Gareth Davies is the WRU National Exiles Officer. As Wales U18 prepare to face South Africa Schools tomorrow in the Western Cape, he highlights the role the programme has played in unearthing individuals for the age grade pathway: “Ten Exiles were selected for this year’s U18 International Series and seven were eventually selected to travel to South Africa. International rugby provides different challenges and such opportunities are very rare.
“These events are a great experience for the Exiles boys and it demonstrates that our programme can provide a credible pathway into international age grade rugby.”
Wales U18 head coach Chris Horsman underlines the need for any Exiles player to be selected on merit. “They have to earn their place like anybody else. Over the last few years, myself and [fellow age grade coach] Geraint Lewis have certainly viewed the Exiles programme as part of our pathway – but, of course, not at the expense of the boys that are in the regions.
“Ultimately, it’s about broadening our base. Getting more players on our depth charts and exposing as many players as possible to this environment. As coaches, we’ve got to make sure players are coming through and populating that Welsh team and our regional sides, which this pathway has done in the past few years.”
Most of the Exiles players in this year’s U18 squad were born in Wales – whilst those that weren’t qualify through a Welsh parent or grandparent – and are in full-time education at such prestigious rugby schools across the border.
Five of tomorrow’s side squad that will meet South Africa Schools in Boland Landbou have come through the WRU Exiles programme. Fly-half Sam Costelow (born in Pontypridd, educated at Oakham in Rutland), fullback Ioan Lloyd (born in Cardiff, now at Clifton College) and wing Louis Rees-Zammit (also born in Cardiff; studying at Hartpury College) are all in the starting XV.
Back rower Carwyn Tuipulotu, named on the bench for tomorrow’s match, was born in Abergavenny during the time that his father, Kati, a Tongan international, was playing for Ebbw Vale. The 16-year-old is now a member of the Scarlets academy.
Bryanston’s Ellis Bevan and Marlborough’s Archie Griffin complete the Exiles matchday quintet: the former a scrum-half from Solihull whose father is from Sketty; the latter a front rower whose mother hails from Wrexham.
“The Exiles programme has very strong links with the regions in Wales as well as our rugby-playing universities, where players can combine their academic progress and rugby development,” says Davies. “It’s important that we focus on their education too, because it’s not just about rugby.”
Davies says that the past two years have seen a significant increase in the number of players attached to the Exiles programme. “We’ve now got hundreds of players involved, some based overseas,” he explains. ‘It’s important that we engage with every single one of them and their families without them having to make long journeys into Wales, so the recent one-day camps held in England, for example, are an important part of the programme.”
New Exiles players can register with the programme here.
South Africa Schools v Wales U18 will be stream live on the S4C website and the ‘S4C Chwaraeon’ Facebook page.
