Williams, Rees & Jenkins out of Wales squad to face France

Posted on Feb 18, 2010 in Rugby News

Wales physio Mark Davies today confirmed Matthew Rees, Gethin Jenkins and Gareth Williams will not be available for selection for the RBS 6 Nations clash with France at the Millennium Stadium a week tomorrow (kick-off 8.00pm)

Scarlets hooker Rees has failed to recover from a groin problem, Blues prop Gethin Jenkins has a calf injury and fellow Blues player, hooker Gareth Williams, has damaged knee ligaments.

“Matthew (Rees) is progressing well and will continue his rehab in camp with Wales,” said Davies.

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Powell removed from Welsh Squad

Posted on Feb 16, 2010 in Rugby News

The Wales national squad management team has confirmed back row forward Andy Powell will be removed from the Welsh 35-man RBS 6 Nations squad with immediate effect, following his arrest by  South Wales Police  on Sunday morning and has since been charged with drink driving and, after discussions with the player himself, it has been decided by management that he should be suspended from the squad for behaviour contrary to the squad’s code of conduct.

“We take matters of player conduct extremely seriously and have been happy with the professionalism and discipline of this squad in general terms,” said Wales team manager Alan Phillips.

“Andy knows he has misbehaved and is apologetic, but he also knows that he must take responsibility for his own actions and accept the repercussions.

“This kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated in a professional, elite sporting environment and we have acted quickly and incisively in order to leave no ambiguity over the dim view we take of this situation.
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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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Principality Premiership Player of the Month

Posted on Dec 9, 2009 in Rugby News

Cardiff outside half Gareth Davies has won the Principality Premiership Player of the Month award for November.

Davies is currently with the Wales Sevens squad in Dubai having caught the eye of Paul John and the Wales Sevens management team.

Principality Premiership holders Cardiff are currently fifth in the table but only three points behind leaders Neath, and were the only Welsh side to win both their opening British and Irish Cup ties in November, beating Pontypridd 22-16 and Birmingham & Solihull 51-20. Davies has amassed 145 points already this season, already closing in on last year’s tally of 208.

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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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