The Welsh Students rugby side kick off their season at UWIC this Saturday, kick off 12 noon, with the huge challenge of facing a powerful French side. Despite defeat in the corresponding fixture in Milieu last season, the home side can take encouragement from an outstanding victory against the French at the Gnoll, Neath two years ago.
The Welsh side coached by WRU Coaches John Morgan and John Dodds also face the strong England Students team at Clifton in two weeks time. The Welsh side has a proud history and tradition and current Welsh squad members Martin Williams, Mark Taylor, Ceri Sweeney and Ben Evans have all represented the students as have former British Lions Robert Howley, Robert Jones and Dafydd James. The Team Manager is former Wales Assistant Coach Stan Addicott and the Secretary is Scarlets Chaplain Revd Eldon Phillips.
The current side has a good deal of young Welsh talent tempered with the more experiencd students such as Jonothan Hooper (Caerphilly) and Nicky Jones (Narberth). The back row has a dynamic look about it, with Cardiff Medical students Adam Cox and Matthew Jeffries complemented by Matthew Evans of Narberth.
The French students who have produced rugby of the highest quality over a number of years, bring over a squad of both power and tremendous talent, with five of their backs hailing from Colomiers.
The Welsh team
Nicky Jones – UW Swansea and Narberth.
Stefan Scanala – UWIC and Bedwas.
Richard Davies – UW Cardiff and Llanelli.
Tryfan Edwards – Hartpury College and Lydney
Robert Allen – UW Swansea and Newport.
Gareth Morgan – UWIC and Llanelli.
Jonothan Hooper – University of Glamorgan and Caerphilly.
Tom Snelgrove – UWIC and Bridgend.
Andrew Littlehales – UW Swansea and Neath
Ioan Ohlsson – UW Swansea and Neath.
Greg Walsh – South Bank University and London Welsh
Stuart Miller – UWIC and Bonymaen.
Matthew Evans – UWIC and Narberth.
Adam Cox – Cardiff Medicals and Newport
Matthew Jeffries – Cardiff Medicals and Llanelli.
Replacements – Joe Shelton – Brunel and London Welsh, Roy Davies – Hartpury College and Newbury. Lewis Wood – UW Aberystwyth and Haverfordwest. Andrew Edwards – Bath University and Bath. A.N.Other. Sean Lynn – Hartpury College. Aron May – UW Swansea and Swansea.
The French Squad
Forwards –
Alexandres Barres – CABBG
Pascal Saldubehere – Dax
Nicolas Descamps – CABBG
Fabien Marque – Auch
Romian Lauga – Agen
Julien Salellas – LOU
Romain Friand – Agen
Alexandre Maleyrie – Brive
Thomas Soucaze – Biarritz
Julien Puricelli – Grenoble.
Peio Som – Pau
Nicolas Portier – CSBJ
Backs
Peyo Roussarie – CABBG
Anthony Sallecanne – Colomiers.
Fabien Gengenbacher – CSBJ
Jean-Emmanuel Cassin – Colomiers
Jean-Philippe Grandclaude – Colomiers
Sylvian Mirande – Agen
Kevin Zhakatta – CSBJ
Yannick Larguet – Colomiers
Jean-Baptiste Gobelet – Biarritz
Antoine Vignau-Tuquet – Colomiers
