Latest news with #Aberavon
South Wales Argus
21-06-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Evan Wood ready to make mark with Wales U20s at World Cup
The 20-year-old hooker will be a member of the 30-strong squad that will go up against Argentina, France and Spain in the group stages of the tournament in Italy. Wood, from Merthyr, was relieved to get the news from head coach Richard Whiffin that he made the cut after a very different call in 2024. 'I've been involved in the Six Nations for two years but was gutted to miss out on the World Cup last summer,' said the hooker, who featured on home soil at Pontypool Park in a warm-up fixture against England. 'I took some time to get over that and I really knuckled down this season because it was a main goal of mine to make the plane for Italy. It was amazing to get the good news and now I get to represent my country at a World Cup.' SELECTED: Evan Wood will hope to feature for Wales at the World Rugby U20 Championship (Image: Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency) Wood will travel as back-up to the Scarlets' Harry Thomas, one of the stars of the Six Nations, along with Aberavon's Saul Hurley. With a tough schedule of group games on June 29, July 4 and 9 then further fixtures on July 14 and 19, it will very much be a team effort in Italy. 'Everyone in the squad, whether starting, on the bench or prepping the team, is tight. We all understand our roles and everyone is pushing each other,' said Wood. 'That's probably why we got the best out of each other in the Six Nations and we'll need the same again because the boys who have been before say it's tough with games coming thick and fast. 'We will all have to be ready and prep well if we are to be a successful team.' Wood will sign off for age-grade rugby next month and then get ready for a first proper crack at SRC with Pooler after featuring on permit from Cardiff Met to cover for injured Dragons hooker Sam Scarfe. 'I played against Cardiff, Aberavon and Llandovery and enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to getting back there,' he said. 'There was the opportunity to play in the SRC and I want to push myself at that level after playing for Cardiff Met. 'Pooler is a big club with great history, so it was a chance I couldn't turn down. I loved those few games and can't wait for next year.' Dragons prospect Scarfe is likely to be sent out for plenty more development in Torfaen next season but Wood, who played age-grade rugby for Cardiff, will push him hard for the 2 jersey. Player-coach Scott Matthews said: 'Evan made a real impact towards the tail end of last season filling in for the injured Sam Scarfe and was a stand-out performer in our home win against Cardiff. 'Evan is a competitor and drives the on-field energy very well. He's already fit right into our environment and will be a great asset for us.'
Daily Mirror
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Wales rugby star missed glitzy British Lions announcement due to delayed flight
The O2 Arena was hired as a venue and decked out in scarlet red, a live audience invited for the first time, a show put together featuring former players, Q&As, appearances from head coach Andy Farrell and chairman Ieuan Evans The British & Irish Lions threw everything at the 2025 squad announcement. The O2 Arena was hired as a venue and decked out in scarlet red, a live audience invited for the first time, a show put together featuring former players, Q&As, appearances from head coach Andy Farrell and chairman Ieuan Evans, and the unveiling of 2025 Tour captain Maro Itoje. To complement the occasion, dozens of players huddled around TV screens, waiting for news: some at home, some at their clubs' training ground, some even walking the dog, waiting to hear if they were about to realise their dream of becoming a British & Irish Lion. Meanwhile, somewhere over South Africa's Gauteng province, Jac Morgan was 39,000 feet in the air, oblivious to what was going on below. A flight delay from Durban to Johannesburg, where he was on club duty with Ospreys, meant he missed all the drama and only discovered his fate when the plane safely touched ground. Fortunately for him, loud applause erupted around the plane. 'I found out as soon as I landed,' he said. 'I was able to get my head down a little bit but soon after there was a lot of clapping and cheering, and everyone came up to me to congratulate me. It is a surreal thing to be picked for the Lions.' Surreal, perhaps, but undoubtedly justified. And, after a rollercoaster journey that has taken him from an engineering apprenticeship to national captain within six short years, a fitting way to find out. Speak to those who know Morgan best and they will tell you he has always had a mature head on young shoulders. A quiet personality, he comes from Brynamman, a small village in the Brecon Beacons, where Welsh is the first language and started playing rugby at local club Cwmtwrch, where he stayed from under-8 to under-16 level. Even then, some predicted he would reach the top. 'As the boys got a bit older, they'd like a crafty pint here and there, but not Jac. He was always on the water. He was so dedicated. He didn't drink beer,' Bertie Roberts, Cwmtwrch age-grade coach, told Rugby Pass. Morgan then went on to play for Amman United Youth and the Scarlets academy, but he was released at 17 and joined Welsh Premiership team Aberavon. Mature and head-strong, he made contingency plans for a non-rugby career and enrolled on a mechanical engineering course, and worked as an apprentice for Morgan Advanced Materials in Swansea. Rugby remained his dream, however, and after making great strides at Aberavon, he was quickly parachuted into the Wales U20s set-up – leaving him with a dilemma. 'So the first year when I was playing for Wales Under-20s I was working all the afternoons and the evenings, it was quite hard,' he said. 'We went to Argentina for the Under-20s World Cup during the summer of 2019, and then around October time when the Under-20s started up again with a few training camps, I was weighing up if I could do it all again and combine both jobs. 'I spoke to the Scarlets academy manager, who was also the coach of the Under-20s, and I just asked him if I would be allowed to come into training if I finished work, and he said yes. 'So I decided that October to try and give the Under-20s a shot more than anything, then I joined up with the Scarlets again, and yeah, the rest is history. I think I made the right decision." Morgan took the plunge. He quit his engineering job and threw himself at rugby again, with Scarlets swooping back in to sign him. He then captained Wales in their 2020 Six Nations U20s campaign, and was man of the match in the 23-22 upset win away to England. A senior debut soon followed but Scarlets released him again, and he ended up with Ospreys. He has not looked back since. Wales have a strong history of creating world-class openside flankers. Martyn Williams, Sam Warburton and Justin Tuipuric have all shone in the No.7 jersey in the past 25 years, and many believe Morgan belongs in that company. 'I see him as a sort of Welsh version of the former Australia flanker George Smith,' former Wales teammate Scott Baldwin told Rugby Pass. 'It's a big comparison to make and Jac obviously has a long way to go, while what also marked George Smith out was the amount of time he spent at the highest level. 'I don't think he realises how good a player he could be.' Morgan's Wales debut was a matter of when, not if. And he first earned selection for the 2022 Six Nations, playing from the start and completing all 80 minutes against Scotland. 'It's hard to explain the emotions that I felt while singing the anthem,' he said afterwards. 'I was nervous, my nerves were terrible whilst singing it and what with it being my home anthem and being a Welsh speaker I nearly forgot the words halfway through what with everyone being so loud.' He'll be glad to know there is no anthem to learn this summer. Morgan's introduction to Test match rugby was one of the highlights of an otherwise disappointing 2022 campaign for Wales. Head coach Wayne Pivac was replaced by the returning Warren Gatland, who spent 12 years in charge between 2007-2019, ahead of the 2023 World Cup. Gatland chose to look to the future and installed Morgan as a co-captain ahead of the tournament in France, just 18 months on from his debut. "What I think Jac does brilliantly is he leads by example," said Wales prop Gareth Thomas in France. "Just in training, I was speaking to Mike (Forshaw) about it. He puts a tackle in and it makes me want to put a dominant tackle in. A lot of the boys feed off his example on the pitch. In that way he's been brilliant." While Wales have struggled on the pitch for the past few years, Morgan has been a constant ray of light. Videos of the moment he realised he had earned Lions selection might have done the rounds on social media, but it's perhaps incomparable to the relief felt in the head offices at Principality Stadium. Amid a torrid time for Welsh rugby, there were fears the national team's ineptitude might cost Morgan a place on the plane. And even though he made it, it's a stain on the nation's rugby reputation that – in a squad of 38 players – only two are Welsh, with scrum-half Tomos Williams the other selected. It's a pitiful return for a nation that is perhaps most synonymous with the Lions. Morgan, whose international career has cruelly overlapped with such a bleak era, is the one bright spot in a team at its lowest ever ebb and must be chomping at the bit to show how good he is in a squad of players at a similar level. Not that he's ever likely to admit that. 'He's an incredible player. He is a class bloke, very humble, and someone I love playing with and playing for. You always know he is going to give everything,' Wales teammate Dafydd Jenkins said. 'You always know he is going to be one of the best players on the pitch, whoever we are playing against. Having people like that does help the team forward. He is above everyone else. For me, he is the best seven in Britain at the moment.' Morgan now has an excellent chance to prove it.
Sky News
21-05-2025
- Sky News
Boy, 15, drowned after jumping off pier in South Wales, coroner concludes
A 15-year-old boy died from drowning after jumping off a pier in South Wales, a coroner has concluded. David Chiaka Ejimofor died on 19 June 2023 after jumping into the sea from the breakwater in Aberavon, Neath Port Talbot, shortly after 7pm. Coroner Edward Ramsay said there had been a "lack of effective deterrents on the day in question" to prevent David from jumping in. "I have no idea if he saw the signage stating no access," the coroner said. "Secondly, even if he did, there was no physical barrier deterring entry." Mr Ramsay said that had a lifeguard been on duty at the time, it was possible David "would not have jumped and therefore not have drowned". David had received swimming lessons in the past, the inquest heard, and his mother Maria Ejimofor described him as a "cautious" swimmer. Internet searches on David's phone suggested he was "anticipating going swimming later that day" but he had expressed "some caution about jumping", the inquest heard. Mr Ramsay said the breakwater "should not have been used" for jumping into the sea but there was "effectively unrestricted and undeterred access". 1:10 Upon entering the water, David "very sadly found himself in immediate difficulty", the coroner said. "This was because whilst he had swam, and could swim, his swimming ability was not good," he added. Despite the "frantic efforts" of David's friends, his swimming ability "was not sufficient to keep him afloat", Mr Ramsay said. The coroner formally recognised the efforts of paddleboarding off-duty police officer Tyler Rowland, who helped get David to shore, and the members of the public who delivered CPR. Despite their efforts, and that of the emergency services, David was declared dead at the scene at 8.05pm. Mr Ramsay expressed his sympathy to David's family and said he would issue a prevention of future deaths report at a later date.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- BBC News
Aberavon pier jump: Lifeguard could have deterred teen, inquest says
Having a lifeguard on duty could have stopped a teenager dying at a south Wales beach, a coroner has Ejimofor, 15, died at Aberavon beach, Neath Port Talbot on 19 June 2023, after jumping into the sea with friends while celebrating the end of their coroner, Ed Ramsay, said if a lifeguard was working "it is possible that David would not have jumped into water and would not have drowned".He also found there were not enough deterrents, such as barriers and signage, on the pier to prevent the death. Mr Ramsay said there was evidence that a "lifeguard on breakwater had worked in the past".On Tuesday, the court heard the lifeguard services finished at 18:00 BST that inquest found David jumped into the sea at about 19:00 and drowned within Ramsay said David's swimming ability "would have been a factor" too as well as the possible element of cold-water shock and mother, Maria Ejimofor, had previously said he had swimming lessons as a child but was not confident in the off-duty police officer who was paddleboarding arrived within two minutes of his disappearance under the water and helped recover the body from the coroner said David's size "made rescue efforts difficult" as he was a big and tall 15-year-old. The family maintained that signage on the pier was an issue - even though there was one sign warning of the dangers at the Mansell, representing the family, said David did not see this because he entered the breakwater further down the beach from the inquest heard better signage has been put up since David's Mansell said the presence of a lifeguard on the pier would have led to a "very different outcome for David".A prevention of future deaths report will also be published by the assistant coroner.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Friends were pulled underwater as they desperately tried to stop bodybuilder teenager drowning after he jumped off pier, inquest told
Two friends were pulled underwater as they desperately tried to stop their friend from drowning after he jumped in to the sea as part of an end of exam celebration, an inquest as heard. Despite their best efforts to save him David Ejimofor, 15, tragically died at Aberavon beach, Neath port Talbot, on Monday, June 19, 2023. The hearing at Swansea Coroners' Court heard that David had told his friends he was not a confident swimmer just before attempting the stunt but his friends encouraged him to jump in anyway. Swansea University pathologist Dr Williams noted that the promising bodybuilder was told by his pals that they would help him if he found himself struggling to swim. As soon as David jumped in he began thrashing around in panic and two of his school friends tried to keep him afloat but were pulled underwater themselves. Dr Williams told the hearing: 'Witnesses say all males except for David were completing a series of jumps from the pier. 'Two of the males shouted to David join them and he said he wasn't a good swimmer. 'They explained they would help him. When David jumped into the water they began to assist him and they were being pulled below water.' The sport star and TikToker was heavier than a typical 15-year-old and had a bodybuilder's diet. The inquest heard that witnesses noted that the teenagers who had tried to keep David afloat were physically 'exhausted'. One eyewitness, fisherman Luke McDonald said he watched as David's friend egged him on to jump in and believed he was safe and supported by the other teens. He said: 'I saw thrashing around a bit. I saw some others grab him and keep him afloat. He looked like he had support. I turned back to my fishing rod. I then heard them say they couldn't see him. I heard someone shout: 'I can't see Dave.' The terrifying scenes were quickly noted by those on the beach and pier who tried to help the struggling school pupils by diving in and throwing a life ring over to the group. Tyler Rowland, an off-duty police officer at the beach who was paddleboarding at the time, told the court he heard several of the seven teenagers return to the beach in panic. DC Rowland said: 'I remember hearing one of them say: "He's gone." I paddled towards them and some of them told me someone had gone under the water and hadn't come up. 'Two or three of the boys, aged around 15 and 16, were in the water and were shaken up and treading water. One of them said something like: 'He's a big boy and he can't swim.' They were in real panic. A teenage girl was screaming at them, "Look for him, look for him."' The inquest heard that the police officer dived several times searching for David's body before eventually finding it in the murky water. He said: 'I dived down and was searching the floor with my hands. It was completely dark and I couldn't see anything. My hands hit what I thought was a rock at first. I then was convinced it was the top of an arm. I was on the sea floor at this point and the male was flat on the seabed. DC Roland then described placing the life ring over schoolboy's head and swimming with him to shore alongside his exhausted school friends. He told the inquest: 'We put the ring over his head and put his arms out of the ring either side. He was completely limp and kept sliding out of the ring. He was motionless. 'I told the boys: "Grab the ring and swim as far as you can." They were exhausted.' Paramedic Barry Edwards said according to witness reports David had been under the water for 10 minutes. He said two shocks were administered using the defibrillator and advanced life support was provided at the scene before the bodybuilder was pronounced dead at 8.05pm. The paramedic was helped to carry the body to shore by nurse Amy Saunders who was at the beach and described 'never experiencing trauma like it' as she worked with the emergency services. Teachers at his St Joseph's Catholic School in Port Talbot said it was 'deeply saddened' by the 'tragic and unexpected passing away' of one its pupils. David's mother Maria Ejimofor said her son was superfit - and won athletics competitions, was a keen weightlifter and made TikTok tutorials on social media. She described her son as 'beautiful young boy,' who was 'bright and sporty'. His mother's statement said he 'achieved so much in his 15 years' and had aspirations to become a doctor. Mrs Ejimofor told the court her son wasn't a strong swimmer and she and her family were 'shocked' to hear he had jumped into the water from the pier. She said he was able to swim after having lessons as a child but he was not confident in the water. The heartbroken mother added that he often went to the beach a mile from his home because his family lived close by but was always cautious of the sea. 'I never saw him paddle further than up to his knees or thighs. He was not a risk-taker. He would not put his head in the open water. He was fully aware that he was not the strongest of swimmers. He was particularly cautious around open water,' she said. Paying tribute to David she said he was a 'bright and curious soul who always had a smile on his face'. She added: 'He was honest, caring, intelligent, polite, independent, hardworking, full of life, respectful, and a beautiful young boy who had achieved so much in his 15 years. 'David was a beacon of positivity and resilience. He brought joy and laughter and his memory will remain in the hearts of those fortunate to have known him. His spirit inspires us to find strength in the most difficult moments.'
