Gloucester boost second row options with signing of James Hudson

Posted on Mar 19, 2013 in Gloucester

Gloucester Rugby have announced that Newcastle Falcons lock, James Hudson, will move to Kingsholm ahead of the 2013-14 season.

31 year old Hudson will move south after four years with the Falcons, during which time he has established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet and a real leader, captaining the side for two seasons.

He started his career at Bath Rugby, then moved along the M4 to London Irish where his stay included a start in the 2008-9 Premiership Final, before his move to Newcastle.

As well as making well in excess of 100 Premiership appearances, he has also been capped at England Saxons level.

A renowned lineout expert, he will be a valuable addition to the Gloucester first team squad from next season according to Director of Rugby Nigel Davies.

“I’m delighted that James has agreed to join Gloucester. He’s a proven Premiership performer and a very shrewd lineout operator.

“He’s also very mobile for a big man, which will suit the way we try and play the game.

“He will also bring experience and leadership qualities to the squad, which will be valuable assets. I’m very much looking forward to him arriving for preseason.”

Meanwhile, Hudson admitted that leaving Newcastle after four seasons had not been an easy decision to make, but that he’s excited about the next step in his playing career.

“I’ve enjoyed my time hugely with the Falcons. They’ve been a massive part of my career, and I’m fully committed to playing my part in helping them regain their Premiership status before I leave.

“However, I felt that now was the time for a new challenge. I’ve always enjoyed playing at Kingsholm as an away player, it’s a fabulous stadium with a passionate crowd.

“And talking to Nigel Davies, I was excited about his plans for the future for Gloucester and my potential role within that. It was something that I decided I definitely wanted to be part of.

“My priority now though is to finish what we’ve started at the Falcons and, hopefully, I’ll be facing Newcastle as a Gloucester player in the Premiership next season.”

Tiesi eager to join Premiership fight

Posted on Jan 30, 2013 in London Welsh

New recruit Gonzalo Tiesi is delighted to be back in the Aviva Premiership, and now just can’t wait to get stuck into the thick of the action for London Welsh.

The Argentina centre, 27, who was part of the side that beat Wales at the Millennium Stadium in the autumn internationals, knows what the Premiership is all about following spells at London Irish and Harlequins and is looking forward to the challenge ahead.

“I’m don’t know if I’m going to be involved or not [v Newport Gwent Dragons], but I’m looking forward to getting straight into the team and getting some game time,” said Tiesi.

“I’m very pleased to be back in the Premiership after a few years. It’s exciting times for London Welsh – it’s a club with a lot of history.

“I’m very excited about the squad; everyone has the goal of retaining the club’s Premiership position. I’m looking forward to the challenge and trying to add something to the team over the next four months to ensure the club’s Premiership place for next season.

“I’ve been following the team since I made the decision to come and they’ve been doing really well. They’ve surprised more than one team and hopefully we can keep doing that.”

Tiesi joined London Irish in 2004 from San Isidro Club before moving to Harlequins in 2008.
In his first season at the Stoop he helped the club reach the Premiership semi-finals and the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. He joined Stade Francais in 2011.

In all, he made 40 appearances in the Premiership during his spells at London Irish and Harlequins, while also making 26 appearances in Europe in the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup.

“I had a good time in England so it was an easy decision to come back. It’s a new club, a new atmosphere and I’m looking forward to it – I’m very excited,” he said.

“I have the experience of having played here for almost four and a half seasons, so I know what the Premiership is all about. Having played in France, the Premiership is the best competition in Europe. It allows you to develop as a player and I want to keep getting better.”

Tiesi’s recall to the national side last November came over a year after his last appearance for the Pumas, when he’d picked up an injury against England at the 2011 World Cup.

His international return, however, meant he missed the business end of the Top 14 season in Argentina, with his club side San Isidro Club reaching the play-offs before missing out. victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium, however, more than made up for that.

“That was a very good experience for me after the World Cup. It was my first international back so it was really important to me and I’ll always have a good memory of that game,” he said.

“We don’t often win at the Millennium Stadium, so it was a great experience. We took the positives out of playing against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa and it will make us a lot better.”

For now, though, Tiesi’s focus is on London Welsh.

Ross poised to bring up century for London Welsh

Posted on Jan 29, 2013 in London Welsh

A cricketer of some repute in his day, Gordon Ross will bring up a century of a different kind when he runs out for London Welsh against Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop on Saturday in the LV= Cup.

The fly half, 34, has been enjoying an Indian summer of a season in the Aviva Premiership, racking up 124 points in 12 appearances and using all his experience and cunning to help the Exiles carve out four wins and occupy tenth in the table.

Saturday will be appearance number 100 for Ross in a London Welsh jersey in all competitions, with his previous 99 yielding 525 points.

“I knew I was coming up to 100 but I didn’t actually realise I was on 99 until this week,” said Ross. “I’m looking forward to Saturday now; I’ve really enjoyed my three and a half seasons here.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes at the club, both on and off the field, and the reward of getting promoted last season was outstanding.

“I’ve no plans to retire yet – the body’s feeling good. I’ve been lucky enough this season to be given the odd weekend off by Lyn [Jones – head coach] and the conditioning staff realise my age and they look after me a little bit.

“I’ve managed to keep relatively fit and healthy during my time at London Welsh and if that can continue, and I feel I can contribute on the pitch, then hopefully I can carry on for as long as both parties are happy.

“I’m not going to target 150 games – I’ll get to 100 first and then we’ll just take each game as it comes after that!”

Ross won 25 caps for Scotland, the last in 2006, and his playing career spanned Heriots FP, Edinburgh Reivers, Leeds Tykes, Castres and Saracens before arriving at Old Deer Park in 2009.

Ross has witnessed some remarkable changes in his time at the club, including the introduction of professionalism, administration and two losing Championship semi-final campaigns, before culminating in last season’s success and subsequent promotion.

“There have been massive changes over the last three and a half years that I’ve been here,” he said.

“There’s never a dull moment but in a way it brings the lads closer together, and it’s certainly worked in our favour in difficult circumstances both on and off the pitch. We’ve worked very hard as a group and we got our just rewards last season.”

Ross sat out London Welsh’s remaining two Amlin Challenge Cup games after picking up a knock on his calf against Harlequins in their Premiership meeting at the Kassam.

With the English champions having qualified for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals as top seeds and still on course for a possible treble, Ross is aware of the size of the challenge that awaits the Exiles at the Stoop on Saturday, especially as Welsh’s last visit to Quins saw them on the receiving end of a 40-3 defeat.

“It’s going to be a tough day for us but when we played them a couple of weeks ago at the Kassam we played some very good rugby in the second half. Our challenge this weekend is to do it from the word go and not after they’ve already scored 20-odd points,” he said.

“We’ve got to start well otherwise it’s going to be a long day at the office, as we’ve found out twice this season.

“We’ve not really competed in the first 20 minutes against them. The start is going to be massive for us and if we can compete it will hopefully make the afternoon a little bit easier than it was been the last two times.

“I’ve seen Harlequins play twice in the LV= Cup this season and they’ve got the same mentality no matter who they play. If it’s a dry ball and a nice firm pitch, which I imagine it will be at the Stoop, then they’ll try and keep the ball moving.”

Defeats to Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester in the LV= Cup have left the Exiles bottom of Pool 4, but the next two weekends of action are vital says Ross if the club are to hit the ground running for their trip to Welford Road on February 3, as the Premiership run in begins.

“The Amlin Cup gave an opportunity to guys coming back from injury and who’d joined the club recently. Hopefully over the next two weekends we’ll be nice and competitive and we’ll play some good rugby that will lead us back into the Premiership at Leicester.

“Every day in training we’re working on things to try and make sure we’re getting better. We’ve a huge month ahead of us in February and we’ve got to make sure we’re as competitive as possible, get a few wins together and try and pick off one or two of the teams above us.”

London Welsh sign Argentina international Gonzalo Tiesi

Posted on Jan 29, 2013 in London Welsh

London Welsh have strengthened their options at centre with the signing Argentina’s Gonzalo Tiesi.

Tiesi, 27, has previously enjoyed spells in the Aviva Premiership with London Irish and Harlequins and joins Welsh after being recalled to the Argentina side for last year’s autumn internationals, following his impressive form for Buenos Aires side San Isidro Club.

He immediately justified that recall by helping the Puma’s to victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

Capped 32 times by Argentina, Tiesi made his international debut in 2004 against South Africa and featured at the 2007 and 2011 World Cups.

Tiesi joined London Irish in 2004 from San Isidro Club before moving to Harlequins in 2008.
In his first season at the Twickenham Stoop he helped the club reach the Premiership semi-finals and the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. He joined Stade Francais in 2011.

In all, Tiesi made 40 appearances in the Premiership during his spells at London Irish and Harlequins, while also making 26 appearances in Europe in the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup.

London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones said: “The signing of Gonzalo Tiesi is a very significant one by the club. He’s a proven and very experienced Premiership player who has had positive spells at London Irish and Harlequins in the past.

“He’s also a player of true international quality and he proved himself again over the autumn period with Argentina. We look forward to Gonzalo adding a great deal to the playing and training environment at London Welsh.”

Jonathan Mills and Arthur Joly commit to London Welsh

Posted on Jan 29, 2013 in London Welsh

London Welsh captain Jonathan Mills and front row forward Arthur Joly have agreed new two-year deals with the club.

Mills, 28, joined the Exiles in 2007 from the Scarlets and last season led Welsh to Championship success and promotion to the Aviva Premiership for the first time in the club’s history.

The back row/second row forward has made 162 appearances for Welsh, scoring 12 tries, and was man of the match in the first leg of the Exiles’ Championship final victory over the Cornish Pirates at Mennaye Field.

Mills, who took over the London Welsh captaincy at the start of the 2010/11 season, came through the academy at Bath and has also played for Llanelli RFC and Llandovery. He represented Wales at U16, U18, U19 and U21.

Although he joined the club in the summer of 2007, Mills enjoyed an unbeaten loan spell with the Exiles in January of that year, in which he made four appearances and scored one try, before making the switch to Old Deer Park permanent.

“I want to stay at London Welsh for as long as I can” said Mills. “I’ve been here for a long time already and I look forward to more success in the future.

“To see the club where it is now, its vision for the future and the calibre of players we have is fantastic. We now want to really establish ourselves in the Aviva Premiership – that’s the next challenge.

“Having first come to London Welsh on loan when the club was still semi-professional and to then be part of it going full-time professional, reaching two Championship semi-finals and then finally getting promoted and reaching the Premiership has been hugely satisfying.

“At the beginning of the season people said we wouldn’t get a point, but the work-rate and the hunger of the boys has been tremendous. It’s been fantastic to be a part of that.”

Prop forward Joly, 24, has made 12 appearances for London Welsh since joining the club from Bourgoin.

Joly began his career with Massey before spending four seasons at Stade Francais, where he gained Top 14 and Amlin Challenge Cup experience. He joined Bourgoin in 2011.

He represented France at Under U20 level in the Six Nations and was selected for the 2007 IRB Under-19 World Championships in 2007 in Belfast.

“I’m very happy to stay here for two more years. I’m very happy to continue to work with this team and with Lyn Jones,” said Joly.

London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones said: “Jonathan has stepped up to Premiership level and has performed to a consistent standard. He has led by example as captain and has shown that when he’s on the field he’s a true Premiership player.

“Arthur has proved himself to be a very popular member of the squad, impressing all when he’s played. He’s still a young French prop who has a huge amount to learn about the game, but he’s got the basics in place and he’s going to prove a very good signing for London Welsh.”