Academy News - December 2015

 

Dear Player & Parent

We are delighted to issue our second Academy Newsletter.  The aim is to an update on player development, our future plans and some news feature .

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With all the leagues fixtures now complete it was ironic the day after the final league match the Academy’s new kit arrived from 99 Team Wear!!

Pictured below receiving his Sponsors shirt Colun Boxall confirmed he was delighted to support the Academy and would continue into next season even though his son would be moving on to University once he completes his A Levels at Cowbridge.

Dai Griff, Director of Rugby commented “the sponsorship we get from C. S Boxall Limited is so important to the Academy I can’t thank Colun enough for his generosity”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PLAYOFFS

No doubt you are already aware the Academy qualified for the Cup Competition play off’s to be held on April 13th.  Although we missed out narrowly on finishing second in the league we have still qualified and will be travelling to Coleg Sir Gar next Spring to compete for a spot in the final, which is to be held later in April at the Millennium Stadium.  The lads have worked so hard to get us to this point and the last 13 weeks have been very intense.  Like so many other squads we have been hit with injuries which has not helped our situation, but to the boys credit they have all pulled together and with determination and focus they have made this squad the first in Cowbridge to reach the knock out stage of the competition. This is a tremendous achievement given where we have come from back in the summer.

For an update on the results please check out our website www.cowbridgeacademy.wix.com. You can also check out the photo gallery as there are some great images of the boys.

 

 

BLUES UNDER 18’S SELECTION

 

We are delighted to announce a number of the boys have been selected for the Blues Regional Under 18’s squad, including Aled Ward, Harry Dobbs, Eddie Drake, Rhys Carre, Owain Ellis, Tom Lucas and Cameron Gibbon, well done to all the lads and good luck to them in the forthcoming Regional competition. Their selection into the regional squad is great news on an individual basis but for the Academy it’s continued proof the rugby programme at the academy really works. The continued success of the Academy will always be judged on the ability to produce rugby players of the highest quality within their age grade, and this recent tranche of players is no exception.

 

ACADEMY CROSSES BOTH REGIONS             

 

 

Setting a president Cowbridge Rugby Academy are the first A Licenced Centre to have a squad member selected for another region outside of the Blues.

Although missing out on selection for the Blues Under 18’s squad Cai Evans was quickly snapped up by the Ospreys Under 18’s management having been identified as a player with a real bright future. In an unprecedented and very pragmatic move Richard Hodges, the Blues Regional Manager structured a position that will allow this talented youngster to play Regional rugby.

Commenting on the decision Dai Griffith said “this is great news for Cai, he is a real talent, and the opportunity to play Regional Rugby has been justified by his performances week in week out for Cowbridge. Both the Blues and Ospreys Management have been superb in making this happen, my only hope is it won’t be the last time we see decisions like this when it comes to developing Welsh talent like Cai.”

For the Academy this move has tremendous implications when it comes to recruitment, we can now hopefully attract more players from the Ospreys region thus helping to secure our long term success in the College league system.

 

ACADEMY LAND ELLIOT FREWEN TO HELP WITH 7’S CAMPAIGN

 

The Academy have qualified for 3 major 7’s tournaments, URDD, Llandovery and Rossilyn Park all to be played in April 2016, the latter being a show case of talent for selectors looking for the next best 7’s players to recruit on to the circuit.

As part of the continued commitment to the rugby programme Cowbridge Academy have brought in Elliot Frewen one of Wales leading 7’s specialists to assist with coaching in preparation for these tournaments.

Neil Thomas (Head of PE) who will be heading up the programme said “to have someone like Elliot on board is a superb coup, he will certainly bring an insight into the 7’s game that these boys have never seen before.  7’s is a game in its own right, with many players going onto a professional 7’s career, travelling around the world playing rugby, it can’t get better than one week being in Dubai and the following week in Singapore, what a life style!”

 

ACADEMY PATHWAY SUCCESS

 

We are delighted to report that during the last 2 months Owen Lane has signed a professional rugby contract with the Blues Region.

Owen has already appeared for the Blues Selected XV in the British & Irish Cup along with several appearances for Cardiff RFC and Pontypridd RFC.  Owen Capped at all age grades has also been selected for the Wales Under 20’s squad which is a tremendous achievement given he is still only 17! We are absolutely delighted for Owen and wish him every success in his future rugby career.

WALES UNDER 18’S

 

The second tranche of selection has recently taken place for the Wales Under 18’s squad and we are extremely proud to announce the following players have been selected: Rhys Carre, Harry Dobbs, Eddie Drake and Academy Captain,    Aled Ward.  These guys have worked extremely hard to get to this stage in the rugby.  I am sure you will join us in wishing the boys every success.  Dai Griff stated “to have 4 lads in the Under 18’s Welsh Squad and Owen lane in the Under 20’s all in one year would be massive for our profile let alone for the boys themselves”.  He went on to say “I am so proud of the boys and what they have achieved to date; every one of them deserves to be there.

 

 

TALKING DEFENCE WITH RWJ

 

It’s no surprise the Academy’s defence has continued to improve week on week when you learn the man responsible for that success comes from a pedigree professional playing back ground.  Rory Watts-Jones sadly retired from professional rugby back in 2014 due to injury has been instrumental in the organisation of the Academy’s defence. Neil Thomas was asked to comment on Rory’s involvement at the Academy “His influence has been so evident in recent games; he brings with him a tremendous reputation of professionalism and an uncompromising approach to the preparation needed to succeed, we are extremely lucky to have Rory on board.”

Rory has already confirmed he will be continuing as Defence Coach for the Academy in 2016/17, which once again shows the commitment we have at the Academy to delivering the best rugby programme we can.

Dai Griff said of Rory “a seriously knowledgeable rugby man who’s approach demands nothing but the best from the boys, he has the players respect given he has been there and done that!  I am delighted he has committed to next season, I know he will continue to challenge and develop our players, he’s certainly made the rest of the coaching staff focus on their duties.”

 

 

FIXTURES FOR JANUARY & FEBRUARY

 

Although the College League fixtures have finished the Academy have arranged some really challenging fixtures for January & February, these are primarily development fixtures with the focus being on individual player development/improvement. These fixtures will give the coaching staff time to work with and watch players who have not had as much game time during the last 13 weeks. On top of these games there are a number of Development League fixtures yet to be completed including a Home and Away fixture against Cardiff & Vale, Whitchurch High and Coleg y Cymoedd, so it’s a busy time for the boys over the next couple of months.

Some of the notable fixtures are:

16th Jan             Millfield Away

27th Jan             Hartpury Away

17th Feb            Cardiff & Vale College, Cardiff Arms Park

24th Feb            Filton Away

 

 

EX-ACADEMY PLAYER CONTINUES TO IMPRESS

 

Rhys Forse who was a member of the 2013/14 & 2014/15 squad has been grabbing the headlines recently with some impressive performances for his new club Aberavon Wizards, including a recent Man of the Match award against Pontypridd.

Rhys was one of those players overlooked by the Blues Under 18’s selectors last year but rather than shrink back into mediocrity Rhys took this disappointment in his stride, during the off-season he continued working hard on his game plus his strength and fitness which ultimately paid off with a contract offer to play for Aberavon Wizards which he has grabbed with both hands. Given the Wizards are a feeder club to the Ospreys Region who knows maybe we will see another Academy Osprey Cap in the near future?

The great thing about Rhys and his pathway to date is his continued drive to succeed, he didn’t see not being selected for the Blues U18’s as the end of his rugby career, he saw this as the start of a new chapter offering a fresh challenge, and one he has relished and thrived in. Good luck Rhys in the future, although I am sure you want need luck!

 

 

OUR ACADEMY NEEDS YOU

 

As we enter the second half of the 2015/16 programme the Director of Rugby’s focus has to shift towards recruitment for 2016/17 and with that in mind Dai Griff has already put plans in place to help with the continued success of the Academy. On the 14th January we will be holding a presentation at the Cardiff Arms Park to this year’s Blues South Under 16’s squad, along with follow up individual meetings with those who express an interest in Cowbridge.

We also have a programme of integration for our current Year 11 boys which is vital to the continued success of the Academy. Mr Nathan Hopkins head of PE to year 11 said of the squad “these boys will be a real benefit to the Academy next year, we already have a number selected for the Blues South squad and with the work they are doing in the gym I can see next year’s squad offering real competition for places.”

With Cai Evans having been selected for the Ospreys Region and the rumours Bridgend College may not continue in the league programme this is a great opportunity for us to explore recruitment to the West of Cowbridge, and with the valuable help of ex-Director of Rugby Matt Silva, who was appointed Coach Educator for the Ospreys Region back in September, Dai Griff is currently in talks with Ospreys management regarding this issue.

 

Produced by Director of Rugby