...achieving excellence in guiding, developing and supporting our young athletes to becoming better people and better players!
COWBRIDGE COMPREHENSIVE
RUGBY ACADEMY
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Cowbridge Rugby Academy Take Delivery of New Kit
Cowbridge Rugby Academy have taken delivery of the 2016 playing strip and were delighted to welcome Colun Boxall, the main sponsor to the school for a small presentation. Pictured collecting his shirt from the Academy Captain, Aled Ward, Colun said "I am delighted to be associated with the Academy who have had a tremendous 1st half to the season and I know we are looking forward to the College League playoff's on April 13th 2016". He went onto confirm that he would be supporting the Academy with further sponsorship in 2017.
Dai Griffith, Director of Rugby thanked Colun for all his valued support over the last few years.
Ospreys Debut for Evans
Cai Evans was disappointed not to be selected for the Cardiff Blues Under 18's squad but has been given a chance of regional rugby with his inclusion in the Osprey's U18's squad for 2016. Playing for Cowbridge Academy Cai Evans has consistently impressed in his performaces but, for the very strong competition in the Blues Region Cai would have been arguably selected for the region. However, after several discussion with regional coaches from the Blues and the Ospreys it was agreed this exceptional talent needed to have as much exposure to regional rugby as possible, so an agreement was reached between both regions involved which will alow Cai to continue to develop his game at the highest level possible.
Dai Griff, Director of Rugby at the Academy commented "this is great news for both player and the Acadamy as it shows we are logistically placed to attract players from both regions, moving forward this will be great for our recruitment in the future. As for Cai, he has been superb this season, he fitted in almost from day one and now is considered a senior player for the Academy." He went on to say "I am delighted for Cai as he is a real hard working player, honest and committed with a real drive to improve his game week in, week out. I can see him playing for Wales at some point in the not too distant future that's for sure".
CCS & CAVC Merger Reaps Rewards at National Rugby Tournament
In recent months the two institutions of Cowbridge Comprehensive School (CCS) and Cardiff and Vale College (CAVC) have embarked upon a co-educational pathway which will allow students from both establishments to benefit from a wider and more comprehensive learning experience across the two sites. One of the more apparent crossovers of resources between the two is in the underage sport division, especially that of rugby union. Among the many shared assets such as staffing resources, student courses and a wide range of facilities, the newly merged rugby academy has grown from strength to strength in a relatively short period.
In last month’s National Sevens Tournament at Rosslyn Park, London, the once opposing sets of players and coaches came together to shake up the entire competition, finishing in the top four out of seventy senior teams. No Welsh side has come close to such an achievement for nearly two decades, other than that of Coleg Sir Gar’s title win in 2012 - a triumph outlined by CCS Head of P.E. and Academy Sevens Technician, Mr. Neil Thomas, as a “huge step forward for Welsh underage rugby”.
The new-look academy side skipped past Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar, St Joseph’s Ipswich, in-form Barnard Castle, and a trio of underage rugby giants - Harrow, Hartpury, and Millfield. To the delight of a newly poised coaching staff, the joint academy won six games from eight at one of the mostly hotly contested rugby union tournaments in Britain. Director of Rugby at CCS, Darragh McNamara, commented that the success was “a credit to the hard work of all players and coaches at both centres over the past number of months”.
The top four finishers were beaten by a physical Bedford School side in the top-level Cup Pool that bolstered the Welshmen with a resolute and winning mentality for the remaining fixtures until they met Brighton College in the semi-finals, narrowly losing out twenty-four points to seventeen to the well-drilled sevens specialists.
Mr. Neil Thomas, named Ioan Lewis and Max Cunnington of the CCS Centre as well as Dafydd Smith and Rhys Beynon of the CAVC Centre as the squads top performers in an almost unrivalled accomplishment for any Welsh side in the esteemed Rosslyn Park National Sevens.
Both institutions are now sure to be praising the decision to merge and are understandably excited about the prospects of not only developing upon their shared sporting success but also translating this form from on-field to the classroom with the aim of cultivating a sector defining learning environment for students across both centres.
