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Charteris backs Burns to shine

Charteris backs Burns to shine

Luke Charteris has backed his Dragons’ team-mate Lloyd Burns to push for a starting berth in Wales’ World Cup opener against South Africa on September 11.

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Burns has had a stunning rise through the domestic rugby ranks over the past year which culminated with a place in Warren Gatland’s final 30-man squad for the tournament in New Zealand.

The season before last Burns was plying his trade with Cross Keys in the Principality Premiership on a semi-professional contract, combining rugby with his day job of bricklaying. 

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Over the past year though the former back-row has signed his first professional contact with the Dragons, forced his way in a starting berth at Rodney Parade and made his International debut.

And Charteris believes he fully deserves his chance at the World Cup.

“Lloyd is a quality player and a great bloke,” said Charteris.

“The attitude he came in with at the Dragons was great and you could see his talent from the off.

“He works very hard on and off the pitch and has a great work ethic.

“He has real strength in the tackle area and he brings added back-row skills to the side.

“He is powerful round the park and has done well since he has come in and I think he will be challenging for a start.

“We have lost two good hookers in Matthew (Rees) and Richard (Hibbard) and usually that would be huge blow but we are really lucky that we have great strength in that position.”

Charteris and Burns will be joined on the plane down to New Zealand by a further three players from the Dragons and that is testament to the hard work the players have put in over the past few months says Charteris.

“They are all there by merit,” he added.

“They produced good performances at the end of last season to get called up, then have trained really hard all summer and performed well in the warm-up games, so all deserve their place in the squad.

“The coaches have always said they will pick on form and they have done exactly that.  The boys on the plane are the ones who have stood out during the summer.”

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