WRU NORTH WALES ACADEMY ALREADY BEARING FRUIT
Monday, 7th February, 2011
Last night in St. Helens ground Swansea saw the East U18S take on the West U18s as part of the National Age Grade U18s selection.
Five players (Alex Schwarz, Dion Jones, Joes Simpson, James Grundy and Lewis Barker) from the WRU North Wales Academy earned there right through their performances at regional age grade level for RGC 1404 U18s took part in the East squad who finally won the game 32-21.
All 5 players looked comfortable at this level of competition with Joe Simpson scrumageing well at loose head, Lewis Barker was a constant threat with some great half breaks and off loads at 10 which constantly got the East team moving forward and James Grundy at 7 was a nuisance to the West forwards at the breakdown making some telling turnovers.
However at this level of competition the margins for selection and non-selection are slim and making it to the final 30 and in the national U18s squad are Dion Jones who made some telling breaks in mid field from Full back and scoring a try from a movement which started in his own half and Alex Schwarz who lifted the tempo of the game and was a constant threat on the fringes at scrum half.
Marc Roberts the WRU Performance Program Manager for the North Wales Academy who watched the game said “ I can honestly say that all the North Wales players accounted themselves really well and all should be proud of there performances. It shows that the North Wales academy system is already working obviously Joe, Lewis, and James will be disappointed but they can use this experience to push themselves forward knowing that they have another 12 months of quality training ahead of them as all qualify for the U18s next season. I couldn’t be happier for Dion and Alex as both have worked tirelessly and I know that both represent the undoubted potential that North Wales has in developing performance rugby players”
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