Sport
3 West Wales youngsters on Youth Board
THREE youngsters from Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen have been successful in their application to become a part of the inaugural WRU Youth Board for 2016.
The board is made up of fifteen individuals aged between 16 and 21, seven of whom are female and eight male, who form a wide geographical representation of Wales and the national game, and will meet for the first time at Principality Stadium on Monday 15th February.
The Welsh Rugby Union has appointed the first members of its inaugural Youth Board after an online selection process, which saw a host of high calibre candidates, submit video applications via YouTube.
Thomas George (17) and one of the two youngest members Dan Evans (16) are furthest West, with Thomas a member of Fishguard Rugby Club in Pembrokeshire and Dan associated to Pembrokeshire Colleges, Dyffryn Taff School and Whitland RFC, whilst Cameron Petrie (17) is Carmarthenshire based, at Llandovery College, but also a member of the Ospreys academy.
The other successful applicants hail from all over Wales, with some keen players, whilst others are coaches and referees.
“We have gathered a rich and varied array of young talent to form the inaugural WRU Youth Board and I am very much looking forward to meeting everyone at our first meeting in February,” said WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips, who will chair the board – which will meet quarterly over the next two years – himself.
“We have a packed agenda and we are going to go right to the heart of some of the big issues affecting Welsh rugby at the moment for our first meeting, with no holding back.
“We asked each of the candidates to give their views on how we should engage as a Union with future players, referees, volunteers and supporters – people of their own generation and the next one coming through and we will be going deeper into those views.
“We will also be discussing the future of the youth board itself, its aims and its objectives and what we want it to achieve and asking some of the bigger and wider questions about the WRU and the way our national sport is viewed and operated.
“This is going to be good, open, honest and frank discussion and the WRU as an organisation is going to benefit hugely from what these young people will be able to offer.
“The new WRU Youth Board will play an important part in the future of the WRU as will the advisory panel we have selected to sit alongside it.”
One of the main discussion points on the agenda at the new WRU Youth Board’s first gathering will be methods of future engagement with young people in Wales, but the meeting will have a wide ranging remit and leave no topic off the table in its on-going discussions about the national game.
The standard of applications for the Board was extremely high and so a further list of 30 of the top candidates have been invited to sit on an ‘advisory panel’ to the board.
The advisory panel will be an important focus group and be asked for opinions on all WRU Youth Board topics throughout the year. All successful applicants have also received free membership to the WRU’s official supporters club as a recognition of their dedication to rugby.
WRU Youth Board XV for 2016 – with biographical information (alphabetical):
Kay Davies, 18, Powys (f) – studying Sport Management at Cardiff Met University, Sport Cardiff coach, Trefeglwys
Dafydd Duggan, 17, Powys (m) – Llanidloes RFC, RGC Development programme. Ysgol Bro Hyddgen, Llanbrynmair
Dan Evans, 16, Pembrokeshire/Carmarthenshire (m) – Ysgol Dyffryn Taf, Whitland RFC, Pembrokeshire Colleges
Samuel Evans, 16, Neath (m) – Dulais Valley. Neath College. U7s coach, level 2. Llandarcy academy of sport. Llangatwg Community School
Calum Haggett, 19, Porth (m) – Coleg y Cymoedd, Nantgarw. Gilfach Goch RFC. Former Wales U18s captain. Tonyrefal
Ela Jones, 17, Denbigh (f) – Clwb Rugby Dinbych, Ysgol Glan Clwyd, Nant Conwy girls. Coach U10s, U14s.
Andrew Moule, 19, Port Talbot (m) – Glan Afan Comprehensive. Referee.
Johanna Penrose, 17, Machen (f) – Wyclif Christian School, Caerphilly. St John’s College Cardiff
Cameron Petrie, 17, Llandovery (m) – Llandovery College. Ospreys Academy
Thomas William George, 17, Pembrokeshire (m) – Ysgol Wdig, Fishguard RFC. Player, coach, ref.
Menna Preece, 18, (f) Powys – Ospreys academy, Seven Sisters
Bronwen Prosser, 19, Cardiff (f) – King’s College Taunton. Studying Engineering in Cardiff
Luke Rees, 19, Abertillery (m) – Youth Sport Trust, Sport Wales. University of South Wales. Abertillery RFC player and coach. Ball boy. Sport Wales ambassador.
Emily (Millie) Williams, 16, Wattstown (f) – Porth County Comprehensive School. Wattstown RFC. Blues. Wales U18s. U15s coach.
Jo Williams, 18, Newport (f) – Dragons Senior. Level 1 ref. Treharris
Sport
Fox’s Fantastic Clarby shock the county to win Senior Cup
Strong favourites Goodwick United were expected by many to be lifting the senior cup again come Saturday afternoon. However Clarbeston Road had other ideas, we warned they were a dangerous opponent with pressure off, this proved to be the case.
A healthy crowd at the Bridge Meadow were treated to an excellent final, often cagey perhaps boring affairs this final was far from boring. It took just seven minutes for the deadlock to be broken when Clarby captain Rheinallt George put the underdogs ahead. However just before the twenty minute mark his opposite number in Scott Delaney squared things up with a trademark header.
Goodwick then took the lead when another set piece caused problems for Clarby who failed to deal with a free kick before Rhys Dalling latched onto the loose ball to volley his team into the lead. However the lead was short lived as the impressive Jake Booth found the net at the second time of asking to make it all square at the break.
Halfway through the second half another set piece led to the equaliser when Matthew Davies headed home a Laurie Haworth corner. Goodwick manager O’Sullivan rung the changes in search of a way to find an equaliser. Newly introduced striker Nathan Greene was fouled in the box and Rhys Jones had the chance to level the cup final, however Rhys Mansell had other ideas and he saved the penalty. The save gave his team a huge boast and belief that this could be their day, and indeed it was.
Most of the season we have hyped up the quality and character of this Clarby team and praised Matthew Fox and his players. Fox has done a excellent job and this is just rewards, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Clarby began this cup run by beating Hakin who have dominated this cup for so many years. An excellent achievement for all involved and an interesting plot going into next season, will Clarby be able to challange Goodwick in the league also.
For Goodwick it’ll be a bitterly disappointing defeat in a season of such dominance just the one trophy will be the least most expected from this quality side. Many thought Goodwick would win the treble and they were certainly capable, which will be the frustrating factor for the Goodwick management.
Sport
South-West Wales Athletes Aiming to Shine at the Summer Olympics
Two of the finest athletes in south-west Wales are dreaming about bringing home medals from the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Track cyclist Emma Finucane and sailing star Micky Beckett will head to France in a buoyant mood after enjoying a successful build-up to their respective events.
Welsh athletes collected a record-equalling 11 medals at the Tokyo 2020 Games and hopes are high that the tally could be beaten this year.
The Carmarthen-born rider cemented her rapid rise up the sprint ranks by winning a gold medal at the 2023 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.
She became Great Britain’s first women’s sprint world champion since Becky James in 2013 and is now on track to chase more medals at the Olympics across three events.
The 21-year-old has yearned to compete at the Summer Games since watching Team GB sparkle at London 2012 and she is eager to make her mark this summer.
“It’s a massive dream of mine and it’s pretty cool that I’m kind of living my dream,” Finucane said. “I’m just trying to enjoy the journey and hopefully I’ll get selected and compete for my country.
“And it’s exciting because as the Team GB women’s sprint. I feel like we’re in a really good place to do well at the Olympics, not just compete as Olympians.”
Pembrokeshire-born sailor Beckett will also head to Paris with his sights firmly set on winning gold in the hugely competitive ILCA 7 class.
He will renew rivalries with Australian Matt Wearn, who controversially claimed the World Championship title ahead of Hermann Tomasgaard and Beckett earlier this year.
Online bookmakers rate Wearn as the favourite to emerge victorious this summer, but Beckett’s recent form gives him every chance of turning the tables.
Several new sports betting sites in Australia cut the Welsh sailor’s Olympic odds after he completed a trio of World Cup successes at a recent event in Palma.
Beckett believes the hard work he has done over the past few months gives him every chance of toppling Wearn when the action gets underway this summer.
“There is still plenty of work to do and managing form is probably the most important thing of any athlete’s job,” Beckett said. “There is no point being the best in the world unless you are the best in the world when it counts.
Sport
Kilgetty and Carew Share Spoils in End-of-Season Showdown
In the picturesque setting of Kilgetty, under the soft glow of the evening sun, local football fans were treated to an enticing clash between Kilgetty and Carew in the Pembrokeshire League Division 1. With the season winding down, both sides took to the pitch amidst numerous squad rotations, following a hectic week of multiple fixtures.
The match kicked off in a leisurely pace, resembling more of an end-of-season friendly than a fierce competition. Kilgetty seized the early initiative, with the trio of Josh Bevan, Richard Tebbut, and Richard Cope causing headaches for the Carew defense, skillfully led by Gareth Lewis. It was Jac Waters who broke the deadlock for the home side, putting Kilgetty ahead 1-0 as the first half came to a close.
However, Carew emerged revitalised after the break, with Jonty Bennett, James Hinchcliffe, and Zac Rowell putting in the hard yards to level the score. The introduction of Harvey Drummond for the ineffective Sam Christopher added further depth to Carew’s attacking prowess, culminating in an equaliser courtesy of the excellent Hinchcliffe.
As tensions rose, the game took on a newfound intensity, marked by needless bookings, after a clearly offside goal and a few heated moments on the field. Despite the fatigue evident from their recent fixture congestion, both teams showcased their competitive spirit, treating the fans to an entertaining second half.
In the end, neither side could break the deadlock, with Kilgetty and Carew having to settle for a well-fought 1-1 draw. While neither team was at their absolute best, the match provided a fitting conclusion to their respective seasons.
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