Warlow And Van Rensburg Sign For Gwent
Gwent coach Mike Ruddock has raided the transfer market again with the double capture of Bridgend pair Crag Warlow and Shawn van Rensburg.
Free-spending Ruddock has been the busiest of the five regional coaches by far as he builds a provincial side at Rodney Parade almost from scratch.
He has brought only a handful of players with him from Ebbw Vale and with several aging Newport stars set to quit he has been forced to look outside of the region.
Warlow and van Rensburg have become the latest additions to Ruddock’s revolution after they were told by the league leaders that they did not have a future at the new Bridgend-Pontypridd province.
Wales A outside-half Warlow has scored almost 700 points in his three years at the Brewery Field but missed out on a provincial contract to Sardis Road duo Neil Jenkins and Ceri Sweeney.
“Obviously I was very disappointed to be overlooked by the new province but with the outside-halves at Ponty it was a little expected,” said Warlow.
“But I’m genuinely over the moon that Mike Ruddock has given me this chance. We worked together a lot with Wales A and I rate him as a coach so I’m really looking forward to next season.
“I think I have been playing some of the best rugby of my career and hopefully Gwent will reap the benefits.”
Warlow will compete with fellow new arrival Lee Jarvis for the number ten jersey at Gwent while van Rensburg will join signings Michael Owen and Jamie Ringer in the pack.
A strong ball-carrier, South African-born van Rensburg was invited to a trial for the Wales Test team by Graham Henry before doubts over his eligibility were raised. He now qualifies for Wales on residency grounds.