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South Wales Argus
4 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Evan Minto: Wales can cause upsets at U20 World Championship
The Welsh youngsters get their campaign under way against Argentina tomorrow (kick-off 7.30pm) and all five Rodney Parade prospects feature in Verona. New signing Harry Beddall captains the side from openside and is joined in the back row by Minto, Nick Thomas starts at lock and Harri Ford pulls the strings from fly-half, with tighthead Owain James on the bench. Abercarn's Jack Woods and Abergavenny-born Aidan Boschoff, both former Monmouth School pupils and now with Bath and Bristol respectively, line up at full-back and wing. Towering Thomas, who made three senior Dragons appearances last season, makes a first start since suffering a serious ankle injury against France in February. 'Nick has worked hard to get back from the injury he had in Six Nations,' said head coach Richard Whiffin, who brought the lock off the bench in the warm-up win against Italy. 'He offers a level of experience in the second row against what we know is going to be a formidable Argentina pack.' Wales face the young Pumas and then take on group favourites France on Friday before a clash with Spain. Whiffin's side head into the tournament buoyed by their Six Nations displays when they edged out Italy, stunned Ireland at Rodney Parade and then denied England a Grand Slam and the title with a remarkable performance at Cardiff Arms Park. INFLUENTIAL: Evan Minto on the charge for Wales U20s (Image: Mark Lewis/Huw Evans Agency) Minto, a firm fixture in the XV, believes their togetherness will be key in a tournament that will stretch the squad with five games in 20 days. 'We are just a side that works really hard for each other and we know that, on our day, we can put in a performance to beat anyone,' he said. 'We are a group that works hard for each other and doesn't give up and the atmosphere in the camp is really good. We have a laugh together but also know when to switch on. 'I don't think that spirit is something that can be coached into a team and it's almost that we clicked as soon as we came together. 'There are no cliques, we are willing to work hard for the player next to us and we help each other even when competition is strong for places.' Minto will lead the charge for Wales at the end of a hectic season. The 19-year-old from Griffithstown made three senior Dragons cameos and featured for the development side, played for Pontypool in Super Rugby Cymru, Hartpury in the English Championship plus started all five Six Nations games and the two warm-up fixtures. 'It's been a long season but really enjoyable,' he said. 'I have been playing for a full year but I've had a smile on my face no matter who I've been playing for or what the opposition is. I've learnt so much and that is what keeps driving me on.' Wales U20: Jack Woods (Bath, 2 caps); Elijah Evans (Cardiff, 7 caps), Osian Roberts (Sale, 3 caps), Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff, 10 caps), Aidan Boshoff (Bristol, 11 caps); Harri Ford (Dragons, 14 caps), Sion Davies (Cardiff, 4 caps); Ioan Emanuel (Bath, 8 caps), Harry Thomas (Scarlets, 15 caps), Sam Scott (Bristol, 15 caps), Kenzie Jenkins (Bristol, 5 caps), Nick Thomas (Dragons, 11 caps), Deian Gwynne (Gloucester, 4 caps), Harry Beddall (captain, Dragons, 11 caps), Evan Minto (Dragons, 5 caps). Replacements: Saul Hurley (Aberavon, 2 caps), Louie Trevett (Bristol, 5 caps), Owain James (Dragons, 3 caps), Dan Gemine (Ospreys, 4 caps), Caio James (Gloucester, 3 caps), Ellis Lewis (Neath, uncapped), Harri Wilde (Cardiff, 17 caps), Tom Bowen (Cardiff, 5 caps).
ABC News
6 hours ago
- Sport
- ABC News
NRL live updates: Broncos vs Warriors, Dragons vs Eels, Dolphins vs Rabbitohs — blog, scores and stats
Brisbane is showing glimpses of its very best following two impressive wins, but faces a stern test against the Warriors, who are hunting redemption following last week's loss. Later, St George Illawarra Dragons will host the Parramatta Eels, then the Dolphins host the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Follow the live blog below, keep up to date with all the latest stats in our ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.
Irish Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Hopes high at Munster's Tom Ahern will travel and get his Ireland cap
Tom Ahern is hoping to lay the jinx that has followed his fledgling Ireland career around the Waterford-born second/back-row is 25 years-of-age now, made his Munster debut against Dragons in 2020 and was almost ever-present for the rest of the season, playing 19 times all told, 10 of them as wasn't a Munster fan across six counties doubting he was a chip off the right red block and the view was Andy Farrell-endorsed as was called into Ireland panel on a trainee-invite in November continued as he was with Emerging Ireland in South Africa in September/October 2022 and, unusually, was involved in all three games leading to him being selected for the Ireland A squad that a shoulder injury intervened and,chosen again for the Ireland A to play England earlier this year injury intervened having been selected for the Ireland tour to Georgia and Portugal this summer he is on tenterhooks as a tightening hamstring is threatening his participation, so much so the IRFU called in Connacht's Josh Murphy as cover - just in case."I've been unlucky with a couple of injuries, it's happened a couple of times now and obviously initially you're very disappointed but that's the nature of the game to be fair," he says."I was buzzing when I got called up to the Six Nations again this year even though it was just a week, I was delighted to be up here, just working with the class coaches, class players ."It definitely gave me a bit of confidence to push on the rest of the season and hopefully end up back here."You've got to pick yourself back up. I've got a good support system around me and I'm going to move past that eventually and focus on the next job and try to eventually get back up here again.''I'm just taking these next couple of weeks in my stride and overall just delighted to be up here.'To have been chosen for Ireland was a post-season boost following a trying time at Munster in both the Champions Cup where they lost an away quarter to Bordeaux and the URC where they lost in a quarter-final penalty shoot at Sharks.'It obviously didn't end the way that we wanted it. It's a tough way to go out but we were playing good rugby towards the end of the season and a lot of the lads that are up here were playing good ball as well.'So, we can take the confidence from everybody individually playing well and so hopefully we can bring it up here now.'There were also some eyebrows raised initially as the club coaching staff began to ease him from second-row to the far more dynamic back-row slot.'Definitely got a lot more comfortable there, I've had good lads in Munster, the likes of Pete (O'Mahony), who's very helpful towards my game, when I was playing no6. "I've Denis Leamy who is very helpful to me as well so definitely a lot more comfortable there this season. It's whichever for me, I'm happy to do either."I suppose down in Munster it's a bit different to up here, I think up here everybody in the pack is in the middle of the field working together, while back in Munster it's usually the two back-rows that are holding the edges a bit more."So you're playing out wide a bit more and it's really different down in Munster. Up here it's kind of similar enough playing second-row or back row.'An interesting observation given his non-rugby background."Nobody played rugby in my family, it was all GAA, a big GAA family. I played hurling football with my local club, Ardmore, until I was about 16 and then once I kind of got into the East Munster set-up."It was just I'd gone to a rugby summer camp in the town where my mum's from and got a love for it there and just kept playing all the way up through, down in Youghal, down in Dungarvan, down in Waterpark. "That's kind of my underage background before I moved up to Limerick and into the Academy and played for Shannon then as mentioned that Ireland A and Ireland senior cap has been within reach but that does mean hasn't played against top international opposition - there was the Munster-All Blacks game in October 2024, quite the close run thing."What they definitely brought that day was a lot of physicality and it kind of initially caught us off guard and we didn't perform how we wanted on that day but I'd say the big takeaway was the physicality aspect."They were quality players we played that day and we had the front up and like I said the physicality aspect and the speed of ball was a serious pace as well."I'd imagine they'd (Georgia/Portugal) be similar enough now in the next couple of games. Both those teams work off massive physicality, it would be an increase in tempo from the club game." IRELAND SUMMER TOUR SCHEDULESaturday, 5th July: Georgia v Ireland, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi (kick off 9pm local time, 6pm Irish time);Saturday, 12th July: Portugal v Ireland, Estádio Nacional do Jamor, Lisbon (kick off 7pm local, same Irish time)Ireland Men's Squad – Summer Tour 2025, departing for Tbilisi on Wednesday, 2nd (14): Shayne Bolton (Connacht)*, Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(captain)(18), Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(24), Nathan Doak (Banbridge/Ulster)*, Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(8), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht)*, Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(19), Ben Murphy (Clontarf/Connacht)*, Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(10), Jimmy O'Brien (Naas/Leinster)(8), Tommy O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)*, Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(7), Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)(8), Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster)(38)Forwards (18): Tom Ahern (Shannon/Munster)*, Jack Aungier (Lansdowne/Connacht)*, Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(27), Jack Boyle (UCD/Leinster)(2), Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster)(6), Gavin Coombes (Young Munster/Munster)(2), Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(2), Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(1), Alex Kendellen (UCC/Munster)*, Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(4), Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)*, Michael Milne (UCD/Munster)*, Darragh Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht)*, Tom O'Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(16), Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht)(4), Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley/Leinster)*, Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(2), Nick Timoney (Banbridge/Ulster)(3)
Wales Online
a day ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
'International-class' Wales star swaps regions as signing confirmed
'International-class' Wales star swaps regions as signing confirmed The Dragons have strengthened their pack with the loan signing of Mackenzie Martin from Cardiff Mackenzie Martin has joined the Dragons (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) The Dragons have confirmed the signing of Mackenzie Martin on a loan deal from Cardiff. WalesOnline exclusively reported last week Martin was on his way to Rodney Parade, where he will spend a season on loan. A physical back-five forward, who predominantly plays at No 8, Martin is a powerful ball-carrier and made his Cardiff debut in the BKT United Rugby Championship clash with DHL Stormers in November 2023. The highly-rated 21-year-old – who stands 6ft 5ins and weighs 116kg – was called into the Wales international set-up ahead of the 2024 Six Nations and has won five Test caps. But despite his meteoric rise last season, Martin has found it tough going at the Arms Park, playing the majority of his rugby for Cardiff RFC in Super Rygbi Cymru, even slotting in at lock. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Martin is a player with an extremely high ceiling and was somebody Warren Gatland thought could potentially reach the heights as a top-class international player. The hope is the 21-year-old can really kick on under head coach Filo Tiatia at the Dragons. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Article continues below But getting into the Dragons side won't be easy because the backrow is undoubtedly the strongest area of their squad, with the likes of Aaron Wainwright, Thomas Young, Ryan Woodman, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Harri Keddie and Solomone Funaki all competing for a starting shirt. 'We're looking forward to welcoming Mackenzie into the environment and I know he is very motivated to make a big impression in our group," said Tiatia. 'Mackenzie is an international-class back row forward who will only increase the competition in our squad for the No 8 jersey, alongside the likes of Aaron Wainwright, Solomone Funaki and Harrison Keddie.' Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free Article continues below Martin becomes the club's 10th new recruit ahead of the new season alongside Fetuli Paea, Tinus de Beer, Thomas Young, Wyn Jones, Dillon Lewis, Fine Inisi, Levi Douglas, Seb Davies, and Harry Beddall with more expected to arrive. The Dragons only won twice throughout the 2024/25 season with former head coach Dai Flanagan losing his job last October. Flanagan was replaced by Ospreys legend Tiatia who will have had his first full pre-season with the squad and should make the Men of Gwent a more difficult team to beat.
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Cardiff number eight Martin joins Dragons on loan
Wales number eight Mackenzie Martin will join Dragons from Cardiff on loan for the 2025-26 made his Cardiff debut against Stormers in November 2023 and was given his Wales debut during the 2024 Six 21-year-old found his opportunities limited in the Cardiff back row in the 2024-25 campaign and will link up with Dragons next becomes the club's 10th new recruit alongside Fetuli Paea, Tinus de Beer, Thomas Young, Wyn Jones, Dillon Lewis, Fine Inisi, Levi Douglas, Seb Davies and Harry Beddall."We're looking forward to welcoming Mackenzie and I know he is motivated to make a big impression in our group," said Dragons head coach Filo Tiatia. "Mackenzie is an international class back row who will increase the competition in our squad for the number eight jersey, alongside Aaron Wainwright, Solomone Funaki and Harrison Keddie."
