During First Minister’s Questions in the National Assembly for Wales last week, Labour AM for Mid and West Wales JOYCE WATSON AM asked First Minister Rhodri Morgan to outline what the Welsh Assembly Government is doing to help the development of rugby in Wales.
Joyce, who is a member of the Assembly Communities and Culture Committee which covers Sport, said:
"I welcome the support the Welsh Assembly Government is giving to the development of rugby in local communities up and down Wales.
"I believe that involvement in team sports helps the youth of today to become fitter and healthier. It teaches them the discipline of team work and how to achieve common goals.
"I believe strongly that the hard work that local rugby and other sporting teams do in the communities of Mid and West Wales should be applauded.
“Without the help of these local teams, we will not get the stars of tomorrow to represent Wales at the highest level.”
The First Minister said:-
"The spreading of grass roots sport in schools and clubs has always been the lifeblood of Welsh rugby. The mini rugby exlposion of some 30 years ago continues today, as well as youth rugby and rugby among other age groups.
He spoke of the Objective 1 programme to assist in the training of young professional rugby players and the Sports Council for Wales grant in principle of £1.8 million to establish a centre of excellence for the Welsh Rugby Union at the Hensol complex of the Vale hotel. He said he had agreed in principle with Roger Lewis, the chief executive of the WRU to draw up a joint strategy to use rugby to promote sport and physical fitness.
Adrian Lewis (coach of Penygroes Under 16's) said:
"I believe that without the development of the grass roots rugby in Wales, the regional and national teams will not have the players to play at the highest level.
"I agree that local sporting teams do offer much more than a social benefit to the community.
“They offer ways of getting youngsters fit and healthy.”
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I was elected as the Labour Assembly Member for Mid & West Wales in May 2007 and have been working hard since for all the people in the region, and will continue to do so. You can follow my work in the National Assembly and throughout the constituency using this site.
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