Wasps sign Cooper-Woolley

Posted on Mar 21, 2013 in London Wasps

Promising young English prop Jake Cooper-Woolley will join London Wasps next season.

The 23-year-old, who was involved with Harlequins at youth level before heading to University in Wales, joins from Cardiff.

Cooper-Woolley captained Cardiff University to Welsh Varsity triumph at the Millennium Stadium in 2012, before succumbing to injury which saw him miss most of this season, where he was expected to play a strong role with Cardiff.

He has previously spent two seasons in the Welsh Premiership playing with Bedwas and the Dorking native will return to English rugby over the summer under Dai Young’s guidance.

Young said: “We’ve got some very talented young props here with the likes of Phil Swainston and Will Taylor stepping up and doing a fine job this season. I saw Jake playing at Cardiff University and was very impressed and he’s a young English boy who wants to improve. He’s got a strong physical presence and has played at both loose and tight head.”

TEAM NEWS: Bristol Rugby vs Cardiff

Posted on Jan 18, 2013 in Bristol, British and Irish Cup

Bristol Rugby round off their Pool One fixtures against Cardiff on Sunday (3pm KO), knowing that victory will secure a home quarter-final in the B&I Cup.

Head Coach Liam Middleton makes six changes to the side that beat Ulster Ravens last Friday as Bristol look to continue their 100% record in the competition at the Memorial Stadium.

In a new-look backline, Jack Gadd and Ben Mosses form the midfield partnership, while Ryan Edwards and Tristan Roberts make their first starts since early November.

Rhys Lawrence and Mark Lilley come into the front row in the only changes to the pack.

Middleton opts for a four forwards and three backs split on the replacements bench, with Academy duo Joe Joyce and Callum Braley set for their first team debuts.

Bristol Rugby team to face Cardiff at the Memorial Stadium on Sunday, 20 January (3pm KO):

Jack Tovey; George Watkins, Jack Gadd, Ben Mosses, Ryan Edwards; Tristan Roberts, James Grindal (c); Mark Lilley, Rhys Lawrence, Jason Hobson, Ben Glynn, Glen Townson, Marco Mama, James Merriman, Mitch Eadie.

Replacements: Tom Channon, Bruce Douglas, Joe Joyce, Redford Pennycook, Callum Braley, Adrian Jarvis, Jon Goodridge.

Halfpenny and Roberts back in action for Cardiff against Munster

Posted on Jan 4, 2013 in Cardiff Blues

Blues welcome back Jamie Roberts and Leigh Halfpenny to the match day squad to face Munster

Roberts returns and starts at centre having recovered from an elbow injury picked up in the loss to Australia, while Leigh Halfpenny has a place on the bench having also recovered from a neck/shoulder injury picked up in the same match.

Roberts forms a new centre partnership joining Richard Smith who is set to make his Blues starting debut. The strong running centre is a regular for Wales Sevens, having got his first taste of Sevens during the summer of 2011, where he played for Wales in three of the four legs of the FIRA series – in Bucharest, Barcelona and Moscow. He has previously played for Neath RFC in 2009/10 before spending a season in Australia playing for Brisbane Bulldogs.

Romanian prop Tamba on bench

There is also a new face on the bench with twenty-two-year-old Romanian prop forward Petru Tamba set to make his Blues debut. Tamba made his Romania debut against Japan in Bucharest last November and also faced the USA the same month.

Scrum half Alex Walker retains his place on the bench from the Dragons victory. The former Wales Under 18 and 19′s scrum half started his career with Newport Youth, Newport Gwent Dragons U20, and was part of the Dragons Junior Academy.

He gained his senior academy contract with the region at the start of the 2005-2006 season, making one replacement appearance for the region. Walker was an ever-present Dragons team member during the 2006-2007 season.

Like fellow debutant Richard Smith, Walker was named as one of Wales’s ‘core’ contracted players for the 2011/12 IRB World Sevens Series.

Speaking ahead of the match Blues Back Coach Gareth Baber said,

"We go back into European competition in a week or so and going to Musgrave Park is as good as going to another European destination.

"We want to put a performance in that builds on what we’ve done over the festive period and progresses us towards where we want to be going.

"The squad has shown what they are capable of and we want to make sure that they are on top of their game when we face Munster."

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O’Gara becomes Munster’s most capped player against Cardiff

Posted on Jan 3, 2013 in Munster

Ronan O’Gara will become Munster’s most capped player when he takes the field against Cardiff Blues in Musgrave Park on Saturday. He will be winning his 234th competitive cap.

Just four players – skipper Doug Howlett, centre James Downey scrum-half Conor Murray and Man of the Match against Ulster Tommy O’Donnell – retain their places in the Munster starting XV for the visit of Cardiff Blues to Cork (Musgrave Park 7.30)

Keith Earls returns from injury to partner James Downey in the centre while CJ Stander also returns from injury to be named on the bench

Munster: F Jones; D Howlett capt, K Earls, J Downey, J Murphy; R O’Gara, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, M Sherry, S Archer; D Foley, D Ryan; T O’Donnell, S Dougall, J Coughlan. Replacements: S Henry, W du Preez, BJ Botha, B Holland, CJ Stander, D Williams, I Keatley, C Laulala.

Pocock returns to Australian side facing Wales

Posted on Nov 29, 2012 in Australia

Openside flanker David Pocock will complete his return to on-field duties after today being named to start in the Qantas Wallabies’ year-ending James Bevan Trophy Test against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday (2.30pm).

Pocock led Australia to a 3-0 clean sweep of Grand Slam-winning Wales in June, but has not appeared since injuring his knee during the Wallabies’ opening match of the inaugural Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship against the All Blacks at Sydney in August.

The 24-year-old was scheduled to make his return earlier in the Spring Tour, but was held back after sustaining a mild calf strain at training prior to Australia’s departure from Paris following the opening game of the tour.

Pocock’s return allows the work load to be eased for star rookie Michael Hooper, who has performed exceptionally in the absence of his senior colleague.

Used off the bench against the Six Nations champions in June, Hooper ends his freshman Test season having started nine Tests consecutively prior to this weekend, where he will be injected into the game from the bench.

The high class 21-year-old fetcher has won the Australian team’s internal Player of the Day award on four occasions from those nine starting appearances.

Although Pocock will not captain the Wallabies this weekend, with that honour remaining with Pocock’s long-time Western Force and Wallaby colleague Nathan Sharpe as he plays his 116th and final Test; Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says his return will provide the squad with fresh impetus – both physically and mentally.

“David is one of the best in the world as a player, and is growing every day as a leader, so naturally we are delighted to have him back,” Deans says.

“While he has continued to contribute off the field, this tour has been one of frustration for him, but we were not prepared to take any risks and potentially compromise either the player or the team, in terms of his fitness. The upside to the wait is that his return comes at a time where we need fresh energy, as was evident at times during our Test in Italy last weekend.”

Although Deans believes Pocock is capable of playing the full Test, pointing to the lengthy training background he had prior to the calf strain, the inclusion of Hooper in the match night squad gives Australia the option of applying two openside flankers to the breakdown contest.

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