Date: 8/9/16
Wales Dragonhearts have released the names of their South Wales based players who will make up an initial 26-man training squad for the autumn tour to Germany to play the British Army RL side based in Germany as well as the full German international side.
Following East Wales’ dominating performance against West Wales in the Origin game last night at Cardiff Met University (see report below), all the coaches deliberated selection for quite some time with selection of the forwards causing the most discussion.
The touring squad will travel to Germany by coach on October 17th and be based in Paderborn Barracks for the duration of their stay. They will take on British Army (Germany) on the 19th and the full national German side on the 22nd before travelling back the following day.
The named squad will be joined by North Wales based players (names TBC) for training sessions on September 18th and 28th before being lessened to play Devon Counties on the October 2nd as a final preparation game.
The final 22-man travelling squad announcement will take place the next day.
The initial 26-man training squad and their representative club is: Tom Ansen, Kieran Hooper (both Bridgend Blue Bulls), Bradley Williams (Cardiff City RL), Tom Morgan (Cardiff Met University), Louis Ford, Ben Swift (both Swansea University), Sam Baker, Matthew Cummins, Mike Edwards, Louis Pengelly (all Torfaen Tigers), Ethan Coombes, Rhys Davies, Scott Giles, Dean Higgs, Mike Hurley, Craig Lewis, Jamie Marsh, Yousif Sulliman, Liam Watton (all Valley Cougars), Harry Boots, Matthew Davies, Curtis Ford, Morgan Jefferies, Aaron Lewis, Daf Philips, Josh Taylor (all West Wales Raiders)
EAST WALES 36 WEST WALES 18
By Idris Evans at Cardiff Metropolitan University
East Wales won the senior South Wales Origin series 2-0 after beating the West 36-18 in Cardiff on Tuesday evening.
East built up a healthy lead and were 36-6 up after 50 minutes before taking their feet off the gas slightly in the final half hour.
The first try came 20 minutes in from Scott Giles with Matt Cummins converting. This prompted the ball to be lost in the surrounding woodlands so it was decided that the remainder of the game would be played with six point tries and no conversions attempted.
Six minutes later, a Rhys Davies try had doubled the scores before two quick fire tries made it 24-0, Liam Watton and Ethan Coombes going over for East before Kieran Hopper got one back for West.
Easts came out of the blocks in the second half on fire again with Jamie Marsh and Craig Lewis adding to the tally.
Wests threatened a comeback. On 53 minutes, Hopper crossed for his second with Aaron Lewis following him over just before the hour mark.
But some stunning defence from both sides kept the rest of the game scoreless and it will give the Wales Dragonhearts coaching team a lot to ponder on selection wise before their trip to Germany later this year.
EAST
1 Matt Cummins (Torfaen Tigers)
2 Jamie Marsh (Valley Cougars)
3 Liam Watton (Valley Cougars)
4 Sam Baker (Torfaen Tigers)
5 Mike Hurley (Valley Cougars)
6 Bradley Williams (Cardiff City RL)
7 Lee Goddard (Valley Cougars)
8 Louie Pengelly (Torfaen Tigers)
9 Dean Higgs (Valley Cougars)
10 Scott Giles (Valley Cougars)
11 Craig Lewis (Valley Cougars)
12 Rob Davies (Torfaen Tigers)
13 Mike Edwards (Torfaen Tigers)
Subs:
14 Shane Lee (Valley Cougars)
15 Kyle Rose (Cardiff City RL)
16 Matt Williams (Torfaen Tigers)
17 Rhys Davies (Valley Cougars)
18 Ethan Coombes (Valley Cougars)
WEST
1 Jack Dryden (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
2 Iestyn Withers (West Wales Raiders)
23 Josh Taylor (West Wales Raiders)
4 Tom Morgan (Cardiff Metropolitan University)
5 Matt Davies (West Wales Raiders)
6 Aaron Lewis (West Wales Raiders)
7 Curtis Ford (West Wales Raiders)
14 Jonny Rees (West Wales Raiders)
9 Daf Phillips (West Wales Raiders)
11 Dan Forrester (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
21 Ben Rees (West Wales Raiders)
12 Dale Wood (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
10 Harry Boots (West Wales Raiders)
Subs:
14 Nathan Morgan (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
16 Keiron Hooper (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
13 Ashley Mortimer (Bridgend Blue Bulls)
18 Rowland Kaye (West Wales Raiders)
Referee: James Jones
Half-time: 24-6
