North Wales get international tournament

Gary Baker on 21/09/2012

North Wales' development as a rugby union base has been further enhanced with the announcement that major internationals are coming their way in November.

It is part of a drive to bring the thousands of players and spectators from across the north of the Principality nearer to the national game.

Teams from Canada, Samoa, Tonga, the USA and Russia will play at Parc Eirias, the new development in Colwyn Bay, in the same month as Wales play their major Test matches at the Millennium Stadium.

The tournament is part of a new International Rugby Board initiative for Tier Two and Three countries which is aimed to increase competitiveness before the 2015 World Cup in England.

The IRB are funding the tournament, one of a number across the world, and other countries involved in the programme are Chile, Fiji, Georgia, Japan, Portugal, Romania and Uruguay.

Russia, coached by ex-Wales captain Kingsley Jones, were one of number of surprise packages during the last World Cup in New Zealand and having countries like them and Canada, who know North Wales as players from there were brought over to help start the original Rugby Gogledd Cymru 1404 back in 2010.

Rupert Moon, the WRU General Manager of the North Wales Development Region said: “There is a huge appetite for rugby in North Wales and to have an international series like this at Eirias is a massive shot in the arm for the venue.

“We will get a first look at Samoa the week before they take on Wales in Cardiff and will also have the privilege of watching some great players from Canada, Russia and Tonga. North Wales will have a real international flavour over the course of this IRB International Rugby Series and it is a great compliment to Eirias that it has been chosen to host a series of matches of this pedigree.”

The matches will see Samoa play Canada on Friday November 9 as well as Russia v the USA and, a week later, there is another double header when Tonga face America and Canada play Russia.

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