Burnell happy to be a busy man
JUSTIN Burnell would probably qualify as one of the busiest coaches around these days.
Friday night he was in charge of Pontypridd in the Principality Premiership, Saturday morning it was the Pontypridd Schools U15 in the Dewar Shield and tomorrow it will be the University of South Wales in their vital BUCS South A clash with Cardiff Met 2nds.
Three different teams, but all wrapped up in one initiative for Valley’s rugby, helping to create a clear pathway for the best players in the region.
And with Burnell’s expert and enthusiastic hand firmly fixed on all three tillers.
“It really does create a clear pathway for the players in our area. Last year we won the Dewar Shield for the first time in 22 years and a lot of those boys will then move on to Coleg Y Cymoedd,” explained Burnell.
“After Cymoedd there is a chance for them to study at a higher level on their own doorstep at USW and combine their work with their rugby careers.
“We have a number of regional academy players in our system at USW and others from local clubs.”
One of the players who helped Ponty beat Newport 43-25 on Friday night, scrum half Jamie Hill, will feature on Wednesday alongside Cardiff Blues and Wales Under 20 back row man Alun Lawrence.
Ioan Davies and Ben Warren are two more academy stars who can also feature.
The match against Cardiff Met at Sardis Road tomorrow night (7.30pm) is vital for Burnell’s men as they attempt to bridge the 10 point gap that has opened up between them and unbeaten league leaders Hartpury 2nds in Division South A.
It will be a bit of a grudge match given Cardiff Met ran out 24-21 winners when they met in Cynoced on 10 October.
USW were beaten 43-19 by Hartpury when they met earlier this month, although since then they have beaten Bath University 2nd XV 48-10.
They were too good for Bristol University’s top team, beating them 10-3, and were pipped 29-26 by Swansea’s 1st XV.
The best placed 1st XV in the division will go into an end of season playoff against the Northern champions to take their place in an expanded BUCS Super League next season.
“The Super League is the ultimate goal for us. Cardiff University joined Cardiff Met in that division last year and we want to join them,” added Burnell.
“To be playing top teams like Exeter, Loughborough, Cardiff Met and Hartpury by right every season would be fantastic for the players and for the university here.
“It could be a huge sales and recruitment factor for USW.”
The Super League fixtures this week see Cardiff Met launch back-to-back home games to try to move on up and get another shot at Twickenham this season.
With five wins in eight starts to date this term they are sitting in third place and host Nottingham Trent tomorrow before welcoming Northumbria on 5 December.
Cardiff University, meanwhile, will be hoping to build on their breakthrough result last week when they notched their first win in the top-flight with a 22-14 home win over Northumbria University.
They had got close when the two teams met at Kingston Park earlier in the month.
On that occasion they matched the home side with four tries, but fell to an agonising 34-29 defeat.
They’ve also got within eight points of Exeter University and two of Durham to prove their competitiveness at this level.
They are currently four points adrift of Leeds Beckett at the bottom of the table, having played one game more, and face a long trek north to face Durham tomorrow.