What's just happened to six young Welsh rugby players hints at brighter times on horizon
What's just happened to six young Welsh rugby players hints at brighter times on horizon
Six Welsh players have been nominated for an award
Scarlets back Macs Page on his way to scoring against Munster
(Image: Huw Evans Agency )
Six Welsh players have been nominated for the United Rugby Championship's Next-Gen player of the season award.
Scarlets trio Blair Murray, Ellis Mee and Macs Page are all up for the award, as are Ospreys fly-half Dan Edwards, Dragons centre Aneurin Owen and departing Cardiff wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb. The Scarlets lead the way in terms of a URC club that provided the most nominees, while Wales as a whole offers the most players on the shortlist along with South Africa.
Players who were 23 and under at the start of the season and had no more than five international caps are eligible for the award. They also needed to have made nine appearances in the league this season to make the shortlist.
There are 16 players on the shortlist - with six from Wales and South Africa, two from Scotland and one each from Italy and Ireland.
It's unsurprising that back-three pairing Murray and Mee make the list, having both made their Test debuts for Wales this season after joining the Scarlets last summer.
Twenty-year-old centre Page has also enjoyed a fine breakthrough campaign, leading to his first Wales call-up for the upcoming tour of Japan this summer.
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Ospreys fly-half Edwards has been superb for Mark Jones' side this season, making his Wales debut in the Six Nations.
He finished the campaign as the third-highest scorer in the league, having notched up 112 points.
Dragons centre Owen has been a constant during a difficult season for the Men of Gwent, featuring in every league game.
Welsh-qualified wing Hamer-Webb enjoyed a strong end to the season - crossing for six tries in the last four matches of the campaign.
Unfortunately for Cardiff, the 24-year-old won't be staying at the Arms Park next season - with a move to the Gallagher Premiership on the cards.
In terms of other nations, the Bulls, Stormers, Lions and Edinburgh all have two nominees. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
The likes of Bulls back-row Cameron Hanekom and Leinster prop Jack Boyle made their Test debuts this year.
Zebre wing Simone Gesi has made more clean breaks than any other player, while Lions full-back Quan Horn is fourth in terms of defenders beaten with 51.
The winner of the award will be determined by a media vote.
URC Next-Gen player of the season nominees:
Quan Horn, Emirates Lions
Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Vodacom Bulls
Matt Currie, Edinburgh Rugby
Gabe Hamer-Webb, Cardiff Rugby
Henco van Wyk, Emirates Lions
Ellis Mee, Scarlets
Jack Boyle, Leinster Rugby
Cameron Hanekom, Vodacom Bulls
Suleiman Hartzenberg, DHL Stormers
Andre-Hugo Venter, DHL Stormers
Macs Page, Scarlets
Simone Gesi, Zebre Parma
Aneurin Owen, Dragons RFC
Paddy Harrison, Edinburgh Rugby
Blair Murray, Scarlets
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Dan Edwards, Ospreys
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