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Pro12: Hooker Matthew Rees to lead Cardiff Blues

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments43

Matthew Rees

Former Wales captain Matthew Rees has been named Cardiff Blues captain for the 2013-14 season.

Rees, capped 58 times by Wales, takes over from back-rower Andries Pretorius having ahead of the new season.

Another former Scarlet, centre Gavin Evans, will be vice captain.

Blues director of rugby Phil Davies said of 32-year-old Rees: "[He] understands the standards that I expect of the squad."

The 2009 British and Irish Lions tourist to South Africa will have leadership support from Evans and a group titled the Regional Leadership Team.

South African-born Pretorius, Wales and 2013 Lions skipper Sam Warburton, Test lock Bradley Davies and rising talents lock Macauley Cook and fly-half Rhys Patchell, another recent Wales cap, are in that group.

Ex-Scarlets boss Davies added: "We have picked a core group of players to head up our Regional Leadership Team with Matthew Rees appointed as captain."

"Any of the players can step up and they have been given specific areas to work on.

"Matthew will face stiff competition for his starting place with Rhys Williams, Marc Breeze and Kristian Dacey all performing well for us last year.

"However, he is a player that understands the standards that I expect of the squad.

"We selected the captain a bit differently last year, but this year I know a bit more about the players so it made things easier.

"I have known Matthew for a long time and he is a great leader.

"I canvassed opinion from all around regarding the appointment and it was greeted with enthusiasm.

"He obviously has a lot of experience at regional and international level, but what I like about him also is his hunger to do well.

"He's made the move from the Scarlets to the Blues this summer and still has the hunger for the game and to play international rugby."

Rees was part of the all-Welsh front row along with fellow Blue Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones, for the three British and Irish Lions Tests against South Africa in June 2009.

He has previously played for Treorchy, Pontypridd and the defunct Celtic Warriors and he became Wales captain in November 2010 against Australia.

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43 comments

  • Comment posted by wooodsey, at 13:26 17 Aug 2013

    Always the same with you Welsh, no independent spirit. You'd be as well calling yourself city of Wales in England.

    Last we want to do is jump into bed with England. We prefer winning formula

  • Comment posted by Cardiff Boy, at 18:34 16 Aug 2013

    'Regional Leadership Team,'

    'I canvassed opinion....'

    Who's managing the Cardiff Blues; David Brent?

  • Comment posted by Bomber, at 17:15 18 Aug 2013

    @36 Easy answer; the WRU. They take away the regions best players for the whole of November, including an extra match against Australia to pocket even more money for themselves. That means the Ospreys have their internationals for 4 days in 6 weeks to prepare for the away trip to Castres, the French Top 14 champions. The Scarlets have their stars for 5 days before travelling to Clermont. No hope.

  • Comment posted by JackGough, at 15:52 16 Aug 2013

    Some sneaky turk bias there I think.

  • Comment posted by JohnnyWAL, at 14:40 17 Aug 2013

    @7 You should look at the lads coming through at the Blues. Their starting back line next season could be lethal on that pitch, LWilliams, Patchell, Allen, Williams, Robinson, Cuthbert, Halfpenny, give those guys the smallest platform and they will score tries for fun.
    Also good to see Blues recruit mainly from the academy but also bring in an experienced player like Rees to control game day

  • Comment posted by TARW, at 13:39 17 Aug 2013

    @13 celticrusader
    I don't believe your even Welsh!! if you were you would want all the regions to do well not run others down.
    I hope Dragons do very well next season, Blues must improve as well.
    Scarlets will have their moments but I think the Ospreys will be the top Welsh region.
    All the best to Matthew Rees a very good choice of skipper

  • Comment posted by Bomber, at 22:29 18 Aug 2013

    @39 I ran out of characters. I think the limit is 400 and I ran out of room.

    The Blues have Glasgow at home that weekend. Remember I am talking about 5/6 December games. The internationals return on December 1st.

    Castres have done nothing in Europe, other than being past winners of the competition!!!

  • Comment posted by U15414545, at 14:31 18 Aug 2013

    Disagree about Anglo-Welsh. Wouldn't benefit Welsh rugby. Currently the regional players are travelling internationally to Italy, Ireland and Scotland to play international fixtures. Club games just down the road in England doesn't give them the same international experience. Not only that, Welsh rugby is the best in Europe so why take on inferior English clubs stacked with foreign mercenaries.

  • Comment posted by U15414545, at 14:14 17 Aug 2013

    Good for Wales to have Rees back as regional captain. Aswell as him the 15-strong Lions contingent will be joined this autumn, by Ryan Jones, Bradley Davies, Charteris, Hook, Priestland, Biggar, Owens, Gethin Jenkins, perhaps Byrne and Henson. Very strong squad.

  • Comment posted by Tjm96, at 21:54 16 Aug 2013

    Last year are two problems were in the front row and the centre. Now that we have Gethin Jenkins and Matthew Rees in the squad and as well as Phil gives some of our young welsh center's starts I think that we can become a better team.

  • Comment posted by celticrusader, at 20:41 16 Aug 2013

    The Blues have no running centers? well the best three players on the Wales tour to Japan were Rhys Patchell Owain Williams and Harry Robinson, and the worlds best fullback developed and produced by the Blues Leigh Halfpenny, and before you butt in he came to the Blues aged 18 never played a single senior game for the Ospreys and we turned him into a double British Lion and Wales greatest player.

  • Comment posted by U11793769, at 16:33 16 Aug 2013

    The front-row was a real point of weakness last year and he won't be away with Wales, so good decision. Need all the help we can get. No Roberts or T James replacements could cost us dear.

  • Comment posted by U15816692, at 16:10 16 Aug 2013

    I honestly think that Matthew Rees is a great appointment for the Cardiff Blues. He has captained Wales and the Lions and is a senior player. He has had his day with Wales and is unlikely to feature this year which is ideal for the Blues. He will also demand respect from the likes of Warburton and Halfpenny where others would struggle. Another positive news story from the Blues.. going well.

  • Comment posted by U15699205, at 23:39 18 Aug 2013

    @42
    The Aviva is already a Huge success and I am sure the last thing struggling championship clubs need is Premiership places taken up by Welsh clubs.
    LV cup is there for Anglo games and is seen as 2nd tire completion by most

  • Comment posted by JohnnyWAL, at 17:27 18 Aug 2013

    If I was Welsh management I would pick our absolute strongest squad for the Autumn and look to get some SH scalps which they are capable of doing and then looking to the WC and players fitness drop 14 of the Welsh Lions (keep either Sam or Tips) and bring in some fresh talent, worst case a 2nd Welsh 15 doesn't do well, best case we gain more strength in depth

  • Comment posted by U15228787, at 22:12 17 Aug 2013

    The point is the coloured people are culturally similar to the white people. They speak English and Afrikaans and play rugby so its no surprise that there are coloured Springboks. The majority in South Africa are black Africans. The challenge is to get black s africans playing for the springboks. Not easily achieved as the white and coloured people are well into rugby and the black people are not.

  • Comment posted by neversaydai, at 13:50 17 Aug 2013

    Sadly the regions will not prosper until we play in a competitive league. The Rabo is a joke until the last 6 weeks with teams fielding development sides and the Irish not playing until Heineken starts. Make the Rabo the best league in Europe by only the top 6 to qualify for the Heineken irregardless of nationality. Punters want to see a contest not a training session, C'mon Roger sort it out.

  • Comment posted by U15641509, at 02:14 17 Aug 2013

    18 comments in 12 hours. Not really worth opening this one up, was it?

  • Comment posted by clownfeatures, at 00:17 17 Aug 2013

    Sooo pleased to finally have a Welsh oriented thread to comment on- been getting so bored of all these minor english club stories that have been thread enabled

  • Comment posted by 1stDec2012, at 23:11 16 Aug 2013

    He should have been lions captain, massive oversight by warren. Top player and world class just like all the welsh lads

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