21st June 2010
Senior Men's Celtic Cup 2010 – Rhys Joyce Century
The Senior Men travel to Le Tourquet near Paris for the 2010 Celtic Cup where they compete against Ireland, Scotland and hosts France from 25-27 June. It will be a significant event for several players. There are two new additions to the squad with the inclusion of Mark Whatling from Whitchurch and Ian Hardingham from Bowden. Most importantly, Rhys Joyce is on the verge of his 100th cap. Rhys won his 1st cap against Switzerland on the 2nd September 1999 at the Europeans where Wales finished 6th. He has been ever present since then, playing a critical role in the bronze medal winning team at the Europeans at Wrexham last year, showing calmness under pressure from the penalty spot on more than one occasion! He captained the side for over 40 test matches from 2003-2007 (photo shows Rhys collecting the Celtic Cup in 2007). A hugely experienced player at both international and club level, he remains a role model and an inspiration to fellow internationals and emerging players. He has won a European club title with Reading in 2003 and 3 domestic league titles and a cup title in 2009 as captain.
Good luck to Rhys and the squad next week-end as they plan towards the European's next year.
