The impact made by Sean McCarthy in his debut season with Bedford Blues was truly remarkable.

Having arrived from Jersey Reds in the summer of 2017, McCarthy set out to make a mark and he truly embedded himself in the Blues front row making an astonishing 28 appearances during the campaign.

A superb scrummager who possesses exceptional handling skills and plenty of pace combined with a calm head, McCarthy has been a dominating force in the Championship and will be looking for much of the same in the 2018/19 campaign.

McCarthy enjoyed two spells with Jersey Reds with a stint at Leinster sandwiched between the two. McCarthy has also represented Ireland at Under 18 level and previously played for Worcester Warriors before heading to Jersey for his first stint at the club in 2012.