IRISHMEN PETER LYDON and Michael Heaney have been included in the official English Championship Dream XV of the season.
The RFU has revealed the 2015/16 selection ahead of the first legs of the semi-finals of the Championship this weekend.
Former Ulster scrum-half Heaney has helped Doncaster Knights to their best-ever season in reaching those play-offs, where they will face Yorkshire Carnegie over two legs in the next fortnight.
Ex-Ulster scrum-half Heaney is in the Dream XV. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
25-year-old Heaney, who joined the Knights from Ulster last summer, has made 18 starts in the league this season, scoring a try and adding a trio of penalties and two conversions during his brief stints on place-kicking duties.
His game management skills have been important for Doncaster and he has formed a superb halfback pairing with former Munster out-half Declan Cusack to drive the South Yorkshire club into the semi-finals.
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Heaney previously had a spell with Doncaster in the 2011/12 campaign, before returning to home province Ulster for three seasons. The scrum-half made a total of 28 appearances for the northern province, including two in last season’s Champions Cup.
Meanwhile, London Scottish man Peter Lydon is included at fullback in the Championship Dream XV after another superb season in the English second-tier league.
The 23-year-old was overall top points scorer in the Championship with a tally of 182, including late, match-winning scores in four games for the Exiles. Kilkenny man Lydon spent much of the season at fullback, but moved to his former position of out-half in the final four games of the season to great effect.
The Kilkenny College alumnus joined London Scottish in the summer of 2014 after a season in France with Stade Français that included a Top 14 debut and exposure in the Challenge Cup.
Lydon is a key man for London Scottish. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
He extended his contract with the Exiles earlier this year to keep him in London until the end of next season, but is likely to be in demand elsewhere in the near future.
Among several Irish players unlucky to miss out on making the Championship Dream XV is Bedford Blues lock Mark Flanagan.
The former Leinster second row has been in excellent form since joining from Mont-de-Marsan in France last summer.
Indeed, it’s understood that the 26-year-old is close to sealing a move to the Premiership for next season, with reigning champions Saracens appearing the most likely destination.
The likes of Heaney, Lydon, Flanagan and many others continue to show that moves to the English Championship can reap major dividends for Irish players who are willing to work hard outside of their comfort zone.
Championship Dream XV 2015-16:
15. Peter Lydon [London Scottish]
14. Pat Tapley [Bedford Blues]
13. Guy Armitage [London Welsh]
12. Will Hurrell [Doncaster Knights]
11. Tom Varndell [Bristol]
10. Jake Sharp [Bedford Blues]
9. Michael Heaney [Doncaster Knights]
1. Sam Lockwood [Jersey]
2. Ben Hunter [Doncaster Knights]
3. Gaston Cortes [Bristol]
4. Josh McNally [London Welsh]
5. Josh Thomas Brown [London Scottish]
6. Latu Makaafi [Doncaster Knights]
7. Jack Lam [Bristol]
8. Ryan Burrows [Yorkshire Carnegie]
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Irishmen Lydon and Heaney make English Championship Dream XV
IRISHMEN PETER LYDON and Michael Heaney have been included in the official English Championship Dream XV of the season.
The RFU has revealed the 2015/16 selection ahead of the first legs of the semi-finals of the Championship this weekend.
Former Ulster scrum-half Heaney has helped Doncaster Knights to their best-ever season in reaching those play-offs, where they will face Yorkshire Carnegie over two legs in the next fortnight.
25-year-old Heaney, who joined the Knights from Ulster last summer, has made 18 starts in the league this season, scoring a try and adding a trio of penalties and two conversions during his brief stints on place-kicking duties.
His game management skills have been important for Doncaster and he has formed a superb halfback pairing with former Munster out-half Declan Cusack to drive the South Yorkshire club into the semi-finals.
Heaney previously had a spell with Doncaster in the 2011/12 campaign, before returning to home province Ulster for three seasons. The scrum-half made a total of 28 appearances for the northern province, including two in last season’s Champions Cup.
Meanwhile, London Scottish man Peter Lydon is included at fullback in the Championship Dream XV after another superb season in the English second-tier league.
The 23-year-old was overall top points scorer in the Championship with a tally of 182, including late, match-winning scores in four games for the Exiles. Kilkenny man Lydon spent much of the season at fullback, but moved to his former position of out-half in the final four games of the season to great effect.
The Kilkenny College alumnus joined London Scottish in the summer of 2014 after a season in France with Stade Français that included a Top 14 debut and exposure in the Challenge Cup.
He extended his contract with the Exiles earlier this year to keep him in London until the end of next season, but is likely to be in demand elsewhere in the near future.
Among several Irish players unlucky to miss out on making the Championship Dream XV is Bedford Blues lock Mark Flanagan.
The former Leinster second row has been in excellent form since joining from Mont-de-Marsan in France last summer.
Indeed, it’s understood that the 26-year-old is close to sealing a move to the Premiership for next season, with reigning champions Saracens appearing the most likely destination.
The likes of Heaney, Lydon, Flanagan and many others continue to show that moves to the English Championship can reap major dividends for Irish players who are willing to work hard outside of their comfort zone.
Championship Dream XV 2015-16:
15. Peter Lydon [London Scottish]
14. Pat Tapley [Bedford Blues]
13. Guy Armitage [London Welsh]
12. Will Hurrell [Doncaster Knights]
11. Tom Varndell [Bristol]
10. Jake Sharp [Bedford Blues]
9. Michael Heaney [Doncaster Knights]
1. Sam Lockwood [Jersey]
2. Ben Hunter [Doncaster Knights]
3. Gaston Cortes [Bristol]
4. Josh McNally [London Welsh]
5. Josh Thomas Brown [London Scottish]
6. Latu Makaafi [Doncaster Knights]
7. Jack Lam [Bristol]
8. Ryan Burrows [Yorkshire Carnegie]
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Championship Exiles Irish Abroad Mark Flanagan Michael Heaney peter lydon