Players and coaches from clubs across the region attended the launch to hear presentations from Ospreys Chief Operations Manager Andrew Hore and WRU Development Manager for the Ospreys region, Ben Rose.
The Ospreys Cup is a tournament played out at Under 16 and Under15 level that is unique to the region, with clubs enjoying cross border competition against teams they wouldn’t normally encounter.
Teams from Bridgend, Neath, Port Talbot and Swansea will go head-to-head with every team offered a chance to play for silverware via a cup, plate, bowl and shield format beyond the round robin pool stages.
The final of each format will be played at a Premiership ground and the winners will parade their respective trophies at half-time during an Ospreys game at the Liberty Stadium.
“The Ospreys Cup underpins everything that is important in the community, representing your local club and your local club being at the heart of the community,” said Rose.
“The WRU hope that through this competition, players will value where they are from and continue to play into their adult life. The competition’s aim is to sustain participation into youth and senior rugby. In just three years since its inception the Ospreys Cup has established itself as the competition that matters to clubs in the region at U15 and U16 level.”
This year has seen an expansion of the competition with 21 teams competing in each age group, each divided into four different pools. The teams who finish in the top two in each pool will qualify for the cup and plate competition with the rest of the sides going into the bowl and the shield dependent on their finishing position.
The successful 2011/12 competition saw Pencoed secure the U15 crown with a 13-10 win over Bonymaen while Swansea Uplands took the honours at U16 level thanks to a 32-18 success against Abercrave. And Pencoed are confident of a repeat performance in this year’s competition.
“For the development of the kids the tournament is outstanding,” said U16 coach Dave Clarke. “It’s a very important tournament and it’s one of the best things I’ve seen. We’ve got a few players who have been taken by the Ospreys but we’re aiming to win the competition again.”
The defending champions have been drawn in the same pool as Bonymaen, the team they beat in last year’s final in the standout draw of the group stages. In the U15 age group, Bridgend Sports and Bridgend Athletic clash in a local derby with the teams drawn together in Group D.
“It’s a great level of competition and we did quite well last year reaching the semi-finals of the plate,” said Bridgend Sports U16 coach Marc Jehu. “We’ve got a good group so we’ll see where it gets us.”
The growth of the competition sees age grade rugby in the Ospreys region continue to flourish much to Hore’s delight.
“The way that the Ospreys Cup has grown in stature has been fantastic,” he said. “Hosting a launch event for the clubs to come together at the Liberty Stadium shows how far the competition has come and acts as a showcase for junior rugby in the region.
“I’m sure that it’s going to be a huge success once again. Playing together as a team helps to create mates for life and we are helping to give these children memories that will last a lifetime.”
The Ospreys Cup gets underway next week (September 23) with the first games being played at U16 level.
2012/13 Competition Structure
Under 15:
Group A – Waunarlwydd, Mumbles, Glynneath, Kenfig Hill, Fall Bay
Group B – Neath Athletic, Pencoed, Pontarddulais, South Gower, Swansea Uplands
Group C – Dulais Valley, Nantyfyllon, Tonmawr, Aberavon Greenstars, Penclawdd,
Group D – Bryncoch, Cwmavon, Dunvant, Bridgend Sports, Bridgend Athletic, Ystalyfera
Under 16:
Group A – Tondu, South Gower, Abercrave, Pontarddulais, Aberavon Greenstars, Vardre
Group B – Waunarlwydd, Bridgend Athletic, Neath Athletic, Ystradgynlais, Nantyfyllon
Group C – Glynneath, Swansea Uplands, Pencoed, Bridgend Sports, Bonymaen
Group D – Mumbles, Loughor, Bryncethin, Tonmawr, Skewen
