FUW LEADER APPLAUDS WELSH RUGBY'S FARMING LINKS

Flanker Dan Lydiate underlined the valuable contribution farming makes to Welsh international rugby by being named Six Nations player of the tournament after playing a major part in Wales's 2012 Grand Slam triumph.

Dan, 23, is known for having used his family’s farm at Abbeycwmhir, near Llandrindod Wells, as his unofficial training ground but he is not the only current Welsh rugby international with strong farming links.

Another contender for the player of the tournament accolade, Mike Phillips, was brought up on his family's farm, Parc yr Abbot, St Clears, near Carmarthen, now run by his brother and Farmers' Union of Wales member Mark.

And there are two other players further north now making their name in Welsh rugby's top tiers and FUW president Emyr Jones has just visited them at their home farms in Meirionnydd.

They are 20-year-old Scarlets prop Rhodri Jones, named in the senior Wales training squad for the match versus Australia last December, and 26-year-old Elen Evans, who has played for the Wales women's team 39 times since making her debut against Italy in 2004.

Rhodri and Elen's parents are also staunch FUW members. His mother and father Trevor and Mair Jones farm at Gwerniago, Pennal, near Machynlleth, while her parents Aled and Catherine Evans run Ty'n Celyn farm less than 20 miles away at Dinas Mawddwy.

Rhodri is one of four players from north and midWalesmaking a name for themselves at the Scarlets. The others are Andy Fenby (Llandudno), Rob McCusker (Wrexham) and, of course, try-scoring Welsh winger George North (Anglesey).

Rhodri went to college with George in Llandovery and they are good team-mates at Parc y Scarlets. They even share a flat together.

Wales assistant coach (forwards), Anglesey-born Robin McBryde, has described Rhodri as an impressive youngster who can play on both sides of the scrum and is definitely one for the future in terms of planning towards the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Ex-Welsh hooker McBryde, who coached Rhodri during his time on the Scarlets staff last season, added: "He is developing well and is a physical specimen who has all the attributes and the values that you need to succeed at this level."

Standing 6ft 3in tall and weighing in at just over 18st, you can't argue with that.

Dolgellau women's rugby team stalwart Elen made a huge impact on her return to the international stage from injury by scoring a fine try as the Wales’ women’s team ensured a hat-trick of victories over Italy with a convincing 30-13 triumph at the Millennium Stadium on March 10.

The match report on the Welsh Rugby Union website stated: "Centre Evans, making her first start of this year’s championship, brought real stability to theWalesmidfield, and her partnership with Naomi Thomas proved to be a constant threat to the Italian team. The 26-year-old marked her keenly-anticipated return from injury by scoring a try in the first half of this encounter."

Elen works as a service adviser at her uncle's Dolgellau garage and regularly makes the arduous 250-mile round trip toCardiffto train with the Welsh women's rugby squad. She, too, is a versatile player and can play as a centre or wing.

Speed obviously runs through the family as her uncle is Gwyndaf Evans, one ofWales's best rally drivers in recent history.

Elen joined a select band when she sprinted over for a hat trick of tries against Scotland in last year's 2011 Six Nations championship. She finished that campaign with four tries to become the squad's highest scorer of the championship.

Emyr Jones said: "Both Rhodri and Elen are a credit to Welsh farming and their families. Their unbounded dedication to their chosen sport proves that if you really want to succeed the opportunities are out there.

"I am proud that we have young people of such high calibre helping to putWalesand particularly Welsh farming firmly on the world stage. Their families must be applauded for supporting them so unselfishly."

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