Latest news with #BrythonThunder
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WRU postpones revamp of leading women's teams
Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder finished third and fourth respectively in the 2024-25 Celtic Challenge [Huw evans agency] The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has postponed the proposed revamp of top-tier women's rugby in Wales that was due to be in place for 2025-26. Celtic Challenge teams Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder were to be replaced by two fresh set-ups to continue in the Celtic Challenge, a competition in which two sides each from Ireland and Scotland also play. Advertisement The nation's four professional men's regions - Scarlets, Ospreys, Dragons and WRU-owned Cardiff and "selected universities" - were invited to bid to form the new teams. But an internal email between senior WRU officials seen by BBC Sport Wales states the process has been paused "due to the ongoing transformation in the men's game". Since the WRU took over financially-stricken Cardiff in April, the Arms Park club and Dragons have signed a new agreement with the governing body, but a split has emerged with the possibility of Ospreys and Scarlets entering a legal dispute with the governing body. That scenario has left the long-term future of the west Wales teams in doubt, with options including them continuing, but on less funds than their east Wales rivals. Advertisement Speculation has also included the possibility of Welsh men's professional rugby being reduced to three or two teams. Any reduction in the men's game would impact the options for where new women's teams could be based. The email from WRU head of women's rugby Belinda Moore states: "We have made the decision that Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning will continue to represent Wales in the flagship tournament next season. "We have taken this in the best interest of our players and management teams and believe this is the right way to guarantee a professional elite sporting environment for our players in the necessary timeframe. Advertisement "It remains central to the WRU's strategy to grow marketable and commercially viable high-performance clubs for our women players in Wales and we will revisit this in the near future. "I would like to thank all parties for the work they have done to date during the tender process, it is not wasted, and we look forward to picking this up again in earnest at the appropriate time." The WRU has confirmed the development in its domestic women's game with Moore stating: "In a pivotal year for the women's game, with the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England this autumn, we are making sure a stable, centrally supported high-performance environment is underpinning our senior women's squad." Many of Wales' top internationals play for English sides in the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) league with the Celtic Challenge competition set up in 2023 to help develop players in Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
BBC News
24-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
WRU to revamp nation's top women's teams
The top level of women's rugby in Wales is to be revamped with its two current teams to be replaced by fresh Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) will ask the nation's four professional men's regions - Scarlets, Ospreys, Dragons and WRU-owned Cardiff and "selected universities" - to bid to form the new will replace Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder in the Celtic Challenge, a competition in which two sides each from Ireland and Scotland also WRU stated: "The professional clubs will be asked to bid for a 'Celtic Challenge Licence' and split the funding for the two teams for the next three years until 2028, with Welsh universities also welcomed into the process."The cost of each team will be match-funded by the WRU, with each club's operating cost expected to be £200,000 a season."The WRU added: "This exciting and key development for Welsh rugby recognises that women's rugby is the fastest growth area of the game, with the 2025 Rugby World Cup set to be a 'generational' moment for the sport." WRU head of women's and girls rugby Belinda Moore said: "This is a hugely significant and exciting moment for women's rugby in Wales. It underlines the WRU's commitment to grow the game at home, and we look forward to having discussions with the professional clubs in Wales and our educational establishments."The initial discussions that have taken place have recognised that this is a unique and exciting opportunity for Welsh rugby."Moore added: "From my personal experience across the border, the English clubs have recognised the value and commercial opportunities available in women's rugby."This will not be easy, and we expect to have detailed discussions around what support the WRU will provide and to scrutinise what the clubs who apply will offer the next generation of players in Wales."Moore also highlighted the achievements of university side Cardiff Met."Cardiff Met's recent fantastic success, beating Loughborough and being crowned Women's BUCS Super Rugby champions, included 10 players who played in the Celtic Challenge last season," said Moore."It underlines that Wales produces rugby talent, and we just need to provide that talent with the opportunity and a stage to develop and flourish."The new teams' coaches will be appointed by the union added that successful bids to form the teams "will meet the operating standards set by the tournament organisers".For the last two campaigns, Brython Thunder played at Parc y Scarlets, while Gwalia Lightning switched between Cardiff Arms Park and Rodney Parade in their first season and at Ystrad Mynach in WRU has set a deadline of Friday, 2 May for any expressions of interest in forming one of the new teams.
BBC News
09-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Thunder sign off Celtic Challenge with Glasgow win
Celtic ChallengeBrython Thunder (24) 34Tries: Hing, Bluck, Healan, Lane 2, Jones Cons: Marshall 2 Glasgow Warriors (17) 22Tries: Flynn, Norval, Fletcher, Proctor Con: McNamara Brython Thunder came out on top of a 10-try thriller against Glasgow Warriors to finish their Celtic Challenge campaign on a travelled to Parc y Scarlets looking to avenge last weekend's 33-17 defeat to the Llanelli it was the hosts who flew out of the blocks with early scores from Eleanor Hing and Hannah Flynn hit back for Glasgow before Thunder wrapped up the bonus-point with tries from Gabby Healan and Hannah Fletcher crossed on the stroke of half-time to reduce the Jones and Orla Proctor exchanged tries after the break before Lane ran in her second to round off the afternoon's victories sees Thunder rise up the table to finish fourth overall, while Glasgow finish were crowned champions on Saturday with a 102-0 victory over Edinburgh. The game was played in perfect conditions in the Llanelli sunshine and Hing, who once again impressed on the wing for Thunder this season, needed only four minutes to find her way over the leading try-scorer Bluck cut back inside to score her fifth of the campaign shortly after, with Hanna Marshall adding the then began to get a foothold with Flynn wriggling out of the tackle to cross, with her midfield partner Briar McNamara on target from the Tromans then came agonisingly close to a score showing good footballing skills in the chip and chase, with the try eventually coming for Thunder full-back responded with a try for Norval in the corner before a superb solo effort saw Healan run in a try from her own half, with a show and go sending the defender the wrong the clock in the red, Glasgow kept hammering away at the Thunder try-line and it was a great pick up from loose-head prop Fletcher before crashing over. With just seven points separating the sides at the break, the first score in the second half was going to be pivotal and it was Thunder who took their who was back in the side after recovering from injury, showed good hands to juggle the ball before finding a gap in the then scored Glasgow's best try with the wing fending off some weak tackling in a dash to the line, while Lane also showed good pace to run in Thunder's final Thunder head coach Ashley Beck told BBC Sport Wales: "From where we have come from the start of this competition and playing the Irish teams in the middle, to get back to back wins with such a young group, just shows you how much these girls have come on."We had a couple of tough results against the Irish teams, for the girls to still to be turning up for training, they're not paid professionals, it's not their job. So for them to turn up it's about what they want and how they want to get better."Captain Jess Rogers said:"It's been like a rollercoaster for us this whole Celtic Challenge and we wanted to go out there and put a show on and I feel like we did that." Line-ups Brython Thunder: Hannah Lane; Ellie Tromans, Hannah Bluck, Gabby Healan, Eleanor Hing; Hanna Marshall, Seren Singleton; Stella Orrin, Rosie Carr, Cadi Lois Davies, Robyn Davies, Gwen Crabb, Catrin Jones, Danai Mugabe, Jess Rogers (capt).Replacements: Meg Lewis, Lowri Williams, Katie Carr, Anna Stowell, Rhiannon Griffin, Savannah Picton-Powell, Meg Webb, Ffion Warriors: Poppy Fletcher, Aicha Sutcliffe, Lisa Cockburn, Kate Yeomans, Freya Walker, Eilidh MacGilvray, Gemma Bell, Emily Coubrough, Mairi McDonald(C), Ceitidh Ainsworth, Orla Proctor, Briar McNamara, Nicole Flynn, Emily Norval, Roma FraserReplacements: Megan Hyland, Ailie Tucker, Alex Ward, Aisha Zameer, Gemma Thomson, Rianna Darroch, Millie Warren, Abi Evans
BBC News
07-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales stars on show for Thunder and Lightning
Celtic ChallengeGwalia Lightning v CloversVenue: Ystrad Mynach Date: Saturday, 8 March Kick off: 12:00 GMTBrython Thunder v Glasgow WarriorsVenue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli Date: Sunday, 9 March Kick off: 12:00 GMTCoverage: Watch live on iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, followed by report Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder will be looking to end their Celtic Challenge season on a high in the final last round of games before the start of the 2025 Women's Guinness Six Nations Lightning have had a solid campaign as Catrina Nicholas-McLaughlin's squad prepare for a clash with the Clovers this skipper Bryonie King will be one of the players hoping to conclude the tournament on a positive note ahead joining up with the Wales Number 8 will be joined by teammates Gwennan Hopkins, Maisie Davies, Molly Reardon, Jenni Scoble, Alaw Pyrs, Lily Terry, Sian Jones, Kerin Lake, Meg Davies, Cath Richards and Jenny Hesketh in wearing the national GB Sevens player Cath Richards will return to the side after playing in the Perth and Vancouver tournaments to start at full back in one of three changes behind the Williams-Morris takes over on the right wing and Anwen Owens comes in at the pack, Molly Reardon and Jenni Scoble come into a new look front row while Lily Terry moves up into the second row and Hopkins takes over from her in the back row."We've had some good battles already with the powerful Irish sides and I know the players will be relishing the chance to end their campaign against a top quality outfit," said Nicholas-McLaughlin." It will be a chance to lay a marker down for next season as much as anything."We want to put on a good show and I know all the players are highly motivated. We can't finish any higher or lower than third, just like last season, but we can go out with a bang." Meanwhile Brython Thunder will hoping to repeat last weekend's 33-17 victory over Glasgow Beck's side welcome the same opponents to home turf this Sunday, which includes eight Wales Six Nations Squad membersStella Orin, Rosie Carr, Cadi-Lois Davies, Robyn Davies, Gwen Crabb, Lucy Isaac, Hannah Bluck and Niamh Terry looking to give new head coach Sean Lynn some headaches ahead of the has made one change to his backline from last week's game as Hanna Marshall starts at No 10 ahead of Terry. Up front, Rosie Carr returns at hooker in place of Chloe Grant and Catrin Jones replaces Lucy Isaac in the back row."We're looking for a repeat performance to last weekend in a bid to match the three wins we registered in last season's tournament and to finish ahead of Glasgow," said Thunder head coach Beck."We realise they will be smarting from their defeat at home and we can take nothing for granted,""A lot of highly promising young Welsh players have been taken out of their comfort zone throughout this Celtic Challenge, and they will be all the better for it moving forward. Now we want to end on a high to give our fans something to cheer." Line-Ups Brython Thunder: Hannah Lane; Ellie Tromans, Hannah Bluck, Gabby Healan, Eleanor Hing; Hanna Marshall, Seren Singleton; Stella Orrin, Rosie Carr, Cadi Lois Davies, Robyn Davies, Gwen Crabb, Catrin Jones, Danai Mugabe, Jess Rogers (capt)Repslacements: Meg Lewis, Lowri Williams, Katie Carr, Anna Stowell, Rhiannon Griffin, Savannah Picton-Powell, Meg Webb, Ffion DaviesGwalia Lightning: Rhodd Parry; Caitlin Lewis, Carys Williams-Morris, Molly Anderson-Thomas, Courtney Greenway; Carys Hughes, Sian Jones; Maisie Davies, Molly Reardon, Jenni Scoble, Lily Terry, Alaw Pyrs, Katherine Baverstock, Paige Jones, Bryonie King (capt).Replacements: Molly Wakely, Dali Hopkins, Cana Williams, Erin Jones, Lottie Buffery-Latham, Seren Lockwood, Anwen Owen, Lowri Davies.
BBC News
01-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Glasgow Warriors 17-33 Brython Thunder
Brython Thunder climbed above Glasgow Warriors in the Celtic Challenge standings as they won 33-17 at Welsh visitors raced into a 14-0 lead thanks to a double from Welsh international Gwen Crabb, both being converted by Niamh McNamara got one back for the hosts, converting her own try, before Ellie Tromans extended Thunder's lead just before the break. Hannah Marshall added the extras, that were the first to strike in the second half through former Scotland winger Abi Evans but the visitors asserted their dominance on the scoreline through Rosie Fraser's phenomenal solo try threatened to set up a tense finale as Glasgow got within nine points, but again the Thunder would find a response.A few penalties marched them up the pitch and with the final set-piece of the game, Crabb crashed over for her hat-trick. The result gives Thunder just their second win of the tournament - their other win coming against Edinburgh - while Glasgow remain rooted to the bottom of the Warriors: Mellanby, Evans, Flynn, McNamara, Proctor; Ainsworth, McDonald (c); Fletcher, Hyland, Fleming, Zameer, Yeomans, Walker, MacGilvray, Sutcliffe, Tucker, Ward, Sinclair, Price, Darroch, Warren, Thunder: Lane, Tromans, Bluck, Healan, Hing; Terry, Singleton; Orin, Gant, C Davies, R Davies, Crabb, Mugabe, Isaac, Rogers (c).Replacements: R Carr, Williams, K Carr, Jones, Stowell, Adkins, Marshall, F Davies.
