Rugby

Overview

At Cardiff Metropolitan University, we take pride in delivering an outstanding dual career athlete pathway that empowers talented rugby players to excel as a person, student and athlete. We strive to provide an inclusive offer for all of our student-athletes which enhances the student experience. Our programme provides a unique player development pathway spanning 3 to 4 years, and supports over 550 students annually, competing across performance, club and intra mural programmes as well as a wide range of opportunities for continued professional development in a safe learning environment. At Cardiff Met, we want to support all our student-athletes to perform, belong and develop many transferable skills that last well beyond their time at Cardiff Met.

Competing in both Men’s and Women’s BUCS Super Rugby and WRU Leagues we’re proud to be one of the most unique and competitive university-based clubs in the UK, and the largest rugby club in Wales. With high-quality coaching and strong support systems we are able to create a exceptional university rugby experience.

Success is in our DNA, our Men’s Rugby programme has seen the likes of Alex Dombrandt (England Harlequins), Aaron Wainwright (Wales, Dragons & Leicester Tigers), Luke Northmore (England, Harlequins), Tom Pearson (England, Northampton Saints), Will Hurd (Scotland, Leicester Tigers), Eliot Salt (Gloucester Rugby), Will Rigg (Newcastle Redbulls) Ellis Bevan (Wales, Cardiff Rugby), Barnaby Waddell (Canada) Brandon Harvey (USA)  and Ethan McVeigh (USA) all achieve a professional contract and receive international caps. As well as many of our players going on to play in the English Championship (for example, Daf Tiueti at Coventry, Morgan Nelson at Cornish Pirates, Russell Bennett at Rotherham), National League 1 and National League 2 teams.

Equally our Women’s programme not only supports current international capped players like Elizabeth Cooke (USA), Freya Bell (Wales) and Savannah Picton-Powell (Wales), but Alumni, Tatyana Heard (England), Jade Shekells (England), Amy Williams (Wales), Alex Callander (Wales), Gwenn Crabb (Wales), Seren Singleton (Wales) and Jas Joyce (Wales) who have all received international honours. Furthermore, we also support a direct pathway for players into Celtic Challenge teams Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning as well as teams within the PWR such as Bristol bears. Over the last 3 seasons, more than 45 players have been part of the Celtic Challenge training squad and teams playing against Scotland and Ireland.

Our Rugby Programme

Our men’s rugby programme is home to 11 teams, which includes 8 BUCS teams including our Men’s BUCS Super Rugby team and 3 teams competing in WRU National Leagues including our Men’s Saturday Performance team competing in Championship East. There are playing opportunities for all abilities, and there are always opportunities to play. 

Our Women’s programme has 2 teams competing in BUCS Competitions, including our Women’s BUCS Super Rugby team. Our wider club programme is currently going through a review with the ambition to have either another BUCS team or compete in the WRU Women’s national league. We are committed to exploring all options to ensure there is opportunities to play for everyone.

Although, if playing is not what you want to do, or you would like to be involved in the programme in other ways, we have a comprehensive placement offering for students aligned to our academic programmes. Whether you study courses on Cyncoed Campus such as sports coaching, sports performance analysis, sports management, sports and exercise science, sports media, sports conditioning, rehabilitation & massage and Strength & Conditioning, or are based at Llandaff and study courses such as Digital Marketing, Business and Finance, or Architecture to name a few, the rugby programme offers the opportunity for multiple placement roles.

Placement and Volunteer Workforce

Opportunities at Cardiff Met Rugby are not limited to on pitch. The rugby programme offers a comprehensive placement provision as we recognise the value of complimenting academic study with applied practice. Our workforce is made up of volunteers throughout the programme as well as student placements who complete their role as part of their academic course. The placement experience is beneficial to all students to be able to demonstrate the depth of their theoretical knowledge and understanding, as well as develop key skills, such as communication, leadership, time management, teamwork and organisational awareness.

The range and size of the rugby club, means there are placement opportunities throughout the programme, at all levels, in a range of disciplines:

• Media (Programme media lead, Content Creator, Campaigns and Projects)
• Management (Team Manager, Events Management, Operations Assistant)
• Coaching (roles within the club programme to be a lead or an assistant coach in any of our rugby teams)
• Analysis (Lead on the analysis for both Men’s and Women’s programmes)
• S&C and GPS (Support the S&C provision for our performance programme)
• Medical (shadow and practice skills such as strapping, massage and rehab plans)
• Commercial (Sponsor liaison and Sponsor Events).

We provide a range of opportunities for professional development across both our Men’s and Women’s programmes, inclusive of season-long placements, matchday support, community outreach and coach education. Each role allows individuals to demonstrate the depth and breadth of what goes into the whole rugby season not just on a game-by-game basis. Furthermore, we aim to utilise the placements to provide a unique learning opportunity from application, to interview, to delivering on the role itself, with the intention to put our students in an advantageous position ahead of graduating. 

Performance Programme

At Cardiff Met Rugby we make it our mission to support, develop and further the achievements of all our student-athletes to elite performance standards. We focus on the individual’s journey through a tailored system and approach of coaching and support services focused on their long-term development as a person, student and athlete. We aim to foster an environment that creates meaningful connections between staff, placements and players allowing all involved to be part of a culture of learning and resilience.

What makes us different? Our performance model which is put in place to support our performance rugby system, created in a professional environment with high quality rugby product as the ultimate outcome goal.

Our Performance Programme is home to:

Men’s Performance Programme

• Compete in the highest National League of BUCS competition in BUCS Super Rugby
• Compete in the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) national leagues, cup and league competitions.

Women’s Performance Programme

• Compete in the highest National League of BUCS competition in BUCS Super Rugby
• Our BUCS 2 team also supports the performance programme, providing opportunities for players to receive rugby support and playing opportunity
• 10 times national champions
• Recently won the first ever Women’s BUCS Super Rugby Championship.

Performance Rugby Offering

Athletes in our performance programme at Cardiff Met are supported to achieve success at the highest level possible within Rugby pathways.  The support provided depends on the athlete’s performance level, with athletes fitting into two tiers of support: Tier 1 – ‘Performance Archers’ & Tier 2 – ‘Pathway Archers’.

As well as benefiting from access to exclusive performance facility training times, performance programme members receive a wealth of support provisions, including coverage across the following areas:

• Strength & Conditioning in the Archers Performance Centre (APC)
• Level 4 WRU Coaches
• Physiotherapy and Soft Tissue
• Performance Analysis
• Performance Athlete Lifestyle and Education
• Physiology
• Biomechanics
• Psychology
• Nutrition
• Broadcast Coverage

Scholarships and Performance Sport Offer

Rugby scholarships are awarded each year at the coach’s discretion, and with consideration of the programme needs. Our staff identify potential scholars as part of the admissions cycle and through completion of the Rugby Information Form. Scholarships are given to high-performing athletes as a cash award each year and offered to male and female players, who are playing representative, academy and elite level rugby with early applications encouraged.

All applicants are encouraged to complete the rugby information form so that coaching staff are aware of your playing background, are able to contact you and you are in the rugby system.

Please note: Scholarships will not be awarded via the performance sport scholarship application for Rugby players.

Cardiff Met’s Performance Sport Offer Policy details eligibility criteria for athletes interested in competing within the performance pathway. Information relating to contextual offers can be found in our Performance Sport Offer Policy.

Performance rugby related enquiries should be sent to performancerugby@cardiffmet.ac.uk.

Rugby Club

At Cardiff Met, our rugby programme extends beyond performance with other teams competing in BUCS and domestic leagues.

Overseen by our Club and Coaching Lead, our men’s programme includes an additional 7 teams competing in BUCS competitions, and 2 Saturday teams competing in national leagues. Each team trains twice a week on our Rugby 3G and is led by a Head Coach and supported by additional coaches. We pride ourselves on always sending a minimum of 1 coach to all fixtures with our club teams. In addition, all home games are filmed for all teams across the club, with continuous opportunities to play and constant assessment and adjustment of squads. We also offer intramural level rugby for those who would like to be more social with their rugby.

Our women’s pathway has one additional squad competing in BUCS competition and the ambition to grow this to two additional teams in the future. The club also offers an intramural programme for those looking to enjoy their rugby socially.

All students in outside of our performance rugby programme can access the Injury Clinic based in NIAC. Our masters rehabilitation students provide a range of physio and medical services to all students.

Cardiff Clash

A key event for the calendar each year is the Cardiff Clash where Cardiff Met and Cardiff Uni compete in two double header fixtures at the Cardiff Arms Park. With over 7000 tickets on sale, it is one of the biggest and best student events in Cardiff.

Events (Annual)

The rugby programme hosts annual conversion events, open evenings and online webinars to provide prospective students insights into both Men’s and Women’s Rugby at Cardiff Met.

Rugby will host:

Webinars - Study & Play @ Cardiff Met

After UCAS applications have been submitted, the rugby programme will provide students with the opportunity to sign up to talks about the rugby programme, including insights into our player pathway and opportunities to pursue personal and professional development, gain real-world experience, and build foundations for a career in rugby. As well as webinars which will provide information for all those students who will be joining us in September.

Conversion Events

Rugby Open Evenings

These are run by the Student Recruitment team and coincide with Home BUCS Super Rugby Fixtures. You are invited onto campus for a Rugby Talk, a campus tour and then to stay and watch our fixture in the evening.

Rugby Experience Days

The aim of the Rugby Experience Days is to provide prospective applicants who have applied for Cardiff Met University an in-person opportunity to experience of our performance offer. The day is as it describes, an experience of what life is like in the rugby programme. This includes a training session with our performance coaches, access to our Archers Performance Centre, a tour of campus, a talk around our dual-career performance pathway and an opportunity to meet other staff and players. All applicants are welcome to attend, and you must complete the Rugby Information Form.

Performance Freshers Camp

Please note, this event is by invite only. All applicants are encouraged to complete the rugby information form so that they can be considered for this event.

We encourage all prospective students to complete the Rugby Information Form!

If you have any questions, please get in touch at rugby@cardiffmet.ac.uk.