Presiding Officer and First Minister welcome Wales’s rugby heroes to the Senedd
23 November 2011
Presiding Officer Rosemary Butler and First Minister Carwyn Jones have welcomed members of Wales’s Rugby World Cup squad to the Senedd to toast their success and look ahead to the sport’s future.
At a reception in the home of the National Assembly for Wales, they hosted an event for both players and support staff who contributed to Wales’ highly successful World Cup campaign in New Zealand.
Sam Warburton, George North and Rhys Priestland were among those who attended.
Also present were the next generation of Welsh rugby stars with young players from the WRU’s regional academy programme.
Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM said: "We are extremely pleased to welcome the players to this reception, which has been arranged in their honour. While the team was in New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup, they probably weren’t aware of the extent of the positive effect their success was having on the nation, which was a real tonic in these difficult times.
“In the future, I’m sure the years of hard work nurturing new talent from all corners of Wales will bear fruit. We saw it in the Rugby World Cup with Sam Warburton, George North and Rhys Priestland demonstrating how young people can achieve great things with dedication and hard work.
“I am delighted to see the young people from the WRU’s academy system present this evening too. We are now looking forward to seeing those skills leading to even greater success in the future.”
The First Minister said:“I would like to say thanks to our national team, who for six weeks united Wales as one in pride.
“What we witnessed was the result of a number of things coming together. First, leadership – a vision fired by ambition and knowledge of what we are capable of set by Roger Lewis and the management team and board at the WRU. Then, creating the right environment and driving the playing strategy and performance by the coaching team of Warren Gatland, Shaun Edwards, Rob Howley, Robin McBryde and Neil Jenkins; Team Manager Alan Phillips and all their support staff through to the Academy system and the relationship with the Regions.
“Then the players on the field. The skill, discipline, mental and physical strength and fitness shown by Sam and his team underpinned by relentless focus and hard work. That hard work is what enabled the inspiration to shine through reflecting the magical tradition of Welsh rugby.
“The team was so full of young talent. Sam and George 23 and 19 years of age, you represent the future. This evening is as much about celebrating the depth of young talent and the WRU’s Pathways programme and the investment we are making into high class facilities such as Parc Eirias in North Wales that I helped open last week.
“The future is bright, and we wish our national squad well for the forthcoming Australia game next week and also for the 6 Nations in the New Year.”
The Group Chief Executive of the WRU, Roger Lewis, said:
“It is a great honour for the WRU and national squad representatives to be welcomed at the Senedd by all the political parties represented in the National Assembly. The response of the nation to the performances of the team in New Zealand was truly inspirational and this reception really means a lot to the players, the coaches and the backroom staff who all worked so hard at the Rugby World Cup.
“The important message we take from this gathering is that the WRU is now in great shape to face the challenges and opportunities the future holds for Welsh rugby. I am delighted some of our younger age grade players were invited to emphasise how we are planning for the future.
“Our elite pathway structure is vitally important, we are about to unveil some great Rugby World Cup legacy projects which will have a meaningful impact on the community game and our senior international team is now guaranteed a yearly fixture schedule which will ensure our supporters get to watch some fantastic international action in the immediate years ahead.
“This meeting of rugby and the politicians of Wales is an excellent example of how we are now aligned in our ambitions for Wales and Welsh rugby in a truly meaningful way.”