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South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- General
- South Wales Argus
Dragons prop Chris Coleman hunting first Wales cap in Japan
The 26-year-old from Garndiffaith was last week selected as one of three tightheads in the 33-strong squad for the summer tour. It was reward for another strong campaign in which he played in 19 of 22 games, with 15 of them as a starter. Coleman established himself as first choice on the right-hand side of the front row after the retirements of Leon Brown and Lloyd Fairbrother, plus injuries to Dmitri Arhip and Luke Yendle. He racked up the minutes and, after returning from the Dragons' double-header in South Africa against the Stormers and Bulls, was ready to clock off for the summer when he got a pleasant surprise on squad announcement day. REWARD: Dragons prop Chris Coleman has been named in Wales' summer squad (Image: Gareth Everett) 'I was in the house on my own, went on my email and one had already been there for around half an hour,' said Coleman, who made his Dragons debut in 2018. 'It said congratulations on making the 33-man squad, I thought it might have been someone having me on and but on the CC list you could see the others that it had been sent to. 'I realised it must be true and rang my dad, mum and girlfriend to tell them all before the announcement. It was a nice moment for the family.' Coleman has already taken part in the optional sessions for those not involved in play-off games; working up a sweat at the Vale Resort rather than soaking up the sun on the Aegean Sea. He said: 'I'd booked a cruise to the Greek islands for my girlfriend's 30th, she was happy that I had got in the squad but it caused her a lot of stress trying to sell it! I'll have to rebook it.' Coleman will hope to go on holiday as a Wales international by featuring on the two-Test tour, with clashes against the Brave Blossoms on July 5 and 12. He will work closely with legendary former Wales and Lions tighthead Adam Jones plus ex-Dragons forwards coach Danny Wilson, a man who is notorious for his detail at the set piece. 'Adam Jones is a legend of the game and one of the best props that there has ever been, so I am looking forward to working with him and so many others,' said Coleman. 'I'm excited about what camp will be like and I'll try to take it in my stride, work hard and show my best rugby. I definitely want to push on and get that first cap, I don't want to just come in and train.' SELECTED: Chris Coleman will join Dragons teammate Aaron Wainwright in the Wales squad (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency) He will have stiff competition for the 3 jersey next season from Wales international Dillon Lewis and South African Robert Hunt, whose arrival from the Cheetahs is yet to be confirmed. Coleman has taken his tally of Dragons appearances up to 81 – more than Brown managed – and has totted up 16, 20, 12 and 19 outings in the last four campaigns. Time in the middle has served him well and put him in with a chance of playing for his country. 'I've been aiming for this since I was young and there has been a lot of hard work to get to this point,' he said. 'At times it has been a tough slog but I always enjoy my rugby at the Dragons, and feel there is a lot more to come from me when I come back for next season. 🏴 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙤 𝙞'𝙧 𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙛𝙖𝙣 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙣 🙌 💥 A look at him in action for @dragonsrfc👇#WelshRugby — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) May 28, 2025 'Others have been unlucky with injury but that has almost been a good thing for me – I have played a lot of games and I have never seen that as a burden. 'I've had the opportunities to play and that is the best way to learn, so I want to keep getting the games in. 'There are definitely plenty of hard times as a prop – especially with the South African teams in the league now – and I am still relatively young. 'I am looking forward to the summer but also coming back to try and kick on personally and as a team to get some results.' And Coleman would love to be part of a 23-man squad that ends Wales' Test losing streak at Mikuni World Stadium in Kitakyushu.
The Irish Sun
25-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘He's looked at me and punched me right in the stomach' – Ryan Giggs reveals moment ‘mad' Man Utd boss hit him
RYAN GIGGS has revealed the shocking impact a "mad" Manchester United boss made on him at their first meeting. The iconic winger was player-coach and then interim manager when he hung up his boots in 2014 after 24 years on the Old Trafford pitch. 3 Ryan Giggs has detailed his surprising introduction to a new manager Credit: PA:Press Association In that time, the Welshman dealt with legendary chief Alex Ferguson's famous hairdryer. But Giggs then encountered something far stranger - and more physical - with one of the Scot's successors. Fergie's retirement in 2013 was followed by David Moyes' mediocre nine months in charge. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL But when Louis van Gaal arrived 11 years ago, he looked a safe bet to at least steady the ship. The Dutchman had bossed both But Giggs told of his extraordinary introduction to LVG when he flew to Holland to see the new Old Trafford chief. The former Wales boss told the Most read in Football 3 Ex-Barca chief Van Gaal chose Giggs as his Old Trafford No 2 Credit: Getty Images - Getty BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "So... he's opened the door, I'm with Ed Woodward [then United executive vice-chairman), and Louis looked at me and punched me right in the stomach." "He's gone, 'You are in good shape.' and just punching—a little dig. I'm thinking, 'What is he doing?'" Roy Keane cracks joke live on Sky Sports as he tells De Bruyne to join Man Utd Van Gaal then immediately took the wind out of Giggs again - by putting him on the spot over United's squad. The two-time Champions League winner said LVG told him: "I have a list of names. I want you to tell me who stays and who goes." Giggs explained he went through the squad and added: "I've just gone tick, tick... I think we were one out. "So instantly, he was like, 'Yeah, I agree with that. Same thinking, same thinking'." That shared verdict led to Giggs being offered and accepting the assistant manager's role at Old Trafford which, like LVG's reign, lasted until 2016 The ex-Dragons hero says Van Gaal was "really good with me" - so Giggs "learned a lot". But although that education made him feel "ready" for the top job, Jose Mourinho beat him to the position when LVG was sacked. However, no-one has close to living up to Fergie 27-year legacy during which Giggs and Co won the Premier League 13 times. 3 Van Gaal was in charge of Man Utd from 2014-2016 Credit: Mark Robinson - The Sun BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eels' Lomax out for six weeks, racing clock for Origin
Zac Lomax kicked Parramatta to their first win of the season with a broken foot, which is set to leave the winger in a race against time to be fit for the State of Origin series opener. Lomax sealed the Eels' first win of Jason Ryles' tenure last Saturday when he kicked a golden-point field goal in Parramatta's 23-22 win over his former club St George Illawarra. It was initially believed that Lomax had suffered bruising to his foot after he spent a good chunk of the second half limping. You could tell how much icing this one meant to Zac Lomax 😤#MadeForMore — NSWBlues (@NSWBlues) April 7, 2025 But scans revealed late on Tuesday that Lomax had a minor fracture in his foot, with the 25-year-old set to miss the next six weeks of action, starting with Saturday's clash against Canberra in Darwin. Bailey Simonsson appears the most likely option for Ryles to turn to in Lomax's absence. The injury leaves Lomax at long odds to return to the NSW squad for State of Origin I in Brisbane on May 28. Lomax was one of the success stories of the Blues' 2024 series victory, the ex-Dragons flyer featuring in every game, scoring three tries and kicking eight goals after being installed as the NSW goalkicker. If Lomax's return to fitness goes to schedule he will line up for the Eels in round 11 against Newcastle on May 16, giving him just one match to press his claim for a recall. NSW coach Laurie Daley is set to name his squad for the series opener on May 19. Lomax's injury comes at the same time fellow incumbent NSW winger Brian To'o is sidelined with a hamstring issue, which is expected to rule him out until round nine. Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic, who has played Origin as both a winger and centre, is also not due back until round nine after being sidelined with a medial ligament injury. Daley will also be hoping Eels halfback Mitchell Moses can find some instant form when he returns from a foot issue. Moses has been struggling with pain in his foot caused by a screw inserted during surgery last year and starred for the Blues in last year's series. He is also due back in round nine and will jostle with Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai for a place as a five-eighth or halfback in the Blues' set-up.
