Tickets for derby day at the Millennium Stadium on sale

Posted by Now Cardiff on Sep 14, 2012

Tickets for Wales’ double-header derby day at the Millennium Stadium will go on public sale today (Friday 14 September) at 12noon.

The festival of rugby will see the Newport Gwent Dragons face the Scarlets and Cardiff Blues take on the Ospreys in back-to-back clashes on Saturday 30 March, for the first of a new annual rugby initiative at the home of Welsh sport.

Rugby fans can get their tickets from midday priced at £10 for U18s, £25 for adults and £50 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 children) via WRU.CO.UK at Ticketmaster (08442 777 888) or Ticketline UK (02920 230130).

The event, launched jointly by the Welsh Rugby Union and Regional Rugby Wales, will bring the Blues and Dragons RaboDirect Pro12 ‘home’ games against their regional rivals to the iconic stadium for the next four seasons.

Season ticket holders for the Blues and Dragons will be given free entry to the Millennium Stadium for the annual rugby extravaganza.

The WRU has promised a carnival atmosphere for the unique event with details of a full spectrum of match day entertainment coming soon, while almost 1,000 fans have already pre-registered to book their places at the iconic venue.

“Tickets for the Millennium Stadium’s inaugural double-header derby day are on sale now and fans will get to see two regional rugby derby matches, played back-to-back, all on just one attractively priced ticket,” said Gerry Toms, Stadium Manager.

“The event promises to be a fantastic festival of rugby entertainment and we hope all fans will wear their regional colours and support their teams in their droves at the first event on Saturday 30 March.”

As well as WRU’s official ticketing outlets WRU.CO.UK, Ticketmaster and Ticketline UK tickets will be available from the four regions in coming weeks; details to be announced in due course. All season ticket and box holders from the Cardiff Blues and Newport Gwent Dragons will be allocated prime reserved seats at the Millennium Stadium please contact the WRU in the first instance.

On behalf of the four regions, Stuart Gallacher, Chief Executive of Regional Rugby Wales, said:“We’re delighted to be working with the Welsh Rugby Union to bring a new derby day to Wales’ national stadium, which showcases the commitment and success of the four regions to producing and supporting so many talented players in Wales.”

Teen wing sensation Robinson signs for Blues

Posted by Now Cardiff on Sep 2, 2012

Cardiff Blues have confirmed that teenage winger Harry Robinson has signed a senior contract with the region.

Robinson, 19, impressed Welsh selectors and was called up to the Wales 35 man senior squad for the training camp in Poland prior to the 2012 Six Nations Championship. He made a try-scoring debut for his country in June, in the test against the Barbarians.

In 2010/11 he won the Cardiff Blues Academy Player of the Year Award having had an outstanding season and became the youngest ever player to represent the Cardiff Blues, when, aged 17 years and nine months, he lined up against the Ospreys in the LV= Cup.

Speaking of the signing Robinson said,

“I’m really pleased to get to stick around for a few years.”

“It was an easy decision to make and I took the offer with both hands.”

“This is the best rugby environment for me to be in and I’ve got a good group of friends here also, so I’m excited to be here.”

“It does feel like a fresh start with Phil coming in and all the boys who are here feel it’s a good environment to be in.”

“It was a bit of whirlwind last season for me but things have sunk in now but now it’s a new season and I’m just putting my head down and working hard.”

“My ambition is to establish myself in the Blues team but competition is going to be tough with the quality back three players we have in the squad at the moment.”

(more…)

WELSH RUGBY NEWS: Cardiff Blues name side for RaboDirect opener

Posted by Now Cardiff on Aug 31, 2012

Cardiff Blues kick off their RaboDirect campaign against Connacht in Galway this Saturday

Something has to give in the west of Ireland as both Connacht and Cardiff Blues have begun with an opening weekend victory for the past two seasons.

The Blues have a good record against the Irish province, having only lost once to them since 2005: 18-16 at the Galway Sportsground on 18 September 2009.

Connacht, however, achieved their highest tournament finishing position last season (8th), and won three of their last four games and have lost only one of their last six matches at the Sportsground: 16-20 to Munster in March.

Speaking ahead of the match Cardiff Blues Director of Rugby, Phil Davies said,

“We are looking forward to the start of the season, after a pretty gruelling pre season in many ways, the players have worked very hard to be fair to them.”

“The fitness standards that are needed for regional rugby are high and the players have all worked to achieve that standard.”

“Connacht are a pretty solid team and Dan Parks is now there.”

“I’m not sure if Dan is playing as he has suffered an injury but they have a pretty-workmen-like team and I have had experience myself over there with the Scarlets.”

“So I know how tough they are there and we are expecting a tough game.”

“A lot of work has been carried out over the summer to improve all our team system and hopefully that focus will be there Saturday and then there for the next 21 games after that.”

“We have about nine players out injured now with Czekaj added to the list.”

“Rhys Patchell is out injured with a bang on the shoulder from last week against Bath.”

“He has done exceptionally well for a young man and Jason Tovey has been unwell all week.”

“Michael Paterson is out with a shoulder injury and Scott Andrews is out with a knee injury but should be back next week .”

“We are also missing Ryan Harford, Sam Hobbs and Cooper-Woodlley from the front row.”

“Dafydd Hewitt is also out injured for this week but he is back training and should be ok for next week.”

(more…)

WELSH RUGBY NEWS: WRU and the four regions unite for a new Derby Day at the Millennium Stadium

Posted by Now Cardiff on Aug 28, 2012

An exciting new dimension in the Welsh regional rugby calendar will see the four rugby regions come together for the first time at a thrilling double-header derby day at the Millennium Stadium.

The Welsh Rugby Union and four Welsh regions have joined up to bring rugby supporters a new annual double-header fixture coming to the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, 30 March.

The first line of a new chapter in Welsh rugby’s history books will be written when Newport Gwent Dragons face the Scarlets and Cardiff Blues face the Ospreys at the iconic stadium as the best of Welsh rugby goes head-to-head in back-to-back matches.

The double-headed festival of rugby, promoted by the WRU, will be a part of each of the Welsh Regions’ RaboDirect PRO12 campaign, falling into place after the international season has finished and just as the league begins to reach its climax ahead of the knock-out stages of European competition.

The Ospreys, Scarlets, Blues and Dragons will bring their thousands of supporters together for a bumper attendance at the Millennium Stadium – with supporters from every quarter of Welsh rugby able to descend on the Welsh capital in regional colours at this unique event.

The day will be themed and marketed by the Welsh Rugby Union and the four rugby regions working in partnership along with RaboDirect PRO12 to create a carnival atmosphere and with further exciting details about the theme of the event to be revealed by the WRU, including a full spectrum of match day entertainment.

“This unique double-header will be a historic moment for Welsh rugby,” said WRU Group Chief Executive Roger Lewis.

“It has taken us five years to put this fixture together, but I am confident it will have been worth the wait.

“The WRU will promote and underwrite this fixture for the next four years, that’s how much we believe in it.  Fans will see the stars of Welsh rugby and get two derby matches for the price of one very reasonably priced ticket.

“I predict this double-header will become a highlight in the Welsh rugby calendar for a long, long time to come.”

(more…)

Grand Slam stars hit the TV screens

Posted by Now Cardiff on Aug 27, 2012

Leigh Halfpenny and George North are starring in a new rugby advert hitting television screens next week.

Wales rugby boss Warren Gatland has become notorious for imposing a brutal training regime on his Grand Slam winning players and the international duo are featured undergoing some gruelling sessions of their own.

Blues full-back Halfpenny’s ad is reminiscent of actual footage released last year, which showed the Wales squad sprinting on a frozen beach at their pre-RBS 6 Nations Championship training camp in Gdansk, Poland.

Halfpenny shot his item on a beach in Rest Bay, Porthcawl and was asked to race a galloping horse as the film director pits man against beast to symbolise the physical conditioning required for a modern athlete to compete at the very highest level.

Scarlets wing North journeyed to a Caerphilly mountainside (Coed-y-Wenault) where he is depicted carrying tree trunks across the forest laden landscape.

The ads are the first two in a four film series which will later see fellow Scarlet Rhys Priestland and Dragons flanker Dan Lydiate training in their own unique environments.

The players are featured as part of a campaign encouraging fans to support their national side at the Millennium Stadium this November, as they attempt to re-create last season’s Grand Slam glory starting with the Dove Men Series against Argentina, Samoa, New Zealand and Australia.

(more…)

Cardiff Metropolitan University gets lion’s share of GB squad

Posted by Now Cardiff on Jun 13, 2012

Five Cardiff Metropolitan University Students have been named in the Great Britain Universities sevens squad for the World Universities Championships.

Playmaker Dan Bibby of Cardiff Metropolitan University featured in the HSBC Sevens World Series in 2011-12 as did Tom Mitchell (pictured) of Oxford University and Rosslyn Park half back Sam Edgerley (University College, London).

The 12-man group also includes former Northampton Saints and England Sevens wing David Smith (Newcastle University) while Sam Shires (Newcastle University & England) and Owen Jenkins (Cardiff Metropolitan University & Wales) appeared for their countries in this month’s opening round of the FIRA AER European GP Sevens.

This year’s World University Championships Sevens is staged in Brive from July 11-13 with 18 competing teams and Great Britain are aiming to improve on their third place finish behind Portugal and Russia in Porto two years ago, when Mitchell and Smith both featured in the team.

England’s Russell Earnshaw was appointed as head coach by BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sports) backed up by Wales’s Richard Hodges in a Great Britain team delivered by BUCS in a collaborative venture with the home unions.

And Earnshaw believes they have the personnel to improve on their 2010 record at the Stade Amedee-Domenech.

He said: "There’s lots of experience in the squad and we’ve expanded the selection process and programme this year in terms of training and playing in tournaments.

"That’s brought other players through with the likes of Sam Shires and Owen Jenkins going on to play for their countries this summer.

"We want to do well in Brive and we’ve put together a strong side with that goal in mind."

Great Britain side

Joseph Atkinson (Loughborough Univ)
Christopher Banfield (Cardiff Metropolitan Univ)
Daniel Bibby (Cardiff Metropolitan Univ)
Samuel Cross (Cardiff Metropolitan Univ)
Sam Edgerley (University College, London)
Jake Henry (Cardiff Metropolitan Univ)
Owen Jenkins (Cardiff Metropolitan Univ)
Dante Mama (Loughborough Univ)
Thomas Mitchell (Oxford Univ)
David Smith (Newcastle Univ)
Sam Shires (Newcastle Univ)
Luke Treharne (Exeter Univ)