has made 125 Premier League appearances for the Tigers. He was top of the Leicester appearance charts last season, scoring three tries.
Many England regulars are currently in South Africa with the British Lions , but coach Eddie Jones insisted all his players involved in the summer internationals were auditioning for places in his next World Cup squad.
England are next in action against an Emerging Nations side in Niovember.
Jonson Clarke-Harris is expected to be named the Posh penalty taker...at least for the start of the season.
Clarke-Harris who scored seven and missed three penalties in his 33-goal season last term is under threat for the role from new signing Jorge Grant.
Grant converted a remarkable 12 penalties for Lincoln City last season. He also missed four.
Grant scored a penalty on his club debut at Bedford last weekend, but saw a second spot-kick saved by young Stamford goalkeeper Max Peverell on Tuesday.
Siriki Dembele scored a penalty at Stanford, but Mo
Eisa missed one at Bedford.
Grant , who scored just six minutes into his first Posh appearance, said: “I’m not sure I’ll get a say in who takes penalties next season! But I guess there will be a conversation at some point.
“I’m just happy to have got some minutes into my legs, although it’s always good to get off the match goals-wise for a new club. We have shown good energy so far.”
Posh boss Darren Ferguson would not be drawn on next season’s penalty taker, but he said: “We’ve had four penalties in two games so hopefully Jorge has brought some of the luck he had at Lincoln last season with him!”
Posh have altered their plans for the pre-season friendly at League One side Oxford United on Tuesday, July 27.
The clubs will now play two 90-minute matches simultaneously at the Oxford training ground behind closed doors (5pm starts).
The original plan had been to play the matches one after the other at the Kassam Stadium.
Posh travel to a Spalding United side managed by former London Road promotion hero Gaby Zakuani a day later. It’s likely Posh will send a largely under 23 side to the Sir Halley Stewart Field to play a team that includes ex-Posh star Marcus Maddison.
Before then Posh are in friendly action at Barnet a week on Saturday (July 24, 3pm kick off ).
Posh then take teams to both Portsmouth and Swindon Town on Saturday July 31 before finishing their pre-season programme at King’s Lynn on Tuesday, August 3.
The Swindon game could also be in danger of postponement as the League Two club have called off a scheduled fixture against Swansea City this Saturday because of ‘operational difficulties.’
Swindon have financial isssues as owner, the former Posh striker Lee Power, seeks to offload the club.