Former Wales Sevens Captain, Barbarian and Wales U21s star Chris Davies has been named as the new U18s head coach for the upcoming season.

Davies first joined the Ospreys U18s last season as forwards coach after spending the previous two years with the U16s sides. The flanker hung up his playing boots at the end of the 2016/17 season after spending the last ten years at Aberavon RFC, where he notched up 228 appearances and 43 tries for the club as well as captaining the side.  

Speaking after being appointed new coach, Davies said: “Having the opportunity to head up the U18s team this season is a fantastic opportunity and I cannot wait to get training started and begin the campaign. I feel privileged to be able to help develop the next generation of potential Osprey players. Working with elite athletes is a passion of mine and if I can offer any of my experience and knowledge to these players on and off the field then I hope that will help them in their future.”

The Aberavon legend takes over the head coach role from Kevin James, who steered the age-grade side to two RAG championship victories in his time as a coach.

Davies praised his predecessor, saying: “In terms of taking over from Kevin, he has left us in a good place. I have played with him and against him as a player and it was great to work with him as a coach. Kevin gave a lot of time to the Ospreys Regional Age Grade teams and I want to apply the same work ethic.”

Looking ahead to the new season, the new coach has a clear focus and spoke of his goals going forward: “The main aim this season is to develop the players within the squad. Development in the sense of increasing their tactical knowledge of the game and increasing their technical ability. Ultimately assisting in creating better players for the next stage of their rugby careers. However, winning is important. We need to create winners in rugby. Not just winning in the vision of results, but winning everything in that 70 minutes of rugby, that tackle contest, that kick compete, that bouncing loose ball. Winning everything.”

He added: “The imaginary line called the ‘gain line’ is everything in rugby and how can we compete to win there. So, dealing with the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of winning is vital. Wanting to win as a team is important, so I hope, along with the other coaches, that we can create a positive and confident team culture. Whatever we face, we will grow as a team. Together.”

Joining Davies on the coaching front and taking over as forwards coach, is fellow Aberavon player and former Osprey youngster Sam Williams.

“Sam Williams will look after the forwards and he is the right man for that role. His experience and knowledge at the set piece, especially the lineout, is invaluable. The forwards in the squad will thrive off his knowledge and technical ability which can only benefit the players and the team. Sam is still playing making him very current.”

Former Osprey youngster, Nathan Edwards completes the coaching setup as backs coach, Davies added:

“Likewise, with the backs, Nathan will head that up and he is also currently playing. I am looking forward to working with Nathan as he shares the same ideas and philosophies as I do. That should form a great partnership. His attention to detail and delivery will surely benefit these elite players.”

With the initial training squad already announced, the new coach is looking forward to the new season ahead with the young squad: “The squad has a very good look and feel to it, with a decent blend of first year U18s and second year U18s players. We have some experience in the squad in the shape of players like Morgan Strong, Travis Huntley and Bradley Roderick. I will be looking to those players to help develop the younger players in the squad. I have known the older U18 boys having worked with them for two seasons and have strong expectations of them and for them. I watched all of the U16 games from last season and there is some serious talent coming through. As a coaching group we just need to channel their skill set, blend as a team and hopefully watch them all grow into mature players.”

The Ospreys U18s will begin their season with a friendly against the Scarlets U18s on Wednesday 15th August, K.O venue and time TBC.

Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy. Website – www.philevans.co.uk

………………………….

Lieutenant Chard! Look! Killjoys! Over A Dozen Of ’Em!

Some of us are lucky enough to be able to express our opinion and thoughts in print, or as part of a stand-up routine.

But, although there are things in this world that I disagree with or just ‘can’t get my head around’, I’d never prevent anyone from raising money for good causes because I don’t agree with the method by which they’re doing it.

Members of Folkestone’s Silver Screen Cinema Club run events at their local cinema where ‘mature cinemagoers’ can have tea and biscuits before watching classics like “Casablanca” or “Police Academy 48”.

Recently, they wanted to raise money for Armed Forces charities by screening “Zulu”, a film described by Sheldon Hall, author of “Zulu – With Some Guts Behind It” (the story of the the making of the 1964 classic) as . . .

“One of the best-loved and enduringly popular British films ever made. The extraordinary story of the 1879 Battle Of Rorke’s Drift in which barely 150 soldiers of the British Army fought against an attack by 4000 highly-disciplined Zulu warriors.”

No sooner had the charity event been announced than a bunch of local killjoys wanted it stopped because the film has ‘racist overtones’.

Poppycock!

Yes, the film depicts Zulus being killed.

But it also shows British soldiers being killed.

Because (Doh!) that’s what happened at Rorke’s Drift.

Would the same killjoys complain if the film chosen had been 1979’s “Zulu Dawn”, a belated prequel, which depicts the massacre of 1300 British soldiers by 20,000 Zulus?

Don’t just take my word that “Zulu” isn’t racist.

The following was written by someone who appeared in the film.

“It was an experience I will always cherish. And it must be remembered that 11 British soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross in that battle – an all-time record.”

Prince Mangosuthu G. Buthelezi M.P. Province Of kwaZulu-Natal.

Killjoys of Folkestone – take that!

——————

It’s safe to say that I’m not a big fan of call centres, or cold callers, despite the fact that everyone has to make a living.

But I draw the line when unsolicited calls from such establishments come through on my mobile phone.

My mobile number is only known to close friends and family.

So how did that happen?

Our privacy is slowly but surely being eroded.

Have you ever been browsing the internet for something and then, all of a sudden, your social media is flooded with what you’ve been looking for?

Yes. That.

My cold caller said the information he had was accurate and had been provided by a regulated and reliable source and I just needed to answer a few personal questions.

I played along, knowing there was no way he was getting any more information off me.

Unfortunately, some people get befuddled at this point and end up providing personal information.

The cold caller then wanted to know my address.

Then my previous mortgage companies.

It was then that I reminded him that it would be rather foolish of me to provide personal and sensitive information to a stranger over the phone.

This challenge obviously irritated him and he hung up.

I know I have never been mis-sold any financial products in the past, so the gentleman was clearly lying and not even very good at it.

Now, of course, I have even less tolerance of call centres.

——————-

You can follow Phil Evans on Twitter @philevanswales and www.philevans.co.uk

Please again include www.philevans.co.uk

Music lovers are spoilt for choice this weekend, with two big concerts taking place on Saturday night in West Wales.

Burry Port Town Band stage their annual summer concert (July 21) at the Memorial Hall in Burry Port, while Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi have their ‘annual’ down the road at the Princess Gwenllian Centre in Kidwelly.

Burry Port Town Band has a long and colourful past, with the first historical mention of the band, originally named the Elliots Smelting Works Band, dating back to 1896.

The band grew from this humble, industrial beginning and established itself as a community favourite, playing at local fetes and marches and raising money to support both itself and worthy causes.

One such worthy cause came at the turn of the century when the band organised a march for the destitute and unemployed of Kidwelly, which raised the princely sum of £8, a very worthy sum back in those days.

This, first, band had wider ambitions than the local stage, and during its first period the lifeblood for the band quickly became the contest stage. Indeed, a major highlight during this time was the band’s performance at the Crystal Palace in London.

Sadly, just before the outbreak of World War Two, the band’s fortunes took a turn for the worse and it disbanded.

Gone but not forgotten, decades later, in 1972, a group of local enthusiasts held a meeting with the aim of re-establishing the band.

Old instruments and a library of music were discovered, and these, together with some new purchases, a place to rehearse and a keen group of volunteers, sowed the seeds of the band’s renaissance.

The band continued to grow in terms of its level of performance throughout the 80s and 90s winning a host of prizes in 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st Sections and in 2000, the band was promoted to the elite Championship Section.

Since 2001, the band has six times claimed the title of “Champion Band of Wales”, four times won the National Eisteddfod of Wales and three times represented Wales at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain at the Royal Albert Hall in London, competing against the country’s top 20 bands.

In 2005 the band also claimed victory in the British Open Senior Cup competition at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, beating off the challenge of 20 other bands from across the United Kingdom.

In 2010, after 11 consecutive years competing as a Championship Section band, the band was relegated to the First Section.

However, following a sustained period of building, 2012 saw the band being promoted back to the Championship Section following their victory in the First Section at the Welsh Regional Championships.

That victory formed part of a purple patch of success between October 2011 and February 2015 which saw the band awarded 20 overall performance prizes, 14 “best instrumentalist” prizes and promotion to the British Open Grand Shield.

The band were delighted to start their 2015 campaign with a victory at the Welsh Open Entertainment Championship in February at the Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl.

In addition to competitions, the band also remain very active on the concert stage and in recent years have enjoyed performing alongside Paul Potts, John Owen Jones, Richard Allen, Timothy Richards, Côr Meibion Llanelli, Côr Lleisiau’r Cwm, Côr Curiad, Twrw Tawe, Côr Aelwyd y Waun Ddyfal, The Tenovus Cancer Care Swansea Sing With Us Choir and S4C Côr Cymru Champions Parti Llwchwr.

The band members are keen to ensure that future generations of young players enjoy the opportunity of playing a brass instrument without any financial pressure on their families.

To this end, they run, without any cost to the young brass and percussion players, a Junior Band which rehearses on a Thursday evening from 6pm to 7pm, again in the bandroom on Morlan Terrace, Burry Port.

At Saturday’s annual concert, the band’s special guests will be Tenovus Cancer Care Swansea Sing With Us Choir and the Burry Port Junior Band.

Curtain up is at 7pm on Saturday, July 21, with tickets £10, under 16s free.

The Burry Port Town Band will perform an entertaining programme featuring popular classics and music from the stage and screen.

They will also feature their Eisteddfod programme ahead of the Royal National Eisteddfod at the Wales Millennium Centre on Saturday, August 4.

It has been a successful year for Burry Port Town Band, reaching the semi-finals of S4C Band Cymru and again qualifying to represent Wales at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain taking place on September.

The compere for the Burry Port concert will be Robert Lloyd.

On the same night, Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi have put together an exciting line-up for their annual concert on Saturday, July 21, at the Princess Gwenllian Centre in Kidwelly.

The evening will feature the popular North Wales act Piantel.

Piantel are pianist Annette Bryn Parry and harpist Dylan Cernyw. They are described as ‘a magical musical experience not to be missed!’

Annette Bryn Parri and Dylan Cernyw have been performing as soloists on piano and harp for many years.

In 2005, Annette and Dylan decided to combine their musical talents to form Piantel.

Both Annette and Dylan are extremely well known throughout the land for their individual style and performances, accompanying and performing alongside some of our biggest stars – Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins, Hayley Westenra, Rhys Meirion, Shan Cothi and Gwyn Hughes Jones, to name just a few.

Between the two of them, they have recorded five solo albums with their record company Sain and three Piantel albums and they have both appeared on many more recordings as accompanists.

One of their most popular recordings is Un Enaid (One Soul).

Engagements have included recitals at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and performances alongside Hayley Westenra in June 2006 at Venue Cymru, The National Eisteddfod of Wales Pavilion on many occasions and The Royal Albert Hall in London.

As well as stage performances, they have appeared on many BBC broadcasting TV programmes as well as live radio shows.

The duo’s Scott Joplin Medley has become a signature Piantel piece and is often played at the end of a concert or recital much to the enjoyment of the audiences

Dylan Cernyw performs on a Lyon and Healy Silver Silhouette Electric Harp, a Salvi Aurora Harp, a Venus Paragon Gold Harp, Folk and late Erard Gothic Harps, depending on the occasion and recital mood.

Originally from Llandudno he now resides in Colwyn Bay. He was educated at Ysgol Y Creuddyn School in Llandudno and received tuition from many recognised harp tutors in Wales – Gwennant Pyrs, Dafydd Huw and Robin James Jones.

Dylan has won at the National Eisteddfod in 1989, 1991 and 1994 and was also a winner at the Cerdd Dant Festival in 1992.

Dylan is the resident Harpist for Bodnant Gardens in North Wales, The Imperial Hotel in Llandudno and at Plas Tan y Bwlch Maentwro – three very popular and award-winning venues.

A well-known concert entertainer in Wales and further afield, he has also travelled abroad, playing in France, Germany, Holland, Canada, Prague, Switzerland, Paris and Ireland as a harp soloist and accompanist.

Dylan has appeared in the 1,000 Voices Festival at the Royal Albert Hall where he was a guest soloist in 1997, and shared a platform with Soprano Rebecca Evans.

Dylan has also accompanied soprano singer Kathryn Jenkins and X Factor star Rhydian Roberts at concerts around the UK.

The Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi concert will also feature the much-acclaimed Tywi Valley musical duo, the husband and wife team of Aled Edwards and Eleri Owen Edwards.

They are already two of the most popular and successful singers in Wales.

Last year, Aled and Eleri launched a new CD of uplifting and inspirational duets, “Dau fel ni” (Two like us).

Home for Aled and Eleri is in Cilycwm, Llandovery, on a farm well-known for its pedigree herd of Limousin cattle.

Balancing a busy farming life in the picturesque Tywi Valley and their musical careers is now second nature to the couple.

“We love singing – and we love entertaining,” said Eleri.

The mezzo-soprano and baritone are both Blue Riband (David Ellis Memorial Prize) National Eisteddfod winners.

Aled triumphed at the National Eistedddfod held at Bala in 1997 and Eleri in 2013 at the National Eisteddfod at Denbigh.

They are the only married couple to have both gained the coveted Blue Riband.

Eleri is originally from the renowned cultural village of Llangernyw in the Conwy Valley.

A former bank manager in Conwy and a keen supporter of the local and national Eisteddfod throughout Wales, she now shares responsibility for the running of the family farm, while she also teaching children and youngsters to sing.

Aled’s development of the family’s prized herd of Limousin cattle is recognised internationally. Aled served a eight-year term as President of the International Limousin Congress.

The CD was recorded at the famous Acapela studio in South Wales, a venue made famous by harpist Catrin Finch and her husband.

Both Aled and Eleri have praise for their vocal coaches.

Aled has studied singing with Ken and Christine Reynolds, of Aberystwyth, and Eleri’s voice coach is the well-known composer and musician Brian Hughes, of Gresford. Brian has also composed two songs for the CD “Cariad Cyntaf” and “Mae’n Wir”.

The couple both started singing individually as children in chapels and village halls.

They have since travelled extensively as guest soloists to countries all over the world, particularly Europe and North America.

Further afield, Eleri was invited to Melbourne, Australia as guest soloist at the St David’s Day celebrations in 2014

The compere for the Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi concert will be Eirian Wyn, the celebrated Welsh wit and raconteur who is a Baptist Minister in Morriston and Chaplain to Swansea City AFC Academy.

Robert Lloyd works as a media consultant – www.rlloydpr.co.uk

If you have any news about the choral scene in Llanelli, the please contact him on 07777 683637 or email rlloydpr@btinternet.com

New @scarlets_rugby recruit Uzair Cassiem @uzair_cassiem ‏at first press conference @official_parc this week.

Video by @rlloydpr Edited version. Full version to appear at the weekend.

Link to Kieron Fonotia press conference video –

Scarlets new boy Kieron Fonotia at his first press conference at Parc y Scarlets

Art historian, exhibition curator and museum director Professor Ann Sumner has been honoured as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

Professor Ann Sumner serves as an external consultant on the University’s School of Art Museum and Gallery Advisory Board.

She was Head of Fine Art for Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales from 2000-2007, and Director and Professor of Fine Arts and Curatorial Practice at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Birmingham from 2007-12, before being appointed Head of Cultural Engagement at the University of Leeds.

Educated at the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, she undertook her PhD at Newnham College, Cambridge.

She began her career at the National Portrait Gallery in London, and held curatorial positions at the Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Harewood House Trust and the Holburne Museum, University of Bath. She was recently appointed Chair of the Methodist Modern Art Collection.

Professor Ann Sumner was presented by Professor Robert Meyrick, Head of the School of Art and Keeper of Art on Tuesday 17 July 2018.  The full conferral presentation is available below, in the language in which it was delivered.

Presentation of Professor Ann Sumner by Professor Robert Meyrick:

Canghellor, Is-Ganghellor, darpar raddedigion, gyfeillion.  Pleser o’r mwyaf yw cyflwyno Ann Sumner yn Gymrawd Prifysgol Aberystwyth.

Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, prospective graduates and supporters.  It is an honour and a privilege to present Ann Sumner as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

As an art historian, exhibition curator and museum director, Ann has been associated with many of the UK’s leading cultural institutions.  As an early career researcher she worked at the National Portrait Gallery in London and Dulwich Picture Gallery where she began as a specialist of seventeenth-century British painting and miniature painting.

There followed periods at the Holburne Museum in Bath and Manchester University’s Whitworth Art Gallery before her appointment as Head of Fine Art at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff. She served the Museum for eight years before becoming first female Director of the internationally-renowned Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Birmingham. Since her tenure as Barber Professor of Fine Art and Curatorial Practice, Ann has been Director of the Birmingham Museums Trust, Executive Director of the Brontë Society, and Head of Cultural Engagement at the University of Leeds.

In an advisory capacity, Ann is Historic Collections Adviser to the Harewood House Trust and sits on the Steering Committee for the Tercentenary of furniture-maker Thomas Chippendale. She is also part of the Steering Group marking the Centenary of Mitzi Cunliffe, an American sculptor in Manchester. As well as advising Derby Museums Trust on their Joseph Wright of Derby displays, she is newly appointed Chair of the Methodist Modern Art Collection. Importantly for Aberystwyth University, Ann serves as external consultant on the School of Art Museum and Gallery Advisory Board.

Ann studied History of Art at the University of London’s Courtauld Institute and gained a PhD in History from Newnham College, Cambridge. Her research raises awareness of once influential now forgotten or marginalised artists and collectors, and enriches our understanding and appreciation of European art history.

Ann’s first major exhibition for the Holburne at Bath marked the bicentenary of Thomas Gainsborough. One of her most significant research projects was for the National Museum of Wales exploring the work of pioneering eighteenth-century Welsh landscape painter Thomas Jones. Thomas Jones: An Artist Re-discoveredtoured to the Whitworth in Manchester and the National Gallery in London and was accompanied by a scholarly monograph published by Yale University Press.

At Cardiff, Ann made an important contribution to the history of art and art collecting in Wales. In 2007, she was co-curator of the Museum’s centenary exhibition Industry to Impressionismwhere she focused on the Davies Sisters of Gregynog as collectors of Impressionist paintings. With the National Gallery, London, she curated an exhibition and researched a monograph on French Impressionist painter Alfred Sisley and his time in England and Wales. A similar project followed on John Brett, A Pre-Raphaelite on the Shores of Wales. She is currently working on now little-known Welsh landscape painter Penry Williams.

Anyone who knows Ann, will know that aside from art history her great passion is lawn tennis. There have been times when the twain have met. In 2011, she curated for the Barber Institute a hugely successful exhibition Court on Canvas: Tennis in Artand just recently has completed for Routledge a chapter on International Tennis Art.

Through uncovering forgotten or marginalised artists and artworks, Ann offers a new appreciation of important figures, historical practices and artefacts and advances our understanding of the personal, professional and institutional forces that shape and maintain our artistic heritage. Rediscovering and re-evaluating, uncovering the past, piecing together a trail of clues, makes accessible work hitherto excluded from the canon due simply to a paucity of information or lack of exposure to the artists and collectors and their practices.

Today we celebrate Ann’s many and varied achievements as one of our foremost art historians and exhibition curators, and in particular mark her contribution to the history of Wales’ visual culture.

Canghellor, Is-Ganghellor mae’n bleser gen i gyflwyno Ann Sumner i chi yn Gymrawd.  

Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, it is my absolute pleasure to present Ann Sumner to you as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

Photo:  Aberystwyth University Chancellor The Rt Hon. Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd with Honorary Fellow Professor Ann Sumner

Link:
Graduation 2018 – https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/graduation/

Wales Air Ambulance has been selected as Aberystwyth University’s Vice-Chancellor’s Charity of the Year for 2018-19.

Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor, made the announcement on Tuesday 17 July at the first of this year’s graduation ceremonies.

The charity was chosen following a nominations and voting process involving students and staff across the University.

Announcing the name of the charity, Professor Treasure said: “The Wales Air Ambulance provides a vital lifesaving service across Ceredigion and the whole of Wales, and its operation relies entirely on charitable donations. The University students and staff look forward to working with the Wales Air Ambulance team over the coming year.”

Wales Air Ambulance Charity chief executive Angela Hughes said: “It’s an absolute honour for Wales Air Ambulance to be nominated as Aberystwyth University’s Vice-Chancellor’s Charity of the Year, and we look forward to working in partnership with the University to help raise vital funds for Wales’ lifesaving helicopters.”

“Last year Wales Air Ambulance crews undertook 77 missions in the Ceredigion area – around six every month. It is only through support such as this that our helicopters can keep flying and saving lives.”

Each year the Vice-Chancellor’s Charity of the Year appeal seeks to raise as much funding as possible for a worthy cause, and provide a fundraising focus for staff, students and the community.

Aberystwyth University’s Graduation Week 2018 takes place over four days, from Tuesday 17 until Friday 20 July, in the Great Hall at Aberystwyth University’s Arts Centre.

Photo:  Aberystwyth University Vice-Chancellor’s Charity of the Year 2018-19: Left to right:  Aneurin Roberts, Wales Air Ambulance Community Co-ordinator for Ceredigion; Morfudd Williams, Wales Air Ambulance volunteer and Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Aberystwyth University Vice-Chancellor

Link:
Wales Air Ambulance – http://www.walesairambulance.com/