Young Wales 7s win silverware again

Posted on Dec 14, 2009 in Rugby News

Wales have won silverware for the second week running by claiming the Bowl in George, South Africa, in the second leg of the IRB Sevens series.

Craig Hill raced over in the first half and Lee Rees scored in the second period to lead Wales’s charge to a 14-5 victory over Russia in a hard fought final. Gareth Rees banged over two conversions to complete the scoring for Wales.

Russia rallied late on to score through Lev Sleptsov but it proved too little too late as Wales picked up their second title in two weeks.

En route to the final Wales swept aside the challenge of Tunisia 33-0 in the quarter-final before brushing aside the rapidly improving Portugal 24-7 in the semis.

After being knocked out of the main draw after finishing their pool in third place behind New Zealand and Samoa, Wales were looking to assert their authority in the Bowl competition.

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Fresh challenge for Wales sevens squad

Posted on Nov 26, 2009 in Rugby News

Wales Sevens head coach Paul John has announced a new-look squad for the first IRB Sevens World Series tournaments of the season in Dubai (Dec 5 – 7) and George, South Africa (Dec 11 – 12).

Only captain Chris Davies (Aberavon), Newport’s Craig Hill, Cross Keys flanker Jevon Groves and Llandovery flyer Ifan Evans have previous international Sevens experience, with Hill the only member of Wales’ Rugby World Cup Sevens winning squad set to return to Dubai. All four are contracted WRU core Sevens players, as are uncapped trio Chris Morgan (Aberavon), Nicky Thomas (Swansea) and Lloyd Wiliams (Blues).

Ospreys youngsters Ashley Beck and Justin Tipuric, Cardiff outside half Gareth Davies, Scarlets Academy scrum half Lee Rees and UWIC’s Alex Cuthbert have been added to the squad for these two legs of the Series.

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Ospreys hand pro contracts to homegrown teenage talent

Posted on Nov 3, 2009 in Rugby News

The Ospreys have moved to secure the futures of two of the brightest young talents in the Welsh game, signing Academy players Ashley Beck and Kristian Phillips on their first professional contracts.

Beck, a centre, has signed a three-year deal that ties him to the region until the end of the 2011-12 season, while winger Phillips has committed himself to the Ospreys until 2013. Both players have risen through the age-grade ranks at the region, and were initially handed their first Academy contracts in January 2007.

The homegrown duo, both aged 19, are regulars in the Wales Under-20 squad, and have already gained Magners League experience with the Ospreys.

Phillips holds the record for the youngest ever play to start a Magners League match, aged 17 years and 250 days when he faced Connacht for the Ospreys in May 2008, a game in which he also became the youngest ever Magners League try scorer.

For his part, Beck is the youngest ever player to feature in a Magners League game having come off the bench at the Liberty Stadium against Leinster in November 2007, aged just 17 years and 222 days.

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