Latest news with #IoanJones
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Scarlets sign young full-back Jones from Gloucester
Scarlets have signed 20-year-old full-back Ioan Jones from has played age-grade rugby for England, winning the 2024 World Rugby Under-20 Championship with them, but qualifies for Wales through his played nine games for the senior Cherry and Whites side this season, also featuring on the wing, including a couple of appearances in the Gallagher Premiership and a European debut in the Challenge Cup. Jones has been part of the Gloucester Academy system since the age of 13 and has also featured for Hartpury University RFC in the English of the Scarlets' senior academy, he will link up with the senior squad for pre-season training in the coach Dwayne Peel said: "We are looking forward to welcoming Ioan to the Parc and it is great to see another young Welsh-qualified player committing to the Welsh game."Ioan is an exciting attacking player who has excelled at U20s level and has already had experience with Gloucester in the Premiership and Challenge Cup. He will add to an exciting young pool of back-three players we have at the club."Jones becomes the fourth new addition for the 2025-26 season following Joe Hawkins, Jake Ball and Dane Page, Tomi Lewis, Joe Roberts, Eddie James, Taine Plumtree, Kemsley Mathias and Sam Costelow have also signed new deals with the club.
Wales Online
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Scarlets set to sign England World Cup winner who will become an option for Wales
Scarlets set to sign England World Cup winner who will become an option for Wales The Scarlets have moved quickly to snap up the talented youngster England U20s wing Ioan Jones is a target of the Scarlets (Image: Getty Images ) The Scarlets are closing in on the signing of England U20s World Cup winner Ioan Jones from Gloucester, WalesOnline has learnt. Jones can cover the back three and was a team-mate of rising Northampton Saints and British & Irish Lions star Henry Pollock when England U20s lifted the World Cup last summer. The 20-year-old hails from the West Country and qualifies for Wales through his father. Gloucester have announced Jones will be leaving Kingsholm at the end of the season and WalesOnline understands the Scarlets are the favourites to acquire his services. There is a big push within the professional game in Wales to sign promising Welsh-qualified players to increase the talent pool at the four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets. The Scarlets have a strong reputation in signing rough diamonds and nurturing them into top end players as is evidenced by the likes of Ellis Mee, Tadhg Beirne, Blair Murray and Ben Morgan. Jones has acquired a reputation for his aerial prowess while he is also very strong in defence. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Article continues below The former England U20s star is also a dangerous attacking player who hits good lines and is a potent finisher. If the move to the Scarlets is completed Jones will compete with the likes of Mee, Murray, Tom Rogers, Ioan Nicholas and Tomi Lewis for a place in the back three. There is also the option of Jones getting game time in Super Rygbi Cymru for either Carmarthen Quins or Llandovery as he finds his feet in the Welsh game. In his youth, Jones was a talented footballer who was a part of West Brom and Reading's academies before being turned towards the oval ball. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free WalesOnline also understands the Scarlets are working hard to persuade out of contract centre Johnny Williams to extend his stay in west Wales. Williams is a key part of the Scarlets backline with his explosive carrying a big asset to Dwayne Peel's side. Article continues below Despite his excellence for the Scarlets the seven-cap Wales international failed to persuade Warren Gatland to give him a run of games at Test level. But with Gatland now out of the picture a new head coach way take a different view on Williams who the Scarlets are keen to hold onto. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
Wales Online
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Our Dream Farm: This family have just won a 15-year tenancy at one of Wales' most remote farms
Our Dream Farm: This family have just won a 15-year tenancy at one of Wales' most remote farms The newly-engaged couple, who both come from Welsh farming backgrounds, moved into the farm just before Christmas Ioan Jones and Sara Jenkins won the farm on the second series of Our Dream Home (Image: National Trust Images Iolo Penri ) One lucky couple have won a 15-year tenancy of a 613-acre farm in the foothills of Yr Wyddfa. In the series finale of the Channel 4 series Our Dream Farm saw a Welsh couple win a picturesque four-bedroom farmhouse in what they described as a dream. Ioan Jones and Sara Jenkins, both 28, come from Welsh farming backgrounds with Ioan growing up on his parent's beef and sheep farm in Boduan, Gwynedd and Sara on her family farm in Tal-y-Bont, Ceredigion. Since moving into the farm just before Christmas they got engaged on it. The show, which concluded on May 3, follows seven applicants passionate about sustainable farming compete to win a farm. They must present business plans, discuss their vision for the farm and experience life on the National Trust Cymru estate by taking part in real-life farming tasks and experiences. Some of the tests include handling livestock, going to auction, selling produce at a market in Portmeirion, welcoming tourists to the farm's holiday lets and more. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . Presenter Matt Baker said he had no doubts the pair would be "brilliant tenants" (Image: National Trust Images Iolo Penri ) The farmhouse, Llyndy Isad, has lowland fields, woodlands and mountain pasture and a four-bedroom farmhouse on the shores of Llyn Dinas. It also comes with a two-bedroom annex and two bothies, which are free to use shelters for hikers. Article continues below The couple moved in just before Christmas and said it had been a dream to have their own family farm. They are currently living in the annex while letting the four-bedroom farmhouse as a holiday home, which Sara added was fully booked this month. Ioan said: "We're so glad to have been chosen and can't wait to build a life here together in this beautiful location. Farm tenancies are hard to come by and opportunities like this don't come up very often and so you have to seize the opportunity when it comes up and go for it like we did." The farmhouse from across the Llyn Dinas (Image: National Trust Images Iolo Penri ) He added: "We have been busy over the past few months getting to know the farm and landscape, settling in and tending to our flock of 65 sheep. We are currently in the middle of our first lambing season. Fortunately, it's been great weather which is a massive help for lambing. "We are also looking for Welsh black heifers to buy so we can start our own herd. "The bothy has also been very busy with guests so far and we hope to open a second bothy by the start of the summer. Hopefully they will be successful and get busier and busier as word spreads on social media." Since acquiring the farm the couple have also been working with the National Trust and Eryri National Park to discuss creating a small overflow car park for hikers and a small campsite on their land. They are also in the process of adding beds and other comforts to the bothy. One of two bothies which comes with the farmhouse (Image: National Trust Images Iolo Penri ) They have also keep in contact with the other contestants through a group chat, having recently gone for Sunday lunch with Ryan, Lowri and Greg. Article continues below Presenter Matt Baker said he was "delighted" the couple had won. He added: Over the three weeks they proved to be very at home in the challenging landscape of Eryri and I have no doubt that they'll be brilliant tenants. Not only are they a wonderful couple, they're passionate farmers and talented land managers who I'm sure will be an asset to the farm and the Trust."
