FIVE young Powys rugby players have just returned from Georgia, where they represented Cardiff Blues North U16s. 

The squad were guests of the Georgian Rugby Union and are the first regional age grade team to tour Georgia. The team played 3 challenging and physical fixtures against various Georgian U16 sides, drawn from players attending the Georgian National Rugby Academy. The Georgian capital of Tbilisi played host to this year’s World Rugby U20 Championship, while the senior side (currently ranked twelfth in the world) meet Wales at the Principality Stadium on November 18.

The Cardiff Blues were based at the new Georgian Academy Centre of Excellence at Martkopi.

The tour represents a first for Cardiff Blues at this age level and provided the boys with valuable experience to compete at a very high level and gave them exposure to everything that an elite rugby tour entails.

The last 12 months have seen South Powys Schools, coached by Johnny Bowen, win the Lawrence Miller Bowl, beating Merthyr Schools at the Parc y Scarlets in May. This season, South Powys Schools have provided an unprecedented five players for the Cardiff Blues North squad - James Rhydderch-Roberts (Crickhowell HS, Brecon RFC), Cai James (Brecon HS, Brecon RFC), Rhys Anstey (Gwernyfed HS, Gwernyfed RFC), Louis Hayes (Christ College, Brecon RFC) and Tyler Morris (Gwernyfed HS, Gwernyfed RFC).

A big thanks also goes from the boys to their team mates and coaches - Jason Jenkins and Owen Pengelly (Brecon RFC) and Mark Eckley and Rob Morris at Gwernyfed.”