Director of Coaching Justin Burnell confirmed today that Welsh internationals Lee Jarvis and Craig Morgan are among 15 new recruits to the squad for the 2008-2009 Principality Premiership and Konica Minolta Cup campaigns.
He said, “In the last two seasons we have reached the cup final and achieved our best ever finish as runners-up in the Premiership. We have achieved this by maintaining a balance between developing young players of great promise, many of whom have already advanced to regional rugby, and benefiting from the input of more experienced individuals.
“That blend will continue in the season ahead. Undeniably the arrival of Lee and Craig will strengthen the squad but, let’s remember, that we also retain the services of seven of the successful Wales U20 squad and they have been joined by several other new faces with a great future.”
Lee Jarvis, who will also be the backs coach for Cardiff, set new standards for points scoring in his three seasons at the Arms Park. His 1167 points in 88 first team games included 496 in 1997-98 to break Gareth Davies’s long-standing club record of 423 points in a season.
Craig Morgan famously scored tries in 17 consecutive games for the Blue & Blacks and had taken his tally to 90 in 200 games for Cardiff and the Blues before joining Bristol two years ago.
Valuable experience will also be provided by the signing of lock Matthew Veater (from Newport) while the front row options are strengthened by the acquisition of hooker Kieran Crawford (from Bedwas) and props Ian George (Ebbw Vale), Kristian Gay (London Welsh), and former Cardiff U21 protégé Phil Osbourne (Pertemps Bees).
In the back row, Rhys Shellard comes into the squad along with the Wales U21 flanker two years ago Craig Everett (from Worcester Warriors) and Neil Lewis (Bedwas). Jake Thomas, who played last season and also won U20 honours in the Junior World Cup, joins on a permanent basis, as does Patrick Palmer who made a big impression as a 20-year-old prop in seven senior games at the end of last season.
Behind the scrum David Walsh, a Cardiff U21 player before going to Hartpury College, and Garyn Lucas, who also appeared last season, fill vacancies at scrum half where Darren Allinson has been awarded a Blues’ development contract. One of their fly half partners will be 18-year-old Jamie Murphy and yet more youthful promise is at centre where Luke Ford becomes a fully-fledged member of the squad.
