Cardiff Blues welcome new director

Cardiff-born businessman Martyn Ryan has been voted on to the Blues’ board of directors.

An EGM of Cardiff RFC ltd shareholders on Wednesday evening voted to accept him.

He joined London Welsh in 1984 as a player, and has been involved there for nearly 30 years in various capacities. He is also a benefactor of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, chair of the Tom Maynard Trust and a trustee of rugby related charity Touraid, which helps disadvantaged children overseas through the sport.

Speaking of joining the board he said: “I’m looking forward to meeting up with the board and am delighted to be involved with Cardiff Blues and Cardiff RFC.

“This is a personal investment and I’m pleased to be able to put something back into rugby in my home town.”

His home club is Old Penarthians, and he is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants having qualified with PwC (then Coopers & Lybrand) in 1984.

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Bishop wants to be ready for new Ospreys season

Having missed the final months of the rugby season, Andrew Bishop has stated his intent to do all he can to meet his team-mates for the new pre-season following back surgery and keep his place as the Region’s record appearance holder.

While the majority of the Ospreys squad are away from Llandarcy on international duty or on their summer holidays, Andrew Bishop remains a day-to-day regular at the region’s training centre.

As he continues his rehab under the watchful eye of the medical team, Bishop said he’s positive about playing a part from day one. He said: “It’s going really well, things are on target for me to take part in pre-season.

“I’m working really hard on my rehab and hopefully I’ll be running again later this week. I’ve never really suffered much with injuries during my career thankfully, [so] it was really disappointing to have to sit out four months of the season.

“I’ve just got to move on now and I’m looking forward to next season. The target is pre-season and I’ve got to crack on over the next few weeks to make sure I’m ready.”

However, he says that he’s been pleased by what he’s seen from the team during the last four months or so, and what he has seen bodes well for next season:

“It does give you a different perspective on things,” he added. “It’s been interesting to have a proper look at some of the boys who I train with every day. I think next season is going to be a good year for us because the injury problems we did have this season have allowed other boys to step up and show what they are about, and that’s a positive thing.”

Bishop became the most capped Osprey of all time when he overtook Paul James last November, making his 181st appearance for the region against Edinburgh at Murrayfield. Having stretched his record tally to 188 prior to his injury, he has watched as team-mates Jonathan Thomas and Duncan Jones close the gap, Thomas eventually joining him on 188 with Jones one behind by the end of the season.

With next season in mind, Bishop has vowed to hold on to his position at the top of the appearance list. But first, he acknowledges he needs to regain his place in midfield from the current incumbents of his position.

“I was relieved they didn’t take the record” he said. “I know that if I’m fit at the start of the season I can kick on and stay ahead of everyone else, so the work I’m doing now will hopefully put me in that position.

“I’m proud to be up there at the top of the appearance [list]. I’ve been fortunate with injuries in my career, but when you look at the rest of the boys near the top of the list they are all forwards.

“It’s an incredible achievement for a forward in particular to play so many games and shows how durable these guys are and how professional they are. They deserve a lot of credit for that, but I don’t want them to take my place at the top!

“200 is the next landmark, that would be a huge achievement if I can become the first Osprey to play 200 times.

“It’s not going to be easy though, I’m still working to get back to fitness before the start of the season and then I’ll have to shift the boys who’ve got the shirt at the moment. It makes things interesting, and the competition for places will make the Ospreys stronger.”

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Debra becomes Welsh rugby’s first female director

Businesswoman Debra Williams has become the first female appointed a director of a Welsh Region after joining the Ospreys.

The Neath-born Williams joins Llandarcy Park (Ospreys) Ltd, the club’s holding company, as a non-executive director, and Ospreys chairman Geoff Atherton has welcomed her appointment in the long-term interests of the Region.

A passionate rugby fan, Williams has supported Neath at The Gnoll since a young age, and brings a huge business acumen, that includes stints as managing director of Confused.com and a director of Tesco Compare, as well as a love of the sport to the table.

“I suppose it is [a man’s world],” she said of stepping in to rugby at director level. “But then I’ve spent most of my career working in financial services so I’m quite used to working in a male-dominated environment, and I’m very comfortable with that.

“It has its perks. I do get to spend time with the players, and I do get to meet them and their families and get to meet the men behind the rugby.

“I was born and bred in Neath and [my father] used to take myself and my sister very frequently to watch Neath, so I’ve been brought up with rugby. And when the Regions were formed almost 10 years ago I started becoming a fan of the Ospreys and of my local club Neath.”

Williams was named the Welsh Woman of the Year for Innovation in 2006, and is widely considered one of the country’s leading businesswomen. She was named one of the UK’s Top 200 businesswomen by the Queen in 2007, and will join the board in an advisory capacity.

Under her leadership, Confused.com became one of the country’s leading aggregator sites with profits of £36m, and the Ospreys will be hoping she can help grow their brand in a similar fashion.

Mr Atherton added of her appointment: “While we already have individuals on board with both business and rugby expertise, it is important to recognise that we do not hold all the answers, and as such, the appointment of Debra is a huge stride forward.

“She brings her undoubted commercial expertise to the organisation, along with an outstanding business track record, and has a big role to play as we move forward, offering strategic and tactical advice to the board.”

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Rees to join Blues in summer

Former Wales captain, hooker Matthew Rees, is set to join Cardiff Blues from Llanelli Scarlets in the summer after agreeing a two-year contract.

The 57-times capped Welshman has captained his country on eight occasions, and will leave Parc y Scarlets after nine years with the region.

“Leaving the Scarlets has been a tough decision to make after being there for so many years,” said the 32-year-old Tonyrefail native. “[That] is where I established myself as a player, however I feel that this is the right decision at this point in my career.

“From working with Phil [Davies, Cardiff Blues coach] in the past, I know he is a very organised coach, and knows how to get the best out of players. I am looking forward to working with him again.

“So far this season, I have been really impressed with the young players that Phil has brought through and now with some key signings to strengthen the squad, I’m sure there will be more success to come from the team, which with my experience I hope to contribute to.”

Rees played in all three of the British Lions tests in South Africa in 2009, and formed part of the famous all-Welsh front row alongside Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones.

He missed the 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign through injury, and has struggled to hold down a regular starting berth at Llanelli since, so has decided to move on to pastures new.

Scarlets coach Simon Easterby wished Rees well for the future, saying: “Matthew has contributed a great deal to the region during his years with us; he has set high standards, made a mark for others to aspire to and been a strong mentor for a number of our younger forwards in recent years, pushing their development forward.

“We respect Matthew's reasons for moving to a new region and wish him all the very best with the Cardiff Blues.

“He leaves with our sincere thanks, gratitude as a region and respect for all he has done and achieved in a Scarlets shirt. He has been a key part of our team.”

Further bad news for Scarlets comes in the form of centre Rhodri Gomer-Davies announcing his retirement after failing to overcome a knee injury.

But fans will be buoyed, though, by the news that hooker Emyr Phillips and prop Phil John have signed new contracts with the region.

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Holley lands at the Scarlets

Former Ospreys boss Sean Holley has landed a coaching role with the Llanelli Scarlets while attack coach Mark Jones works with the Welsh side during the forthcoming defence of their Grand Slam crown.

Having left the Ospreys almost a year ago, Holley has been working for the media and as a coaching consultant, and he recently revealed he’d turned down a job offer from Connacht.

Holley told the Scarlets website of the move: “It’s a close-knit group at Parc Y Scarlets. As a team, the Scarlets are destined to achieve success with the number of exciting players they have with real talent and passion for the shirt they wear.

“It will be a great environment to experience with an excellent stadium and rugby facilities, and I hope to add real value to the drive and ambition at Parc y Scarlets for the time I am here.”

Holley had been with the Ospreys in various roles since their inception in 2003, making the 42-year-old the longest-serving Welsh regional coach ever. He oversaw a total of four Magners league titles and four heartbreaking Heineken Cup quarter-final losses.

Scarlets boss Simon Easterby believes this experience will be a great boost for Llanelli over the coming months.

He said: “To have a coach of Sean’s experience, expertise and technical ability at a key time for us is vital as Mark goes away on Wales duty.

“We are fortunate... to have secured the services of someone of Sean’s capability. He will also bring a fresh new perspective to our team environment, which will be healthy for our coaching group and our squad of players.

“We look forward to his input; he will challenge and support our players, which will add to the energy in our group, and I know he will put his all into this role with us. With the level of experience and professionalism Sean has, he will hit the ground running with the knowledge he has of our region, players and the game in Wales.”

Holley will link up with his new employers next week as a backs and skills coach, with the initial response from Scarlets fans a positive one.

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Grand Slam hero Evans proud of milestone

AFTER becoming the latest Ospreys centurion at the weekend, Ian Evans says he’s looking forward to taking advantage of the perks of being a senior player at the region.

Evans clocked up his 100^th appearance in an Ospreys shirt when he came off the bench during the closing stages of the win in Leinster, six-and-a-half years after his debut, also as a replacement, in a 37-10 defeat to Munster at the start of the 2006/06 season.

Having finally reached the century last Friday evening, Evans revealed that he’ll be looking to secure his own seat at the back of the team bus on the next away day.

“I’m over the moon to be joining the centurions ,” he said. “There are some great players on the list so to be in their company is fantastic. Best of all it means I’m allowed to sit at the back of the bus now without too much banter, so I’m quite happy with that!

“It’s been one of my goals for a while now so to actually get to 100 is really something I’m proud of.”

A Grand Slam winner back in 2008, Evans ended a lengthy absence from the national set-up when selected for the game against Australia in December before going on to play every second in the 2012 Grand Slam campaign.

It’s undoubtedly been a good few months for him personally, but the win in Leinster clearly meant a lot to him judging by the way he celebrated at the final whistle – something picked up by head coach Steve Tandy in his post-match comments.

“It was a massive occasion and it’s a great win,” added Evans. “Fair play to all the boys they really dug in for the full 80 minutes and showed great spirit. To come away with the result against the top of the league in circumstances like we did speaks volumes for the character in the squad.

“Everybody knows what’s in store for you when you go to Dublin to play Leinster. To get anything is an achievement, so when you win there you’ve got to savour it – and I did enjoy it, just to be a part of it.

“I’ve had a great couple of months and I’ve been enjoying my rugby. I’ve managed to get some games under my belt, found a bit of form, and I’m more than happy with how things are going at the moment.

“Hopefully now as we come to the business end of the season with the silverware up for grabs, it can get even better.”

After the highs of last weekend’s win, the Ospreys face a difficult challenge on Saturday against Benetton Treviso, and the big second row says it’s crucial that the team follow the Leinster win up with another good performance.

He continued: “There’s no point getting a great win like last Friday in Leinster and then losing your home game next time up. You’ve got to back it up or it counts for nothing.

“This week is about focussing on Treviso and making sure we are at our best on Saturday. We’ve played them a few times this season already, we know each other’s games very well, and they’ve given us a couple of scares.

“They are a good side capable of really hurting us if we aren’t at our best. They’ve shown since coming into the PRO12 that they can beat anyone. It’s about making sure we have everything we need in our armoury to enable us to secure a win on Saturday night to keep us going towards the play-offs.”

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Shane all set for Ospreys farewell tour

WITH the countdown to his last-ever Ospreys game well under way, rugby legend Shane Williams is set to embark on a tour of the region that will see the wing wizard visiting rugby clubs throughout Ospreylia in the coming weeks.

The Welsh derby against Newport Gwent Dragons at the Liberty Stadium on Friday, April 20 has been confirmed as his final Ospreys appearance before he calls time on a dazzling career that has seen him serve Neath, Ospreys, Wales and the British & Irish Lions with distinction, rewriting the history books on the way.

Ahead of the game, Shane and his team-mates will be winging their way to all corners of the region, allowing supporters to say their own goodbye to a player who they’ve held close to their hearts for many years.

Shane’s farewell tour will take in venues in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend throughout the Easter school holidays, where the squad will take part in open training sessions in front of the watching crowds, giving a unique insight into life as a professional rugby player, after which fans will get the chance to meet Shane and co as they sign autographs and pose for pictures.

The team will be accompanied on the tour by their much-loved mascot Ozzie the Osprey, along with Ospreys Community Officers, who will deliver a series of ‘Atomic Touch’ sessions once the team have finished training, allowing youngsters to enjoy their own rugby fun – with the added benefit of some of the Ospreys players taking part.

“While I’m really sad to be calling time on my playing career, I’m excited about what’s in store over the next few weeks leading in to my farewell game against the Dragons,” said Shane. “Since day one of my career the supporters have really shown me nothing but love and respect, so I’m grateful to the Ospreys management for giving me the chance to go out on the road in the build-up to the game and say thank you to as many of them as possible.

“It’s going to be a fantastic experience and I’m looking forward to meeting up with our young fans at their local clubs.

“I realise that with each visit I’m going to be a day closer to retirement so no doubt it will be emotional for me, but it’ll give me even more fantastic memories to add to those from my long playing career.

“Hopefully, some of the children I meet on the tour will be at the Liberty Stadium for the Dragons game, taking advantage of the free kids offer.”

Shane’s farewell tour kicks off at Swansea University playing fields tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11am, before the school holiday gets under way the following week and a visit to Aberavon Greenstars RFC on Monday, April 2 at 2pm and Ystradgynlais RFC on Friday, April 6 at 11am. The tour then rounds off at Kenfig Hill RFC on Tuesday, April 10 (11am).

The long-serving winger, who was originally signed for Neath from Amman United by Ospreys Managing Director Mike Cuddy in 1998, is one of the ‘originals’ who made up the first-ever regional squad for the 2003/04 season and has gone on to make 136 appearances for the region, scoring 276 points including a regional record of 54 tries.

A triple Celtic League champion, he also played in both the Ospreys’ EDF Energy Cup final appearances at Twickenham, scoring two tries in the losing 2007 game before picking up a winners’ medal the following year.

Capped 87 times by Wales, he is the country’s leading all-time leading try-scorer with 58, while he scored two tries for the Lions in four caps earned on the 2005 and 2009 tours. One of the greatest finishers of all time, in 2008 he became the first (and only) Welshman to be named IRB International Player of the Year, before winning the BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year award.

Ospreys Chief Operations Officer, Andrew Hore, paid tribute to Shane saying that everybody at the region wanted to give him the send-off he deserves.

He said: “The word legend is used far too freely these days but in Shane’s case is entirely apt. His record and his achievements, for the region and for Wales, speak for themselves. He’s a proud Ospreylian who has always worn the jersey with real honour, and now that his final appearance is in sight, it’s important that we celebrate both Shane the person and Shane the Osprey.

“By taking Shane and his team-mates out on the road in the build-up to the game, during the school holidays, we are offering as many young Ospreylians as we possibly can the chance to say a personal farewell. Knowing how much they love Shane we can expect to see the local rugby clubs packed out for the visit, which will be fantastic.

“His final game will be at the Liberty Stadium against Newport Gwent Dragons on April 20, and to make sure he gets the kind of send-off fitting for such a legend, we’ve introduced a special deal for the game that allows up to four U16s to go free with a paying adult. Shane deserves nothing less than to see the Liberty full for his final time in an Ospreys shirt.”

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Dragons cup result changed on appeal

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have welcomed the decision to overturn the ruling that gave Saracens a bonus-point win after their match with the Welsh region was postponed.

The English side were awarded a 20-0 victory and the Dragons hit by a suspended £10,000 fine when they called off the LV= Cup encounter between the teams at Rodney Parade on February 3.

The Dragons deemed the pitch unplayable after temperatures dropped as low as -8°C the night before the match was due to take place.

But because the home side hadn’t made alternative arrangements for the game, the LV= Cup organising committee found them to be in breach of competition rules.

However, following a hearing on the matter, an appeals committee declared the game should be recorded as 0-0 draw and reduced the fine to £5,000.

“We are obviously disappointed that the game against Saracens cannot be re-scheduled but we are pleased by the ruling of the Appeals Panel in this matter,” said Dragons interim Chief Executive Chris Brown.

Meanwhile, last Saturday’s two postponed Swalec Cup third-round ties between Ammanford and UWIC and Beddau and Swansea will now take place on March 3.

Both were called off last weekend because of waterlogged pitches with all four sides bidding to reach the last eight of the knockout tournament.

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Dragons punished for cup postponement

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have been given a £10,000 suspended fine and forced to forfeit last Friday's LV= Cup game with Saracens.

Tournament organisers dished out the punishment because the Welsh region failed to provide alternative arrangements after calling the game off.

Club chiefs deemed the frozen Rodney Parade pitch was unplayable and postponed the Dragons’ final pool fixture against the Aviva Premiership side.

It was also decided that Sarries would be awarded the fixture by a 20-0 scoreline with the suspended fine in place until next season’s LV= Cup pool phase is completed.

In a statement, cup organisers said: “The LV organising committee accepted that there was no intention to gain any advantage by the pitch being unplayable and that preventative measures were put in place.

“However, the LV= Cup regulations are clear in that it is the home team's responsibility to ensure they can stage the fixture, as outlined in regulation 6.7.”

The outcome of the match wouldn’t have had any bearing on either side’s chances of reaching the semi-finals with the Dragons finishing bottom of Pool D.

It wasn’t the first time the Dragons had to postpone a match due to frozen or waterlogged pitches. Successive home derbies against Cardiff Blues in 2010 and 2011 were also called off.

The region also had to switch last season’s Heineken Cup pool game against Wasps to the Cardiff City Stadium because of a frozen playing surface in Newport.

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