Now more have joined the honours board at Cardiff Met, after former student Ellis Bevan won his first cap for Wales against world champions South Africa, and current students Molly Reardon and Rosie Carr were named in the women’s squad to take on Spain in the vital WXV play-off clash against Spain at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday (June 29).
Bevan started the match with the Boks, lining up against double World Cup winning scrum half Faf de Klerk.
And Bevan’s performance secured him a spot on the plane to Australia, ahead of Wales’ two tests again the Wallabies in July.
Back in 2022, the England coach at the time, Eddie Jones, labelled Cardiff Met “a breeding ground for test match rugby players” after selecting Harlequins duo Dombrandt and Luke Northmore.
And the current national team selections show the rugby programme at Cardiff Met is not slowing down. Reardon and Carr join Cardiff Met alumnae Abbie Constable, Carys Phillips, Carys Cox, Catherine Richards and Lleucu George in the national squad.
Cardiff Met Women’s Head Coach, Lisa Newton, said: “Eddie Jones was spot on when he said Cardiff Met was a breeding ground for test match players.
“We are incredibly proud of Molly and Rosie for their dedication and hard work, which have earned them spots in the Welsh national squad.
“Cardiff Met has a rich history of developing talented rugby players, and it's inspiring to see our current students and alumni achieving such remarkable success on the international stage. This is a testament to the strength of our rugby programme and the commitment of our players and coaching staff.”
Cardiff Met Men’s Head Coach, Ian Gardner said: “Ellis came to Cardiff Met as a Welsh exile and it became immediately apparent that he was a highly driven individual who settled into our performance straight away.
“He was an excellent communicator on the field and was in no way fazed by bossing around 18-stone forwards who were in their third or fourth year of study. I have no doubt that this will also be the case now he has entered the Welsh squad and I’m sure Gatland and his coaching team will have noted his confidence and work ethic.
“It’s also a measure of Ellis that he always speaks very highly of Cardiff Met and has helped at recruitment events for the university since he has graduated.”
