GRAHAM DAWE has added two young West Country front-row forwards to his Plymouth Albion squad.
Cornwall’s County Championship winning tight-head prop Christian Judge arrives from Launceston, while Bristol-born hooker/loose-head Dean Brooker joins the National One club from the Cornish Pirates, where he was on their development programme.
Former York University student Judge, 22, had an impressive first senior season at Polson Bridge, making 18 starts and seven replacement appearances.
The former Callington College pupil then impressed Albion boss Dawe playing for Cornwall.
Judge is the second Cornwall player to move to Plymouth from Launceston this week, following in the footsteps of young winger Jon Dawe.
Albion’s director of rugby Graham Dawe said: “Christian has had a year playing at level four with Launceston and showed up well at the back end of the season and progressed through to the Cornwall squad.
“He’s a local lad, who had three years away at university, but came back to the region.
“Technically he’s good and he’s got a big desire to improve.
“It is important to have players who want to develop and do it quickly and who are also looking long-term.”
Judge said: “Moving to Albion will present me with a new challenge and I’m sure a step up in level with help my development as a player.
“I enjoyed working with Graham (Dawe) in the Cornwall set-up and I know he will help me progress.”
Brooker, who stands at 6ft 2in and weighs in at 18-and-a-half stone, is another player who, according to Dawe, is desperate to progress and really wanted to join Albion.
The 21-year-old, who made three replacement appearances for the Pirates last term and two starts on loan at Chinnor, will combine his rugby at Albion with a full-time job with Lift It Crane Hire.
“He came to me a long time ago and we have now been able to fix him up with a job in Plymouth,” said Dawe.
“He was at Ealing for a while but did not play and then had a year at the Pirates on their player development scheme.
“He’s young, but a big guy, who certainly has got raw attributes. He just needs some technical work and some hard work on the fitness front.
“But what’s good is that he has a huge appetite to want to do well.”
Brooker added: “I gained valuable experience playing for the Cornish Pirates last season and I’m really looking forward to working with Graham Dawe, who as a former hooker is one of the best people I could learn from.”