Latest news with #RodneyParade
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Newport new boy Smith would love Wales return
New Newport County signing Matt Smith has not given up on returning to the Wales squad, despite dropping into League Two with the 25, has won 19 caps for Wales since making his debut as an 18-year-old under Ryan the midfielder has not featured since being part of the squad that travelled to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup having made the move to the Scottish Premiership with St 25, Smith has headed to Rodney Parade to link up with new County boss David Hughes, his manager during his time at Wales youth speaking of his time in the national set-up, Smith told the club:, external "It's always been a massive honour to represent Wales. Every time I put on the shirt was a really proud moment and something I look back on with fond memories."I'd love to get back to that level again. I spent a number of years involved in the set-up and it's something I truly cherish."Being around players of that calibre, you see the standards every day in training and around the camp. I've learnt a lot from those players, and I hope to take those experiences forward here."Born in Redditch but eligible for Wales via a grandparent, the Manchester City academy graduate won caps under Hughes at under-17 added: "I've worked with the manager before, so we already have that connection. We had a really good conversation and he knows who I am, what I can bring, and the type of person I am. For me, it was a no-brainer. I'm really excited to be part of it."I want to be a big part of this team and help Newport push up the league and finish as strongly as possible. It's got a fantastic fanbase. I've always admired the club from afar, especially with the Welsh connection, and I've seen the passion the fans bring."
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales star set to switch regions on loan in hope of reigniting career
Wales star set to switch regions on loan in hope of reigniting career The Wales international looks to be on the move for the 2025/26 season Wales backrower Mackenzie Martin looks set to join the Dragons (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency ) The Dragons are set to sign Wales international Mackenzie Martin on loan from Cardiff. WalesOnline understands Martin has agreed a move to Rodney Parade, with the deal expected to get finalised over the next few days. The 21-year-old backrower burst onto the scene last season and has won five caps for Wales after making his Test debut against Ireland in the 2024 Six Nations. But Martin has struggled to kick on over the past year and has been playing a lot of his rugby for Cardiff RFC in Super Rugby Cymru, even figuring in the second-row at times. Martin is a player with huge potential and the Dragons will be hoping they can get the best out of the powerful backrower. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. In general in Welsh rugby big, powerful and explosive forwards are in short supply but Martin is one player who fits the bill. Martin is a very powerful and dynamic ball carrier capable of making significant post-contact metres and is a player who can dominate the collisions. Article continues below He is also a very talented footballer, with an outstanding offloading game which can unlock opposition defences. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. With Wales great Taulupe Faletau extending his stay at Cardiff it is arguably in everyone's best interests that Martin seeks opportunities elsewhere with his game-time expected to be limited at the Arms Park. WalesOnline understands the Dragons have swooped to secure his services on a loan deal. If the deal is finalised Martin will join a strong pool of backrow players at Rodney Parade which includes Shane Lewis-Hughes, Aaron Wainwright, Thomas Young, Ryan Woodman, Harry Beddall and Solomone Funaki. It has been a bitterly disappointing season for the Men of Gwent but there is every reason to believe they will perform significantly better in 2025/26. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free Head coach Filo Tiatia has been busy strengthening his squad and has made a number of key signings. Article continues below The likes of Wales props Wyn Jones and Dillon Lewis, Cardiff lock Seb Davies, Welsh qualified lock Levi Douglas from Biarritz, Thomas Young, South African playmaker Tinus de Beer along with Tongan pair Fine Inisi and Fetui Paea have been added to the squad. A change of scenery could do Martin the world of good and Tiatia will be desperate to unlock his obvious potential. Martin is a player who could be a huge asset to the national side over the next few years and the hope is a move to Rodney Parade could reignite his career.
South Wales Argus
7 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
URC: Dragons look to turn around fortunes with new signings
The Rodney Parade club have hit the button on an extensive rebuild but, in truth, this isn't a job that can be sorted in one 'window'. The Dragons need to reshape their squad and the new Rugby Participation Agreement, signed by them and Cardiff but not the Scarlets and Ospreys, gives them more financial power. They aim to spend wisely while at the same time slowly bringing through more quality from the academy, which has benefited from more funding and staffing in recent years. Next season will be better – it can hardly be worse after finishing bottom of the URC with just one win – but is it realistic to expect dramatic change? The club doesn't just need one successful window but several in a row to really drive steady progress, and that is easier said than done given a history of results that means they don't have the pick of the talent. Proof of that is provided by a man who could well be toasting a treble at Twickenham this afternoon. Bath start as hot favourites against Leicester in the English Premiership final after topping the table, winning the Challenge Cup and also showing their squad depth with a Premiership Cup triumph. They are well coached but they have also signed shrewdly, with Rob Burgess at the heart of that. The head of recruitment moved to the Rec from the Dragons in 2023 after working under Dean Ryan and then, briefly, Dai Flanagan. Burgess started working for the Rodney Parade club just before the Covid pandemic and the main arrivals for 2020/21 were Jonah Holmes, Joe Maksymiw, Nick Tompkins, Jamie Roberts, Greg Bateman, Gonzalo Bertranou and Dan Baker. The next summer in came Will Rowlands, Mesake Doge, Aki Seiuli, Ioan Davies, Taylor Davies, Cory Allen, Jordan Olowofela. In 2022 the Dragons signed Bradley Roberts, Rhodri Jones, JJ Hanrahan, Sean Lonsdale, Max Clark, George Nott, Sio Tomkinson, Angus O'Brien and Rob Evans, with Steff Hughes arriving in the autumn. Among those names are some hits – Rowlands, Bertranou, Doge, O'Brien, Hughes – but there were lots of mehs and misses for Burgess. Recruitment is tough enough for teams who challenge for silverware, so the Dragons often need to back themselves to bring something out of a player who is undervalued by others. On the occasions when they have pulled off something a coup – Holmes, Tompkins, Rowlands, Bradley Roberts, Ross Moriarty – it has been helped by the lure of the Welsh jersey. There are no current Wales internationals on the signed list for this summer, although some individuals harbour hopes of pushing back into the fold. DONE DEALS The Dragons, with Jonathan Westwood in the role that Burgess left, have been busy with nine confirmed signings while South African tighthead Robert Hunt is poised to also arrive and a scrum-half and number eight are on the shopping list. ARRIVAL: Fetuli Paea will boost the Dragons' midfield next season (Image: Huw Evans Agency) Deals have been agreed with props Wyn Jones and Dillon Lewis, locks Seb Davies and Levi Douglas, flankers Thomas Young and Harry Beddall, fly-half Tinus de Beer, centre Fetuli Paea and wing Fine Inisi. There are a few rolls of the dice and head coach Filo Tiatia probably needs three or four hits and the same number of solid performers. Inevitably there will be some disappointments, that's the nature of recruitment, but the pressure is on from up top. Co-owner David Buttress hasn't been shy in expressing his disappointment with last summer's arrivals. He tried to publicly take a share of blame for that but his criticism inevitably put the spotlight on Dai Flanagan. The former boss would admit that not enough of his signings were hits but he can also point to injury misfortune and the fact that he wasn't in position to turn some into big successes. MORE MISSES THAN HITS Lock Steve Cummins was incredibly unlucky with injuries that limited him to six appearances and he will be keen to show his value next season while number eight Solomone Funaki was a disaster after arriving with a knee issue. That came after he opted for a summer clean-out operation that was followed by an infection. He remains under contract and needs to be up and running in pre-season. Centre Harry Wilson was a huge disappointment in a struggling team and has left early; the Aussie has the physical attributes and don't rule out him showing them at his next club if he can get the top two inches right. SOLID: Shane Lewis-Hughes had a strong first season in Newport (Image: Gareth Everett) Blindside Shane Lewis-Hughes was solid, 10/15 Lloyd Evans was only ok and has left while young hooker Oli Burrows, who missed the run-in after shoulder surgery, needs to push on with regular Super Rygbi Cymru action. There were no big hits from the 2024 arrivals despite us all being pretty encouraged by the signings a year ago. That shows the tough situation that the Dragons are dealing with – the harsh reality is that they will never be a signing's first choice. If a player has options then only a bigger pay offer or longer contract will win the day for the Rodney Parade club. They won't be challengers for silverware (certainly in the short term) and that automatically makes it a challenge to attract marquee players, which co-owner David Wright bullishly promised there would be at least one of at the start of the year. As things stand, there will be none. We would all love the Dragons to sign a couple of players who can be transformational but a problem from the recent past has been the expectation of new recruits to just come in and turn things around. Wilson is an example of how hard it is to come in and show your qualities for a struggling side. Growth from the current crop – and there is some real talent in the likes of Ben Carter, Ryan Woodman, Aneurin Owen, Huw Anderson – is imperative and that would mean that new signings only have to be solid rather than spectacular. From there, the Dragons can top up with a handful of signings in 2026 and gradually build rather than trying to constantly be transformational. They need to trust the recruitment process, despite Buttress speaking about the owners needing to be more involved than they were a year ago. There needs to be separation rather than them going all Vincent Tan. The Dragons are employing rugby people for a reason and they must be left to make judgement calls; they know their heads are on the block if things don't work out, so leave it to them. There has been a big recruitment drive but the new arrivals are only a small part of the problem-solving for a club that has tested the patience of long-suffering fans for too long, don't expect miracles from them.
South Wales Argus
13-06-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Aaron Wildig: I've got plenty more to give at Gloucester
The former Exiles skipper has joined forces with Dafydd Williams, who left Rodney Parade at the end of last season to become boss at Gloucester. Wildig opted to step away from full-time football in the EFL to drop down to Southern League Premier Division South, with the 33-year-old from Hereford also starting to look towards coaching. The midfielder completed his UEFA A licence with the Football Association of Wales this year and was an assistant for caretaker boss Williams in the final two games of last season following the departure of Nelson Jardim. County acknowledged his value off the field when offering him fresh terms while he is on the comeback trail from ruptured knee ligaments. However, a call from Williams convinced Wildig that the time was right to drop out of the Football League and head for Gloucester. 'I was offered a deal by Newport, which was really respectful of them, but having worked with Daf for the last two years, he dropped me a message and asked if it was something that I would be interested in,' said Wildig, who started his professional career with Cardiff in 2009. 'With a few things going on outside of football, it was something that I fancied coming to have a crack at and I am looking forward to it.' CLASSY: Aaron Wildig was in superb form until injury for County last season (Image: Gareth Everett) Wildig stressed the first part of his job title of player-coach is dominant. 'I am quite passionate about my coaching and in the last few years I have started to look into that side of things,' he said. 'That's something to look forward to but my priority is as a footballer and I still have a lot to give.' Williams has no doubt that Wildig's quality will show in the Southern League, pointing to the flying start the midfielder made to last season before injury. 'To have someone of that experience and calibre represent this club is a huge statement,' said the Welshman, who spent two seasons at Rodney Parade. 'Last year he was stat the best midfielder in League Two until his injury so make no mistake, we have a great player on hour hands. 'Him coming in as player-coach offers his experience, credentials and skill set as a coach, which is something he is keen on further down the line. To provide him with that opportunity is exciting.'
South Wales Argus
11-06-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Nick Townsend leaves League Two Newport County for Eastleigh
The 30-year-old goalkeeper entered negotiations with the Exiles at the end of last season but opted for a fresh challenge after seven years at Rodney Parade. The Antigua & Barbuda international, who racked up 209 appearances to become a County great, will now drop out of the Football League to play for the Spitfires. Eastleigh finished 13th out of 24 in the National League last season and Townsend will play under a boss who is a former goalkeeper, former Southampton, Wimbledon and Ipswich stopper Kelvin Davis. It is fair to assume that the contract length and financial package made the move to the south coast more attractive than staying in League Two on fresh County terms for stalwart Townsend. Arguably the Exiles are only still in the fourth tier thanks to his performances, particularly in a vital run of wins in February. LEGEND: Goalkeeper Nick Townsend passed 200 appearances for County (Image: Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency) 'I'm glad it's all done now and it's an exciting start for me and my family to have a fresh start down here,' said the Brummie, who made the second most amount of saves in the EFL last season behind Stoke's Viktor Johansson. Townsend faced Eastleigh twice in 2024 when County earned a shot at Manchester United in the FA Cup by winning a replay at Silverlake Stadium 3-1 after a 1-1 draw at Rodney Parade. County currently have just one goalkeeper, Jacob Carney, on the books after the departures of Townsend and Lewis Webb, who failed to make an appearance after arriving midway through last season as back-up. Carney struggled when he got chances in his first season in Newport and the Exiles are closing in on a new stopper, who is likely to be first choice. 'Manager David Hughes has been prioritising a replacement and the club has already agreed personal terms with a new number one, due to be announced in due course,' said a County statement when confirming Townsend's exit. The Exiles are still in negotiations with three experienced players over fresh terms – centre-back James Clarke, midfielder Aaron Wildig and full-back/midfielder Shane McLoughlin.
