Ben Kellaway: Glamorgan's Ambidextrous Prodigy
Rhodri Evans
Ben Kellaway is a unique bowler in English cricket.
His ability to bowl with both his stronger right and weaker left arm has brought him firmly into the spotlight this past week.
In a sport now dominated by ‘match-ups’ and data-driven selections, Kellaway’s ambidextrous ability is a potent weapon for his club Glamorgan, as was seen in their recent win over Surrey.
With Glamorgan firmly on top, reducing Surrey to 106-8, captain Kiran Carlson brought Kellaway on to bowl. The 20-year-old all-rounder then took the final two wickets.
The first was with his left arm, his low action skidding through the defences of Conor McKerr and hitting leg stump. The second and final wicket of the innings was performed with his right arm, a classic delivery round the wicket to the left-handed Matt Dunn, thumping his front pad in front the of stumps.
Ambidextrous Ambition
One would think that this skill is something that Kellaway has worked on for years, but he reveals that it has been something that he has only taken seriously until very recently.
“It’s really quite a new thing for me,” Kellaway explained.
“It really came on this winter when I noticed that I had a bit of a talent for it during Covid time. I used to mess about with my brother and try it on him and it got better and better.
“Then ahead of this season I decided that I’ve not really got much to lose with it, so I gave it a go against Surrey and its worked straight away!”
Kellaway is not alone in experimenting with bowling with their weaker arm in training, England fast bowler Jofra Archer’s likes to start each day before play by sending down some lovely, loopy, left-arm spin before warming up his 90mph rockets.
Kellaway, though, was nervous to try it for the first time in a game, but had the backing of his coach and captain to go for it.
“I was terrified!” he said.
“It was really nerve wracking, but I had the backing of from my teammates and coaching staff which gave me a lot of confidence.
“I had nothing to lose with it and it was great to see it come out quiet nicely and get the rewards for it.”
Support from Coaches
Kellaway is still a young player in the Glamorgan squad, having only made his professional debut in 2023, but his confidence has blossomed this season.
A more regular part of Glammy’s white ball sides, Kellaway has been an important source of quick runs and economical overs for his side. Up until now, though, he has not revealed his unique skill.
“Grant [Bardburn] and Mark Wallace are always pushing me to test my limits and part of that was trying bowling left-arm,” Kellaway said,
“If it hadn’t been for them, I probably would have taken a backseat with it as I wasn’t super confident in it to began with.
“Now, I’ve been practicing it as a skill like any other, rather than just as a fun thing to do. It will hopefully improve my chances of helping the team and the team structure with having two options in one player.”
Kellaway is an all rounder in all senses of the word, batting at number six for Glammy in the One Day Cup this season and laying a marker down with a crucial 65* in their first fixture of the campaign.
Although he is mastering left-arm bowling, do not expect him to be switching to batting left handed any time soon.
“Reverse sweeps are a big shot for me,” he joked.
“I use that a fair bit but I don’t think we’re going to see any left handed batting in the future, no.”
The Rise of Analytical Bowling
Kellaway admits that a large factor in his pursuit of this ability is the increase in data and analytics in the game.
It is a widely held belief that it is harder for a batter to hit a ball that spins away from the bat, as opposed to inwards. For Kellaway, having the ability to spin the ball away from the bat no matter whether the batter is left or right handed is another string to his bow.
“There’s a lot of data analysis behind it all,” Kellaway explained.
“At the minute, for me, it’s more about getting the ball to come out well consistently and just experimenting with it on the pitch and in pressure situations.”
The increased utilisation of ‘match ups’ – a practice of combining batters weaknesses with bowlers strengths – has seen players to are able to spin the ball both ways become very valuable.
Initially, it was through mystery spinners like Ajantha Mendis and Adil Rashid, and more recently bowlers like Liam Livingstone, who can bowl both off and leg spin.
For Kellaway, the next step is trying this skill in the longer form of the game: the County Championship.
“I think it can be just as effective,” Kellaway added.
“Depending on the situation, the pitch, the foot holes and rough, it can be a big weapon for me and the team.
“In terms of bowling left arm spin for extended periods, at the moment that’s a work on for me. The next few weeks in the One Day Cup gives me the opportunity to learn and improve with it and get it to a point where it’s ready to go and consistent for a long period of time.”
One Day Cup Opportunities
With the One Day Cup running concurrently with The Hundred, many counties are without some of their senior players. This gives young players like Kellaway the chance to put a run of game together.
It also takes the pressure off slightly and, for Kellaway, this means experimenting with his bowling.
“The One Day Cup is a great opportunity to try different things,” said Kellaway.
“With the opportunities that the youngsters get, we have a great chance to show what we’re about.
“The ambidextrous stuff has probably come along a little later than I expected.
“I had a few chances in the T20s but didn’t quite get around to it. Whether it was the match situation or conditions not being in my favour, I just didn’t try it until now.
“This competition, though, has given me the chance to push that part of my game forward and help the team keep going on our winning ways.”
A Unique Skill With a unique history
The only recent high-profile example of an ambidextrous bowler is Sri Lanka international, Kamindu Mendis.
While he is now an integral part of Lanka’s middle order batting, the 25-year-old all-rounder initially broke into the national side due in large part to his ambidextrous ability.
A few other examples include India tweaker Akshay Karnewar and Australian Jemma Barsby. All these players, including Kellaway, are spinners, but Yasir Jain of Lahore Qalanders in Pakistan, is able to bowl fast with both his right and left arm.
In international cricket, one of England’s greatest ever players, Graham Gooch was able to do it, but only in low-pressure situations.
The great Pakistani opening bat, Hanif Mohammad, was credited as the originator of this skill, bowling with both arms in test matches in the 1950s, although reports of ambidextrous bowling go back to 1876 and Leonard Shuter of Surrey, who bowled right-arm fast and left-arm spin.
If Kellaway can keep this start up, his (almost) unique skill could be a huge weapon in reaching the very top of the game.
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Welsh Fire Start Strong In The Hundred
Rhodri Evans
The Hundred is well underway and the Welsh Fire have brought the heat to their first couple of matches in the 2024 competition.
A comprehensive away victory at Manchester Originals on Thursday evening was followed by a tight defeat in their first home fixture of the tournament against reigning champions Oval Invincibles.
Left-Arm Attack Downs Manchester
On the men’s side, Fire’s three left arm seamers – David Willey, David Payne, and Josh Little – ripped apart the Manchester top order, leaving their opponents 37-7 from 54balls at one stage in the contest.
Jamie Overton and Scott Currie rallied slightly for the Originals, but 88-9 was never a winning score. World Cup winner Jonny Bairstow got the Fire off to a flyer and captain Tom Abell finished it off with 43 balls remaining.
Getting Off To A Fast Start
Speaking before the tournament, Welsh Fire head coach Mike Hussey spoke about the desire for the franchise to start well, setting themselves up for the top 3 and a place in the latter stages.
“There’s not a lot of time to deep dive into matches in between games, so starting well is key,” said Hussey, who is also the Chennai Super Kings batting coach in the Indian Premier League.
“We pretty much just play a game, packs our bags, and move onto the next place to play the next game. That can be a positive in both ways.
“If you have a bad game, you can park it and move onto the next one with a chance to turn it around quickly.”
Attacking At Home
Don’t tell Hussey that Welsh Fire will be ‘defending’ their fortress at Sophia Gardens this season.
“If we can win most of our home games, it gives you a big leg up in having a chance to progress to the next stage,” said Hussey.
“It’s twofold. We want to build a really good home ground advantage here. If we can do that, then the fans are going to want to watch us play.
“That’s been a big focus with me this year as well. Making it difficult for teams coming here to win will be important.”
The Australian wants his side to attack teams that visit Cardiff this season, especially with their formidable bowling attack.
In their two matches so far, no opposition batter has passed 30, with a combined score of 199-17 from 200 balls, by far the best of any side in the competition.
As well as the left-arm trio, the Welsh Fire attack includes the wily Somerset seamer Jake Ball, with his array of slower balls, and Mason Crane, Glamorgan’s new leg spinner.
The Wildcard
After an excellent T20 Blast campaign with new side Glamorgan, Crane was selected as Welsh Fire’s ‘wildcard’ player.
Wildcard players are picked a month before the tournament, after the draft has taken place, and allows each squad to pick an extra two players to fill out their squads.
Often these are players who are either previously unknown, or on excellent form. Crane is definitely the latter.
A one-time international cricketer, Crane had taken 19 wickets at 18.84 apiece in the Blast, forming an unlikely spin duo with Australian international Marnus Labuschagne.
Crane has taken two wickets in his first two games with the Fire and his economy rate is currently below a run-a-ball. Perhaps most remarkably, he is yet to be hit for six.
‘His skillset is exactly what we need’
Fire skipper Tom Abell was delighted to add Crane’s craft to the squad.
“We spoke pretty extensively about who we’d like to add and what sort of skill sets we’d like in the group,” said Abell.
“A different type of spinner was certainly something we looked at and obviously Mason is a highly skilful bowler and a very attacking spinner. He spins it both ways and gets plenty of action on the ball, so he’ll certainly be a wicket-taking option for us through the middle.”
While the emphasis for the team going into the tournament was continuity, head coach Mike Hussey believes Crane will be a key addition as they look to go further in this year’s competition.
“He’s got a lot of energy, which is going to be good around the group as well,” said Hussey.
“His skillset is exactly what we needed. I’m someone that likes to take wickets all the way through the innings, particularly up front in the powerplay, then continue in the middle sets.
“I’m delighted to have someone like Mason, who now has experience of playing here in Cardiff, which is a unique ground. Him having success here will give him confidence, because we want to play well here in Cardiff.”
International Experience
Recognising that The Hundred is a short, sharp competition, the Fire have lent on experience in their squad.
Bairstow, Ball, Willey, Crane, and Payne have all played for England, while Little and Roelof van der Merwe are Ireland and Netherlands internationals respectively. Glenn Phillips and Matt Henry are integral members of the New Zealand side, and Haris Rauf is a Pakistan stalwart.
“We have focused on recruiting players who have be there and done it,” Hussey said.
“Having the likes of Jonny [Bairstow] and David [Willey] in the team gives everyone a lift because they are World Cup winners.
“With experience brings calmness under pressure, and that allows us to take control of those tight moments in matches and win those close games that make the difference.”
Lessons From 2023
The Fire missed out on the eliminator match for the 2023 season on net run rate, something Hussey is well-aware of going into this season.
“What I did learn from last year, is that because the competition is so tight, you can’t really afford to have the big blowout loss,” said Hussey.
“We had a big loss against Southern Brave, which made our net run rate too low to come back from. That ended up costing us.
“There is going to be games we win and game we lose, but we’re going to have to try and make sure our losses are tight and our wins are big. Being competitive in every game is what we are looking for.”
Abell agrees, maintaining the belief that the Fire do not need to change much from what brought their success in 2023.
“We were obviously pretty disappointed last year to miss out on the play-offs so narrowly,” Abell says.
“For the majority of the competition, I thought we were brilliant. I think that was the blueprint for how we sort of want to operate as a group.
“Within the dressing room, we’re all ambitious and we’re here to win this competition. There was plenty we could take from last year. We were a new group, and we’d like to think that we can try and take that on a step further this year.
“We’re pretty excited. As I say, we’ve added a little bit of quality as well.”
Welsh Fire Men’s Fixtures:
London Spirit vs Welsh Fire
15:00, 1st August
Lord’s, London
Trent Rockets vs Welsh Fire
18:00, 3rd August
Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Welsh Fire vs Southern Brave
18:30, 5th August
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
Welsh Fire vs Northern Super-Chargers
15:00, 8th August
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
Welsh Fire vs Birmingham Phoenix
18:00, 10th August
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
Southern Brave vs Welsh Fire
15:00, 14th August
Utilita Bowl, Southampton
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Mason Crane: Welsh Fire's Wildcard
Rhodri Evans
Mason Crane, adopted Welshman, says he has “loved every minute” since his move from Hampshire to Glamorgan.
Crane, a former England international leg spinner, had spent his whole career at Hampshire before crossing the Severn to join Glamorgan on-loan at the start of the 2024 summer.
“The crowds have got better and better as the summer has gone on and it’s been awesome to play in front of them. I’m hoping for more of the same in The Hundred,” says Crane.
“I’ve been living in Cardiff the whole time, so I’ve been wandering around a lot. It’s a great place to come and play. I’m really enjoying my cricket and when you enjoy yourself, you end up doing better.”
Glammy’s Spin Twins
Crane has had an excellent season since moving from hometown county Hampshire to Glamorgan. He has been a mainstay in the Glamorgan red ball side, taking 24 wickets and providing important contributions with the bat.
In the T20 Blast, Crane’s renowned variations have come to the fore. Taking 19 wickets at 18.84 apiece, Crane has formed an unlikely spin duo with Australian international Marnus Labuschagne.
In Glammy’s last game of the campaign at Sophia Gardens, Labuschagne took 5-11, a career best for the Australian, although Crane is quick to point out that all of the five wickets were the tail end of Somerset’s batting.
“I took plenty of stick from him,” Crane laughs.
“I said to him, ‘I’ll bowl at the bowlers next time then and you can come and do the hard work.’”
Crane’s performances in Cardiff have rewarded him twofold: a permanent three-year deal to stay at Glamorgan, and a wildcard contract at Welsh Fire for The Hundred.
Adopted Welshman
For Crane, it is clear that a change of scenery has helped his game.
“I think it was always a possibility that I would sign permanently after going on loan earlier in the year,” Crane says.
“Obviously the aim was to come and play my best cricket and get back to enjoying the game again, and I’ve done that from the minute I got here really.
“When it became clear that there was an opportunity to make the move permanent, I didn’t take too much convincing. It was a bit of a no-brainer.”
The biggest reason for signing with Glamorgan initially was the chance for regular game time. At Hampshire, Crane often struggled to appear in red-ball matches, with Liam Dawson the spinner ahead of him in the pecking order.
Glamorgan was not the first loan in the 27-year-old’s career, having previously spent a month at Sussex in 2022.
“I haven’t played as much cricket as I’d like and you don’t particularly enjoy that, but the opportunity to come and play, I’ve really enjoyed it,” he adds.
“I think my cricket has moved forward now that I’m happier with it. As a cricketer, you want to be playing as big a role as you can, and I think the direction that we are moving in is really exciting.
“To have played a big part in it as well has been awesome.”
Welsh Fire Wildcard
Crane will be staying at Sophia Gardens for the 2024 edition of The Hundred, after he was picked as one of two wildcards for the Welsh Fire.
The leggie is swapping blue for red, having played for London Spirit for the first three editions of the competition.
“I’m super excited to stay at Sophia Gardens,” Crane says.
“I’ve really enjoyed the first few years of The Hundred at the Spirit. It’s a really good competition, something different for us.
“I think my experience here will help. There are a lot of players from all over the country at different venues, so if you can try and get slightly ahead with that local knowledge, it really helps.
“With Glamorgan being the only Welsh county, you certainly feel that the crowd are right behind you. On nights when it all goes so well, it’s awesome that we can do it for them and hopefully, that translates into The Hundred as well.
“Even though I’m in a new team, it feels like I’ve been here a long time already. Almost as though everyone is coming to my house for a change.”
Dismissing the Skipper
At Welsh Fire, Crane will be hoping to impress captain Tom Abell, who he dismissed in that final T20 match against Somerset.
Crane, though, has not given his skipper much stick about it.
“I need to play!” he says.
“I need to be in the good books of the captain so that I can bowl at the right end.
“It’s nice to be on the same side of some of the lads I’ve competing against for years. They’re a very settled side, so I feel I just need to come in a do my part when needed.”
Continuity is Key for the Fire
Welsh Fire, after a positive 2023 season where they placed fourth, have retained 10 players ahead of the new campaign, more than any other team.
That continuity will put the team in a positive stead according to skipper Abell.
“We were obviously pretty disappointed last year to miss out on the play-offs so narrowly,” Abell says.
“For the majority of the competition, I thought we were brilliant. I think that was the blueprint for how we sort of want to operate as a group.
“Within the dressing room, we’re all ambitious and we’re here to win this competition. There was plenty we could take from last year. We were a new group, and we’d like to think that we can try and take that on a step further this year.
“We’re pretty excited. As I say, we’ve added a little bit of quality as well.”
Backing From Coach and Captain
With the other spinners in the squad all-rounders, Crane has been brought in to be the front-line spinner at Welsh Fire, and Abell is full of praise for his new recruit.
“We spoke pretty extensively about who we’d like to add and what sort of skill sets we’d like in the group,” Abell adds.
“A different type of spinner was certainly something we looked at and obviously Mason is a highly skilful bowler and a very attacking spinner. He spins it both ways and gets plenty of action on the ball, so he’ll certainly be a wicket-taking option for us through the middle.”
While the emphasis for the team is continuity, head coach Mike Hussey believes Crane will be a key addition as they look to go further in this year’s competition.
“He’s got a lot of energy, which is going to be good around the group as well” Hussey says.
“His skillset is exactly what we needed. I’m someone that likes to take wickets all the way through the innings, particularly up front in the powerplay, then continue in the middle sets.
“I’m delighted to have someone like Mason, who now has experience of playing here in Cardiff, which is a unique ground. Him having success here will give him confidence, because we want to play well here in Cardiff.
“We want to win as many home games as possible, which is something we haven’t done as well in the past.”
New Team, Familiar Faces
For Crane, the most important thing in these early days is getting to know his new teammates.
He is joined at Welsh Fire by Glammy stalwart Chris Cooke and has shared a dressing with Roelof van der Merwe at London Spirit and Abell at Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20.
“It’s a funny one, because all these guys for the rest of the year we play against them,” Crane explains.
“But it’s amazing how quickly it all gels together. It can be a bit strange seeing ‘away’ players coming into the home dressing room, but we’ve got a really good bunch and I know most from elsewhere at some point in my career.
“It’s nice to be back with Roelof. I absolutely love him. We get on really well, always have a good time together.
“The only thing I haven’t worked out yet is whether I look better red or blue! I’ll let the fans decide on that one.”
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Welsh Fire Bring The Heat To The Hundred
Rhodri Evans
Continuity. That is the order of the day for Welsh Fire as they embark on a fourth Hundred campaign.
Prior to last season, neither side placed above seventh, with the women’s side suffering back-to-back eight place finishes, and just three wins from 14 games.
After two years of poor results, 2023 marked a turning point for the franchise, with the women’s side ending the season in third and men’s in fourth.
2023, with an overhaul of both sides, was much more positive. The women’s side, led by captain Tammy Beaumont’s career-best form, won five games and missed out on a place in the final due to a now-defunct rain rule.
For the men, their gamble on two of the quickest bowlers in the world, Pakistani duo Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, paid off. Michael Hussey, another new recruit as head coach, managed the side well as his side came fourth, just missing out on the eliminator match.
Hitting The Ground Running
This time around, both teams are focused on continuity. Welsh Fire retained the most players across both the men’s and women’s teams, with four overseas players also coming back for second seasons at Sophia Gardens.
For head coach Gareth Breese, this gives the side a chance to hit the ground running.
“We’ve managed to retain a lot of our players from last year,” says Breese.
“We have retained nine players that we had last year, which then gives us a real good foundation. I think it’s really important also to separate the successful season we had last year with this year because we are starting again.
“For me, that is important to settle them in a little bit quicker, and having lots that are returning helps a lot. It certainly feels like that at the moment.”
International Expertise
Experience is another quality that the Fire have prioritized, with Beaumont, Georgia Elwiss, Sarah Bryce, Hayley Matthews, Shabnim Ismail, and new recruit Jess Jonassen all appearing on the international stage for a number of years.
“You’ve got to be able to trust the girls coming in to be able to execute their roles,” Breese adds.
“With The Hundred being so fast, sometimes too much information can confuse things unnecessarily. Trust is the most important thing and having players who know their roles from previous season is important in that.
“I think once they start to relax and make those friendships and those bonds within the squad, then you can start getting to the nitty gritty and that’s what we tried to do, is to keep a really relaxed kind of environment that we had last season.”
Returning overseas stars, Matthews and Ismail, standout in particular. Matthews, the captain of the West Indies, was named the Wisden T20 Cricketer of the Year for 2023, making her the first female winner in the award’s seven-year history.
The Joker In The Pack
Ismail has been the world’s fastest bowler ever since her international debut and has taken over 300 wickets in her 16-year career. She was also an integral part of the early domination of The Hundred by the Oval Invincibles, winning the first two titles in 2021 and 2022 before crossing the boarder to join Welsh Fire.
Beaumont, though, is excited to have Ismail the character back at Sophia Gardens for another season.
“Shabnim [Ismail] is so funny,” says Beaumont.
“She loves to give people nicknames and she’s already working away on a few for team. We’re really lucky that we’ve got 10 or 11 coming back who were here last year.
“A lot of that groundwork is in place and that gives us a big head start on other teams who have changed a lot from last season. Building a team culture doesn’t happen in a week so to have 2023 to look back on is good for us.
“We’ve just got to try and get around people and put yourself out there. We’ve got quite a few extroverts in the squad so we’re always having a laugh and getting along well.”
2023 Heartbreak
Speaking to Beaumont, it is clear that there is a confidence about just how good her team can be this upcoming season.
Having come third in the group stage of the competition, their eliminator match against Northern Superchargers was cut short due to rain with Fire in a strong position. Because the men’s eliminator needed to be played on the same day, the women’s match was abandoned, with the Superchargers advancing to final due to a better position in the group stage.
That rule has now changed, with a reserve day now in place in case of rain, but the match still lingers in Breese’s mind ahead of the new campaign.
“I thought we’d set ourselves up really nicely towards the back end of that game,” Breese says of the eliminator match.
“Laura Harris was in with Tammy at the time, and we were set up to finish really nicely before the rain came.
“The good thing coming out of that is obviously that the rules have been changed to make sure the match gets played. For us, we see it as a disappointment that we didn’t put the points on the board earlier in the competition.”
‘Be The Calm In The Chaos’
For Beaumont though, it is clear that this new tournament poses new challenges for her captaincy of the side.
“I think it’s about trying to get the best out of out of everyone and make sure they’re all feel really valued within the team,” Beaumont explains.
“And within that, just try and stay cool and be the calm in the chaos as the captain. I think because The Hundred is so chaotic, often it’s the teams that are well prepared and relaxed are able to adapt quickly.
“We want to perform and feel well-prepared to do so.”
Fine Margins
With fewer balls comes tighter contests. In 2023, Welsh Fire won matches by just four runs, three runs and three wickets, while they lost matches by only 16 runs and two wickets.
Beaumont knows that in those tight moments, with matches on the line, her squad has the experience and quality to thrive under pressure.
“We take each game as it comes,” Beaumont says.
“It’s all about who performs well on the day in this competition, and therefore we have to stick to our strengths and do the basics well. A massive part of it is also enjoying each other’s company and sticking together in tough moments. If we do that, results take care of themselves almost.
“There were two game last year that stood out to me. We played Birmingham Phoenix, and they needed eight to win from the last set of five and we won by 3 runs. Then, the very next game at Sophia Gardens against the Southern Brave, they needed the same and we lost by 2 wickets.
“That sums up The Hundred to me. We did absolutely the same thing in terms of attitude, application, planning, performance, and energy in both games, but we got two different results.
“For us this season it is about keeping our attitude and approach as high as possible and riding the wave of the tournament, hopefully all the way to the final.”
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Micky Beckett: The Waiting Game
Rhodri Evans
Micky Beckett has had to bide his time.
Despite being a consistent medal winner at European and World level since his first silver in 2018, Beckett missed out on the Tokyo Olympics when fellow British sailor Elliot Hanson pipped him to a qualifying spot at the 2020 ICLA European Championships in Gdansk.
With Hanson taking gold, and Beckett silver, suddenly there was an Olympic-sized gap in his calendar.
“The TV stuff came about entirely through chance,” Becket recalls.
“I think someone dropped out and they needed an expert to come and explain the finer points of sailing because when you’re a production team covering a sporting event, you need to know the sport inside out.”
Valuable Experience
“I helped viewers learn about the finer points of the rules, what happens when there are delays, rules, protests, all of that stuff,” Beckett adds.
“It was an immense privilege. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. To go and sit in the gallery and get the best view of the Olympics, watching every single camera all the time and try and produce a good product that showcases sailing.”
That experience proved to be a bit of a turning point for Beckett in his sailing career.
“It was very interesting getting a close view of what everybody else who I am usually competing against is going through,” he says.
“They are under the ultimate pressure, and you can see and hear exactly what everyone is doing all the time. It gave me really good insight into all 10 sailing classes.”
Princess Sofia Success
Beckett sails in the ILCA 7 class, previously known as Laser class. Laser is where British sailing’s most famous competitor, Ben Ainslie, won his first Olympic gold. Ainslie is not the only British success in the ILCA 7 class, with Paul Goodison winning Olympic gold at Beijing, and Nick Thompson a back-to-back world champion.
Beckett has been in excellent form since Tokyo, cementing his place as one of the top sailors in his class in the world.
After silver at Gdansk in 2020, he went one better with European gold in Varna, Bulgaria, a year later. But it was 2022 that proved to be a break-out year for Beckett.
Another silver in the European Championships was followed by a first title against the world’s best at the Princess Sofia Trophy regatta in Mallorca.
Not content with one Princess Sofia victory, Beckett has now won the last three titles at the prestigious race, beating Olympic gold medallist Matt Wearn in the process.
A Long Time To Prepare
2023 returned his first World Championship medal: silver, just pipped by the Australian Wearn, and automatic qualification to the Olympics, a whole year in advance.
“It was a massive weight off my shoulders,” Beckett says.
“Sailing is a sport that benefits skills and experience as well as just raw fitness. That means they’re happy to pick so far out from the event. Obviously, the standard is always very, very high.
“You don’t just have to be the best in the UK you have to be around the top eight in the world as well. So, to meet that kind of criteria is really encouraging.
“I found out I was selected in September, so, it’s been nearly a whole year of knowing that I’ve been given this opportunity.”
‘I’m not the man to beat’
If there was any moment that Beckett thought about resting on his success between September 2023 and Paris 2024, then the results certainly don’t show it.
Bronze at the World Championships in Adelaide was followed by that third Princess Sofia win, and victory at the French Olympic week tester event has given the Solva-born sailor confidence he can medal at Paris.
“It’s nice and reassuring,” Beckett says of his form.
“But it does also set expectations. There’s no way of escaping it but I think the most valuable thing I take from those events is the experience of racing.
“You can definitely see the pressure that everyone is under and it’s quite nice to still be able to perform whilst that’s all happening.”
Does Beckett feel like he has become a bit of a target now his good form has propelled him to third in the World Sailing rankings?
“Well, I’m not the defending World and Olympic champion!” he jokes.
“I’d say I’m in the group of five behind Matt [Wearn]. I’m not the man to beat.”
A First Olympics
With such an experienced set of racers, Beckett will be one of few who are at their first Olympics this summer and has a simple mantra for race days.
“Fake it till you make it!” Beckett reveals.
“I do still get nervous, but I’ve learnt that just because you’re nervous, it does not mean that you are about to go and put in a bad performance.
“It means that your body and mind is recognising that today is important, and you need to go and rise to the challenge and you need to focus on the nuts and bolts of the event and not worry about the outcome.
“It’s very easy to think ‘if I do well today then XYZ is going to happen’ and you end up getting carried away with things that are not important. What’s important is understanding your craft and going out and trying to make a decent fist of the day and not getting too upset if it turns out that it is a bad day because that won’t help your decision making.
“It’s just trying to stay fairly calm and level. I was only partly joking when I said, ‘fake it till you make it’, but there is an element of truth in that.”
Breaking Down The Door
For Beckett, that Olympic title will be the culmination of three years of knocking on the door of sailing’s top table, and he knows exactly how to break the door down in Paris.
“Sailing is about brutal averages,” he says.
“Each race has 10 races, and you count nine, meaning your worst race does not matter. You get one point for coming first in a race and more the further down the pack you place, so the winner will have the least points throughout the nine races.
“To win gold, you usually have to average around third, which is so tough. It means that two bad races, near the start, means you’ve got to be flawless for the rest.
“It sounds counterintuitive, but winning is not about getting from second to first in one race and showing how good you are on that day, it’s about being very diligent, consistent and staying in the top five or ten, even on an off day.”
‘I’ll be doing everything I can to get a gold medal’
With that in mind, what does success look like for Beckett at Paris?
“Certainly, a medal,” he says.
“Team GB haven’t won a medal in my class since 2008, and that’s quite a while so it’d be really nice to amend that. I’ve had some success winning against all the same people who’ll be in Paris in the last couple of years and I do believe I can get the gold.
“That would be awesome. I am conscious though that if I go into the competition thinking of a medal, it may be a bit of a recipe for trouble in terms of putting pressure on myself.
“I’m a big believer in ‘if you can do something than you should do everything you can to do it’, and I’ll be doing everything I can to get a gold medal.”
If you want to know read more pieces from Sportin Wales, why not read to our monthly magazine here or subscribe to the magazine and newsletter at https://sportin.wales/subscribe/.
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Let's Talk with Gwen Crabb
Rhodri Evans
As part of our Let’s Talk series in the magazine, Sportin Wales sat down with Wales international Gwen Crabb to talk about the mental struggles with recovering from multiple long-term injuries.
Sport can be cruel, or so the saying goes.
Sometimes it can be downright evil.
It can become a stream of frustrations until you’re left looking to the heavens with the cry ‘why always me?’ – and not in the way Mario Balotelli meant it.
For Wales international Gwen Crabb, December 2022 marked the first of a triumvirate of injuries leaving her unable to play the sport she loves for the best part of two years.
“It started after I got back from the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand,” says Crabb.
“In my third game back for Gloucester-Hartpury, I broke my ankle and fibular, plus I displaced my foot, which was traumatic.
“I was in hospital, surgery and didn’t leave for four days. Across Christmas, with bad weather and it being constantly dark outside, it was mentally tough.”
Like a lot of players, Crabb set herself a goal to return, aiming for the following years’ Six Nations.
“I got back, selected to start against Ireland, but I had this fear of re-injury, which is not something I’d experienced before,” says Crabb.
“I saw the sports psychologist who taught me about my limbic brain and how it was telling me I’d get injured as it was fighting for survival.
“If I didn’t speak to the psychologist then I might be at training, go to step and think; ‘No I can’t, I’ll get injured.’
“Leadership expert Drew Povey said on our podcast, ‘life is a team sport’ and it’s so true because you can’t do everything by yourself, you need other people’s points of view to help shape your opinions and make you a better, more rounded person.
“After getting over that fear I went into the Ireland game. Six minutes in, I ruptured my right ACL. It was probably the lowest moment of my life when that happened.
“All the adrenaline, caffeine was kicking in and it came crashing down, lower than I ever thought.”
Heartbreak. Especially as Crabb had ruptured her left ACL six years earlier aged just 17.
“Coming off against Ireland, I repeatedly remember saying to the physios, ‘I can’t do this again, I can’t do this again, I can’t do this again,’” says Crabb.
“The next couple of weeks were horrendous to be honest. It was like I’d broken up with someone, except I’d broken up with my ACL.
“I would be fine and then cry, I couldn’t get my head around it. I was thinking ‘Why me?’ and that’s not a healthy mindset to be in, it makes you feel very out of control.”
Her response was to make the best out of a bad situation during another enforced layoff.
“Rugby is very all-consuming as a job,” says Crabb.
“When you go to sleep, when you get up, what you eat, everything is tailored to becoming the best athlete you can be.
“When you do pick up a significant injury it gives you space to breathe and see there’s more to life than rugby.
“I started to think of the opportunities I could have rather than the ones I was missing out on like Six Nations, Gloucester’s Prem title and WXV.”
Sadly, knee injuries have become all-to-common in women’s sports. Welsh squad players Kayleigh Powell, Meg Webb, Alisha Joyce-Butchers, Ffion Lewis and Crabb’s housemate Courtney Keight amongst those to suffer knee injuries in recent years.
However, it has created a great camaraderie between the teammates.
“I think when you’re in the team environment, everyone gets caught up in what they’re doing,” says Crabb.
“Coming back from a serious injury you have these miny milestones, like running for the first time. It’s not that big of a deal, but people who have also suffered similar injuries get it.
“Living with Courtney, we’d come home from training and say what we’d achieved in our recovery. It might be something as simple as running but the other person could remember how amazing that feeling was, and we supported each other.”
In October last year, Crabb joined forces with Wales teammate Ffion Lewis to co-host the ‘Say It How It Is’ podcast, born out of both players’ desires to help people by sharing theirs and others stories.
On the podcast, Crabb opened up about being bullied as a child and struggling to fit in.
“I’ve never really fitted in, in any sense of the word really,” says Crabb.
“When I was in primary school, I was curious, diving into everything at school, studying and getting top marks, which adults thought was great, but the kids, not so much.
“I felt like I was a piece of a jigsaw that didn’t fit. I didn’t feel the effects until I was older. Some days I’d think it was sad that people didn’t like me but then I’d think ‘I like me’, which is a nice and naïve way to look at things.
“When people say things, you might not realise they’ve affected you for years to come. Sometimes I’m scared to say things to my friends or give an honest opinion in case they’ll turn around and say, ‘I didn’t like you anyway, so that’s us done.’
“That’s almost turned me into a people pleaser, a ‘yes woman’, you can end up being walked all over and that feeds into thinking they didn’t like you anyway.”
The bullying she struggled with in school also influenced some body confidence issues.
“In year 10 P.E. we were set a fitness journal task, my mindset was ‘If I’m going to do it, I’m going to win,’” says Crabb.
“I was training all the time, and my nutrition was poor, so much so that I lost three stone in three months.
“I was pretty heavy before, but I wasn’t unhealthy in particular and then people wanted to speak to me about my weight loss. A couple of weeks later and those same people were saying things like ‘Oh my boyfriend wouldn’t like me if I was as skinny as you,’ so they bullied me for being bigger and then bullied me for being skinny.
“That comment has always stuck with me because it doesn’t matter what you do, there’s always something people are going to find to pick on you for.”
Fortunately, Crabb found rugby, a sport with the principle as one for all shapes and sizes, but more importantly, it was a place where Crabb felt she could fit in.
“I owe a lot to rugby because it allowed me to understand there’s a place for everyone within a team,” says Crabb.
“Over time, many years, it started to change my perception of body image and seeing your body as your tool to perform on the field rather than what it looks like or what people think it looks like.
“Now I’ve got to the point where I don’t stress about what I look like. I understand that when I’m injured my body will change and that’s okay.”
Crabb suffered another setback in her recovery from injury in March this year. Her knee once again the issue causing her to miss the Six Nations along with the Premiership Women’s Rugby run-in as Gloucester-Hartpury retained their title.
“In the fifth game back for Gloucester my left knee shifted,” says Crabb.
“My reaction was ‘Oh no! Why has this happened?’ and then you start spiralling. ‘Why is this happening to me again?’ etc. etc.
“I know my body pretty well by now and something wasn’t right, so I had surgery which meant I was out of the Six Nations.”
A further disappointment, another trophy lift missed, and an international campaign lost. The obvious question, how does one keep motivating themselves to come back time and time again?
“A big motivator for me is being happy,” says Crabb.
“Before my ankle injury I was consumed by the week to week, the constant routine and it’s not until you’re out of it that you realise what actually makes you happy.
“Don’t wait until you’re struggling with your mental health to get on top of things. Naturally, across rehab you have bad days in training, but I try and look at what is going to make me happy and feed my soul and that’s my incentive.”
“Recently I’ve been doing 25 lessons for 25 years of life because of my birthday and one of things was about my morning routine with my morning coffee,” Crabb adds.
“I love my coffee and the process of learning to make latte art. During the course of my injuries, it was the one thing I could do, making new latte art, then read a book or listen to some music for half an hour in the mornings before training.
“After that, any setbacks I had during the day didn’t matter because I’d had that half an hour to myself and accomplished something.
“You have to build these things into your routine so that it becomes a way of life rather than not being bothered to do something you just do things to make you happy.”
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Wales Learn EURO 2025 Play-Off Opponents
Rhodri Evans
Wales women will play Slovakia in the first round of the UEFA EURO 2025 qualification play-off first round, with the winner then facing either the Republic of Ireland or Georgia for a place at next summer’s UEFA EURO 2025 in Switzerland.
Wales, who confirmed their place as a seeded team in the first round of the play-offs with a 2-0 win over Kosovo on Tuesday, will play Slovakia away from home on October 23rd, with the second leg scheduled for a week later.
If Wales progress from the first round against Slovakia, they will face either the Republic of Ireland or Georgia in the final round of qualifying for EURO 2025.
The round two play-offs will be played on November 27th and December 3rd.
The FAW confirmed this week that Wales would play their home play-off games at the Cardiff City Stadium, having played two of their group games at Parc y Scarlets and the other at Cae Ras, in Wrexham..
Wales won their group in path B, giving them a seeded place in Friday’s draw. With seven places still up for grabs at EURO 2025, Wales are only four matches away from their first major tournament in history.
The Kosovo victory was also notable for Jess Fishlock’s record breaking goal that took her past Helen Ward as the top scorer in Wales history. Fishlock, who captained the side in the reverse fixture in Kosovo, has announced she will retire from international duty after this campaign.
Qualification a ‘marathon’
“We have four more games, hopefully,” said Wilkinson following the draw.
“We have to get through the first round and then the next round with two more. It is a marathon. People forget I had two weeks before our first qualifying games just working for results and now what I’m loving is seeing the team start to express themselves. The real freedom on the field, knowing that we’ve got to be better every single game. We’ve got to be better because we’re hoping to make history.
“They’ve had some heartbreaks in the past and that’s tough. They bring that with them, but that is why I think it’s so important that we’ve got a wonderful mix of senior experience, but also a lot of youth, and the naivety of youth is pretty special. They don’t have those scars, they have the eternal optimism that we need.
“I have said to the team that we’re going to need the experienced players to step-up and lead, and we’re going to need our young players to show up and give us the kick when we need it because they don’t have any scarring. This is just a really exciting opportunity for them and they’re going to need each other if we’re going to be successful.”
‘We have to keep true to who we are’
“We’ll absolutely watch all the opposition,” Wilkinson added.
“I have an incredible team around me, so we all know our roles and we all know our strengths. It’s great to now know the path, but of course we’ve got a challenge in Slovakia home and away to take care of before we look any further.
“I think the two experiences of lots of goal scoring, but also a few challenging games where we’ve had to really grind out results have meant that the team is best placed to to make sure we’re ready for whatever we face in the coming games. We have to keep true to who we are and what I believe in as a coach, while also not being naive to the opposition strengths that we need to take care of.”
First round play-offs
Path 1 – League C v League A
Romania v Poland
Greece v Belgium
Montenegro v Finland
Georgia v Republic of Ireland
Slovenia v Austria
Luxembourg v Sweden
Belarus v Czech Republic
Albania v Norway
Path 2 – League B
Turkey v Ukraine
Croatia v Northern Ireland
Bosnia & Herzegovina v Serbia
Azerbaijan v Portugal
Hungary v Scotland
Slovakia v Wales
Second round play-offs
Azerbaijan or Portugal v Belarus or Czech Republic
Hungary or Scotland v Montenegro or Finland
Turkey or Ukraine v Greece or Belgium
Slovakia or Wales v Georgia or Republic of Ireland
Romania or Poland v Slovenia or Austria
Croatia or Northern Ireland v Albania or Norway
Bosnia & Herzegovina or Serbia v Luxembourg or Sweden
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Three Standout Watches at Watches & Wonders Shanghai
Rhodri Evans
Greetings, dear readers; next month the horology world’s biggest event of the year gets underway: Watches & Wonders Shanghai, where over fifty brands get together at the West Bund Art Centre in Shanghai and show off their latest collections.
Even for the brands that aren’t exhibiting there, like Breitling and the entire Swatch Group of brands (Omega, Blancpain, Breguet etc), it’s this coming month that’s their busiest. While we’re sure there will be some fantastic new watches to see, it’ll still be a while before they filter down and make their way to our showroom – for which you can book an appointment. We’re talking months here as lots of brands, including the biggest of them all, still take a while to get their new watches out to their customers.
So, if you’re in the market for something and you don’t want to wait an indeterminate amount of time, we’ve compiled another list of watches which are still new that you can purchase from us today.
Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR ‘Batgirl’
Precisely why this one is called the Batgirl is a little confusing, is it because of the Jubilee bracelet? This bracelet is just as masculine as the Oyster one it replaced for a time.
Perhaps it’s just a result of the word Batgirl getting stuck in the minds of the fandom, or maybe it doesn’t matter at all anyway. Rolex makes loads of different versions of their legendary GMT-Master II collection, and at the time of writing all of them have a two-tone ceramic bezel.
The ceramic bezels on these watches are all one piece with two different colours on them, which required Rolex to develop a whole new way of making the bezels. The 116710BLNR was the first example of them achieving that goal, and now every piece has a two-tone coloured bezel of some kind. With that said, the blue and black of the BLNR is hard to beat. Some other versions come close, like the red and blue ‘BLRO’ models, but the blue and the red on those don’t seem that vibrant and it allows the colours of the BLNR to pop out even more. We think the BLNR is the one to have.
The watch has a classy polished 40mm Oystersteel (Rolex’s special 904L steel blend) case with a Jubilee bracelet and a clasp with a hidden extension link. The GMT-Master II allows you to figure out the time in up to three different time zones simultaneously, all you need to know is how many hours apart they are and whether those time zones are before or after the current one. Being designed at first for aircrew in the 1950s who presumably knew that stuff as a part of their job, you can see why it would be useful then. Although our phones do all those calculations instantaneously, it’s nice to set a mechanical watch like the 126710BLNR into ‘away’ mode when you’re on holiday.
Breitling Chronomat B01 42mm
So, you don’t fancy a Rolex or Omega, we get you! Lots of people will suggest Cartier as the next go-to brand for watches if you’re not interested in the other two, but Cartier’s watches are quite unique, and their designs aren’t always made to suit the masses. So, if you want something a bit more traditional in form and a bit less quirky, yet still unique enough to have presence, then Breitling’s Chronomat could well be the watch for you.
The Chronomat line of watches isn’t new at all. In fact, it dates back to 1941 and was the first watch made by Breitling to feature a slide rule on its bezel, allowing the user to perform mathematical calculations using just their wristwatch, a pencil and some paper. The Chronomat, therefore, predates the now iconic Navitimer, which is most renowned for this exact feature. In fact, the Chronomat name is a portmanteau of the words Chronographe and Mathèmatique.
The current Chronomat may not have that iconic slide rule bezel anymore, but it does have its own iconic design, which, incidentally, is partly thanks to its unique notched bezel. Other details include the rouleaux or ‘roller’ type bracelet, which offers exceptional comfort, and the uniquely shaped crown, which sort of reminds me of the brain slugs from Futurama.
The version we currently have is a two-tone model with a classy blue dial and Breitling’s in-house-made B01 calibre around the back. It’s an ideal modern piece for someone looking to add their first chronograph to the collection.
TAG Heuer Aquaracer WBP201A
TAG Heuer’s Aquaracer is a classy sports watch that’s designed with a purpose, that purpose being to go to the depths of the sea and survive without issue. Does it look a little bit like Omega’s Seamaster Diver 300m? Yeah, it does, but it does have its own identity still and its own history. TAG Heuer’s legacy as a maker of diving watches began in the late 1970s when the company was called Heuer, although a lot of TAG Heuer’s resurgence as a maker of watches can be attributed to the diving watches it produced.
The current generations of the Aquaracer, like this model WBP201A, look crisp and modern and form a key part in TAG Heuer’s return to form as a maker of cutting-edge watches instead of a maker of watches that seem to have looked the same for over a decade. It comes with all the mod-cons you could want, but the highlights are most definitely the 300m water resistance, the dial with straight lines engraved on it and the luminescent markers applied to it.
Inside it is the self-winding TAG Heuer Calibre 5 which began life as an ETA 2824-2, or possibly a Sellita SW200 depending on which supplier was being used at the time of manufacture. The specs for the movements are nearly identical, and the watch has a practical 42-hour power reserve and a 4Hz beat rate, which is the industry standard for today. All that’s wrapped up in a pristine 43mm stainless steel case, it’s so pristine in fact that it’s not yet been unwrapped from its protective plastic wrapping applied in the TAG Heuer factory!
Keep an eye out over the coming weeks as more and more watch news gets published, there are lots of exciting releases coming soon!
These are only three of the many watches we stock at Watches of Wales, please note that these were available at the time of writing and may have been sold. However, we’d love for you to get in touch with us even if we don’t have one of these, we can usually find one for you or find something you like even more.
Did you know we also run competitions where you can win your own luxury wristwatch with tickets starting as low as £1.99? Head over to our Competitions page to find out more.
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The Golf Turns 50
Rhodri Evans
Volkswagen Have Unveiled a New Version of the Iconic VW Golf to Celebrate a Half Century Since It Rolled Off the Production Line.
The legendary Volkswagen Golf is 50 years old this year and what better way to mark the occasion than with the unveiling of a new version which, just like its predecessors, brings numerous innovations into series production to wow motorists in Wales and across the world.
When the first Golf rolled off the production line at the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg on 29th March 1974, nobody could have predicted the global best-seller status that this compact car would achieve – particularly as it had so much to live up to as the successor to the all-conquering Beetle.
From the get-go, the Golf sparked an automotive revolution with its front-mounted engine, front-wheel drive and straight-line design featuring a tailgate and folding rear seat backrest that appealed to drivers seeking both practicality and flexibility. Such was its instant popularity that the first million units sold as early as 1976.
Five decades and eight generations later, with 37 million sales to its name, the Golf has become the most successful Volkswagen and best-selling European car of all-time – a true icon in its own right. In statistical terms, the figures are mightily impressive and equate to over 2,000 people worldwide buying a new Golf every single day for the last 50 years.
No matter which generation – the secret of success was and still is the Golf’s ability to blend affordable mobility with an ever-evolving high standard of technology ensuring that it has always been a perfect companion for everyday life, embodying versatility, functionality, reliability and quality. With each new model generation, state-of-the-art technologies, safety concepts and convenience features have been incorporated into the compact class.
Developments such as the monitored catalytic converter and anti-lock braking system, but also airbags, cruise control and electronic assist systems as well as mild and plug-in hybrid drives have meant that the Golf has led the way and been at the forefront of innovation for half a century.
During that time, the Golf portfolio has expanded with a host of exciting derivatives such as the Estate, Cabriolet and Sportsvan, the all-electric e-Golf and sporty models bearing the renowned GTI, GTD, GTE or flagship R badging – all of which have helped to widen appeal and win admiration from the international motoring press which has bestowed countless awards on the range.
Almost 50 years to the day since the very first series Golf was built, the first car from the technically and visually revamped eighth model generation line – a Golf Style in anemone blue metallic – rolled off the production line in Wolfsburg to begin a new chapter in the legend’s history.
Now available to order from Sinclair Volkswagen retailers, the 2024 Golf is easily recognised by its modified front end. Visually defining features include the Volkswagen logo, which is illuminated for the first time on the model, plus newly designed LED headlights. The top-of-the-range IQ.LIGHT – LED matrix headlights incorporate a new high-performance main beam with a range of up to 500 metres.
Inside, the model series features a newly developed, intuitive infotainment system with a free-standing touchscreen that is ergonomically optimised with illuminated touch sliders for temperature and volume control at its base. Also new are the enhanced multi-function steering wheel and new IDA voice assistant which integrates the artificial-intelligence-based chatbot ChatGPT for the first time.
This ingenious addition to the Golf’s specification can not only be used to control functions such as the air conditioning system, telephone or navigation system but also enables occupants to access online information and have researched content read aloud to them while travelling – from the weather forecast and flight details to general knowledge questions.
Among the other new driver assist systems being introduced are enhanced parking functions. Park Assist Pro makes its Golf debut and permits owners to guide their vehicle in and out of parking spaces using their smartphone. Meanwhile the new Area View system provides a 360-degree all-round view by merging four cameras, with the corresponding image relayed to the infotainment system touchscreen thus making it much easier to see kerbs and parking space markings.
Golf fans will be spoilt for choice by the range of powertrain options on offer. The new plug-in hybrid drives offer increased power and an electric range of about 60 miles and are additionally equipped with a DC quick-charging function whilst the famed Golf GTI has become even sportier with added power compared to its predecessor.
Life, Match, and Style trims for the Golf; Hatch, Life, and Style trims for the Estate as well as Golf R-Line models were the first models to go on sale and order books have subsequently been opened for eHybrid, GTI and GTE versions. Prices start from £27,035 on-the-road.
Sinclair Volkswagen retailers in Newport, Cardiff, Bridgend, Port Talbot, Swansea and Neyland are all reporting significant interest so please contact your nearest location for further information or visit www.sinclairvolkswagen.co.uk to find out more.
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Welsh Rugby's Next Big Things
Rhodri Evans
While Wales men’s senior team have been touring Australia, and senior women’s team have secured their place in autumn’s WXV2 with a comprehensive win over Spain, their U20s sides have also been in action.
The women’s side have played against France, England, and Italy as part of the Women’s Summer Series, a competition run by the Six Nations.
Their results have not been positive, with losses in all three matches: 57-12 vs France; 55-24 vs England; 33-14 vs Italy. Despite this, number of talented prospects have shone.
On the men’s side, they have been in South Africa for the Under-20s World Championship. Drawn in a difficult group with France, New Zealand, and Spain, they have competed in every game so far, losing 34-41 vs the ‘Baby Blacks’ and 29-11 vs France, and beating Spain 31-10.
Having placed third in their group, they are currently in the fifth-place play off path, losing 36-29 to Australia in the semi-final, with a seventh-place match against the hosts to be played on Friday.
With this summer’s matches coming to an end this week, Sportin Wales have taken a look at some of the talents who are ready to take the step up to senior squads ahead of next season.
Morgan Morse
The most well-known name on this list, Morse has capped a break-through season at the Ospreys with a starring role at the Under-20s World Championship. Currently a number eight, with the ability to play openside, Morse burst onto the scene with his wonder-try against Cardiff at Brewery Field.
Picking the ball up on halfway, Morse stepped between Liam Belcher and James Botham, showing remarkable balance in horrendous conditions. He stepped again, beating Tinus de Beer, and slid over the line under immense pressure from the covering defenders.
From that moment on, Morse’s name has been brought up in conversation as the next cab off the rank of Welsh backrow talent. While Wales are well-stocked in that department, Morse’s talent and a good start to the 2024/25 season will put him in the frame for a call-up in the autumn.
Nel Metcalfe
Such is the current landscape of women’s professional rugby that back-three player Nel Metcalfe has played for four sides this season: Wales U20s, Wales, Gwalia Lightning, and Gloucester-Hartpury.
After earning her first Wales cap during the WXV1, Metcalfe returned to club rugby and broke through playing a senior role beyond her years at Gwalia Lightning. Mostly appearing at full-back, Metcalfe was an excellent place-kicker and source of creativity.
From there, the 19-year-old became more of a regular for Gloucester in the PWR, scoring a hattrick in a 57-24 victory over Harlequins in March.
It is clear that Metcalfe will be a regular member of Wales’ senior squad, but for now, she is an integral part of the U20s side during this summer’s matches against England, France, Italy, USA, and Canada.
Macs Page
Followers of the Indigo Prem will know all about Macs Page. His spectacular solo try against Cardiff RFC in the play-off semi-final for Llandovery showed a glimpse of his potential, while he second score later in the game proved his hunger for success.
Following a successful season at champions Llandovery, Page made his regional debut for Scarlets, appearing off the bench against Zebre and Dragons.
In South Africa, Page has formed an excellent midfield partnership with Louie Hennessey (more on him later…), scoring against New Zealand in Wales’ tight loss, and announcing himself internationally with a hattrick against Australia.
His first displayed his excellent pace, grubbering a loose kick through and collecting to score a 60m effort. In the second half, his ability on the ball shone: it was his cross-kick that step up Matty Young’s try to start a late comeback, before he collected a cross-kick himself to score minutes later.
Not content with a brace, Page’s excellent support line was found by Hennessey and he crossed for his hattrick.
Gwennan Hopkins
Hopkins has had quite a rise in 2024. Debuts in the Celtic Challenge, PWR, and Six Nations have all followed excellent displays at each level.
Not many teenagers score on their Test debut, but that’s exactly what the 19-year-old Hopkins did in Wales’ 36-5 loss in Ireland.
As part of the Hartpury University to Gloucester-Hartpury pipeline, Hopkins has tasted success at all levels of her rugby journey: she won BUCS Women’s Super Rugby with Hartpury in 2023, and watched on the sideline as her team lifted the trophy again this year, missing the final because of international commitments.
Hopkins, 19, has captained Wales at U18 and U20 level, and will no doubt be a big part of Wales’ future in the back-row.
Louie Hennessey
If there’s one thing that stands out about Bath centre Louie Hennessey, it’s his running and offloading game. Both have been on display this summer at the Under-20s World Championships, scoring a brace against New Zealand, including a weaving run off the back of a scrum in midfield.
After Morse picked the ball up from the back from the scrum, he fed Hennessey on a wonderful crash-ball line and he broke through the ‘Baby Black’ defence. Hennessey showed lovely feet to step the covering full-back while keeping his pace, as further cover could not catch him before he crashed over.
For Macs Page’s aforementioned hattrick score against Australia, Hennessey broke the defensive line with a goose step and, under the pressure of a double tackle, flicked a wonderful out-the-back offload to Page for a run-in.
Having signed for Bath from Cardiff in 2022, last season was a developmental one for the centre, who scored his first Premiership try at Leicester Tigers in December 2023. With Bath and Wales a little light on centres in their respective squads, Hennessey has the chance to make a name for himself next season.
Maisie Davies
Maybe the least well-known of the bunch, Maisie Davies has had a fascinating rise into professional women’s rugby. The Scarlets youngster was a part of a formidable Gwalia Lightning back-row that also included Gwennan Hopkins and Bryonie King, and her impressive performances earnt her a place in the senior Wales training squad for the Six Nations.
In camp, though, she started training as a prop, a position change that she has described as being ‘nervous’ about. Having now played three U20 Summer Series at loosehead prop, it is clear that Davies has a future in the position at international level.
Already a strong carrier, she caught the eye against Italy, scoring a brace. With the upcoming WXV2 series providing an opportunity to build for next year’s World Cup, Davies will be targeting a place in the senior squad this autumn.