Exiles programme playing major role in Wales pathway

The Exiles programme continues to thrive with 26 players from the programme involved in the latest Wales U18s, U19s and U20s National Age Grade squads.

Now in its 30^th year the programme continues to identify, monitor and potentially recruit Welsh-qualified players who are based outside Wales and have the potential to play ‘elite’ age grade or senior regional rugby in Wales.

”The programme was instigated by the late Brigadier Rolph James,” said WRU National Exiles Officer, Gareth Davies. “Originally from Fishguard, he had a distinguished military career and was very well known in rugby circles, particularly in England. In 1990 he got together a few English based Welsh players to play a couple of senior matches in England before the Exiles programme then focussed on U18 and U19 age grade players.

Listen to Exiles officer Gareth Davies talk about the Exiles programme

“The programme gathered a huge amount of momentum when Terwyn Williams became involved. Originally from Llanybydder, Terwyn had an eminent teaching career in London and was involved with London Welsh RFC, as he is now. Terwyn played a pivotal part in the development of the programme for 25 years until his retirement a few years ago,” he added.

In recent years the programme has operated more strategically and is now aligned closely with the WRU National Age Grade programme and with player recruitment for the regions in line with senior national succession planning.

The Exiles age grade programme is open to all Welsh qualified players aged 12 to 18 based outside Wales and gives them and their families an opportunity to engage with the WRU. There are plans in place to develop the girls/women’s programme too.

“When parents come to us and say their Welsh qualified son or daughter is based outside Wales and enjoys playing rugby and ask whether there are any opportunities for them in the WRU pathway we can say with complete confidence that the answer is categorically “Yes”,  said Davies.

Many Exiles have won National Age Grade caps and five products of the Exiles programme played in last summer’s World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina. Eight Exiles were involved in the latest U20 Six Nations, while last year nine Exiles represented Wales U18s either in the Six Nations or during the summer tour to South Africa.

Wales U18s head coach, Chris Horsman said: “The Exiles boys have always been excellent and the programme provides a great opportunity for them to make their mark in the WRU pathway. The Exiles programme is a hugely important part of our player identification and monitoring process and our national succession planning.”

His sentiments are backed up by Wales head coach, Wayne Pivac: “A lot of time and effort goes into looking at players and selecting squads,” he said.

“As a coaching team we have all been out and about, looking at players who are available to us, watching them train, speaking to them and their families as well as speaking with their coaches. It is important we look at all the players we can and get the right players into our squads.”

There are a number of other young Exiles from the UK and overseas who are contracted to one of the regions. Davies works work closely with the Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff Blues and Dragons in relation to player recruitment and regional and senior international player succession planning.

Davies added: “We have very strong links with the main rugby playing boarding schools and universities in Wales and there are a number of young Exiles who are combining their academic progress with their rugby development here in Wales. The university pathway in Wales is an excellent way for Exiles players to manage the transition into senior rugby whilst being monitored by our regions.

“We are also actively monitoring 100+ Welsh qualified players who are playing top ‘senior’ rugby outside of Wales and are potentially regional players who could feature in future senior squads. Nick Tompkins (born in Sidcup, Kent) and Will Rowlands (born in Hammersmith, London) are the latest to gain recognition to the senior squad.

“Among the challenges of the Exiles age grade programme is to ensure the right players get the right level of exposure against the right level of opposition here in Wales. With about 250 players in each Exiles age group selection is always very tricky too. Regardless of standard, our aim is to engage with all Welsh qualified players based outside Wales.

“There are now nearly 1700 young Welsh qualified players in the programme and there is a pathway for every single one of them to maximise their potential here in Wales. We have also facilitated opportunities in Wales for young players from New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, Australia and from all over Europe.“

“The selection of so many Exiles for National Age Grade honours this season demonstrates that there is a clear and credible pathway to national age rugby in Wales for Exiles players. Players from our Under 20s squad such as Theo Bevacqua (Sussex), Harri O’Connor (Dorset), Archie Griffin (Wiltshire), Ed Scragg (Dorset), Gwilym Bradley (Surrey) and Ellis Bevan (West Midlands) first came into the Exiles programme when they were 14 or 15 and we have been monitoring their development ever since.

“The excellent relationship we have with the Welsh regions means that there’s also a credible route to professional rugby too. Now that World Rugby has increased the residency eligibility criteria from three years to five years the Exiles programme is more relevant than ever.”

Exiles who have represented Wales at National Age Grade level

Wales Under 18s

Adam Williams (Dragons) – (Herefordshire; Exiles programme since the age of 14)
Tom Cowan (Wiltshire; Exiles programme since the age of 15)
Ethan Morgan (Cornwall; Exiles programme since the age of 15)
Bryn Bradley (Surrey; Exiles programme since the age of 14)
Tom Lockett   (Essex; Exiles programme since the age of 17)​
Jac Lloyd  (Cardiff via Clifton College, Bristol; Exiles programme since the age of 16)​​
Benji Williams (Ospreys) – Swansea  via Hartpury College; Exiles programme since the age of 16)​​
Ben Murphy  (Warwickshire; Exiles programme since the age of 14)
Harry Williams (Scarlets) –  (Suffolk; Exiles programme since the age of 14)

Wales Under 19s

Harry Breeze  (Scarlets) – (Surrey; Exiles programme since the age of 14)
Morgan Macrae (Scarlets) – (Oxfordshire; Exiles programme since the age of 14)
Sam O’Connor (Scarlets) – (Dorset; Exiles programme since the age of 14)
Oliver Holliday  (Cardiff via Hartpury College; Exiles programme since the age of 17)​​
Tommy Matthews (Hampshire; Exiles programme since the age of 15)
Ed Dunford  (Surrey; Exiles programme since the age of 14)
Charles Rylands (Northamptonshire; Exiles programme since the age of 15)

Wales Under 20s

Theo Bevacqua  (Cardiff Blues) – (Sussex; Exiles programme since the age of 14)
Harri O’Connor (Scarlets) – (Dorset; Exiles programme since the age of 14)
Archie Griffin (Wiltshire; Exiles programme since the age of 15)
Ed Scragg (Dragons) – (Dorset; Exiles programme since the age of 15)
Gwilym Bradley (Cardiff Blues) – (Surrey; Exiles programme since the age of 15)
Ellis Bevan –  (West Midlands; Exiles programme since the age of 15)
Sam Costelow  – (Bridgend via Oakham School; Exiles programme since the age of 16)​​
Ioan Lloyd – (Cardiff via Clifton College, Bristol; Exiles programme since the age of 16)​​
Luke Scully – (Swansea / Ospreys via Worcester Warriors; Exiles programme since the age of 18)​​.​