Malta officials are hoping for an encouraging crowd on what is expected to be a warm afternoon at Hamrun tomorrow when the Malta national team hosts Denmark in the opener of the Dove Men+Care International Series at Victor Tedesco Stadium.

Both coaches named their teams this morning, the Danes a rather unchanged line-up to that which defeated Sweden 122-8 in April while the Maltese introduce eight new faces to the national team.

Malta coach Anthony Micallef has five debutants in the starting 13, naming Gateshead Spartans playmaker Paul Parkinson at halfback while Sliema Stompers’ prop Dragan Cerketa is set to become a dual rugby international after impressing throughout the local Dove Men+Care Championship.

The Danish Lions will be led at prop by player coach Nigel Kitching. Kitching has named all but two of his eight try scorers that collected a combined 22 tries against Sweden six weeks ago.

Australian referee Phill Browne will officiate the international with Nadia Gosney and Mark Hewson his touch judges.

Gates open at 4pm, kick off at 5pm.

Malta team
1) Dylan Frendo, 2) Joey Criminale, 3) Shaun Bartlett, 4) Shaun Gilmour, 5) Matt Von Brockdorff, 6) Sam Keep, 7) Paul Parkinson, 8) Paul Borg, 9) Justin Barlogio, 10) Joey Davies, 11) Clifford Debattista, 12) Dragan Cerketa, 13) Chris Parker (c)
Reserves: Joe Paolella, Ed Willis, John Ellul, Gary Hili, Shan Francois Hussain (one to be omitted)

Denmark team
1) Josh Whitehead, 2) Murray Power, 3) Cam Wood, 4) Martin Scott-Pedersen, 5) Andreas Clipet-Jensen, 6) Rune Nordvang, 7) Viiga Lima, 8) Tom Hobbs, 9) Richard Naylor, 10) Nigel James Kitching, 11) Herbie Mulipola, 12) Eugene Hanrahan, 13) Nicholas Jarden
Reserves: Bjarne Vibe, Mark Nielsen, Andy Wood, Serge Smirnoff, Allan Lobel (one to be omitted)

2012-06-08, 08:00