Squad news and injury updates

Here is the latest news concerning departures from and arrivals to the Ebbw Vale squad, courtesy of Jonathan Jones.

Squad Update

The following players have left the club in the last few weeks.

Gavin Bilton has been released following a lack of attendance at training that struggled to hit the 20% mark and did not allow him to gain the necessary fitness to play at Premiership level.
Andrew Mann has decided to take a year off rugby for personal reasons but we hope to see him again in the future having made a good impression in pre season.

Josh Jacas has rejoined the club and has accepted the strict regime put in place by the coaches that all are sure will allow him to display his undoubted talent for the Steelmen in the season to come. Josh had sustained an ankle injury at the end of last season and will be ready for selection for the next game, with a late decision ruling him out last weekend

Academy Allocation
The club can confirm that Jared Rosser, Will Talbot-Davies and Max Williams will again be allocated to Ebbw Vale for this season. We have not yet seen Jared and Max in Ebbw colours as they have made an early impression on new Dragons Head Coach Bernard Jackman.

They will be joined by new faces Tom Hoppe, an 18 year old centre who impressed in the Plate 7’s victory squad an the end of the summer, and was with Wales U18’s in South Africa during late summer. The second new face is 18 year old scrum half Dan Babos who is tipped for a big future but, unfortunately, has a hamstring injury at the moment.

Ebbw Fawr product Dawid Rubasniak, who made a good impression in several appearances last season, will play his rugby at Cardiff Met this season in order to gain more game time.

Injury Update
Elis Wyn Benham is very close to putting on the Steelmen shirt after working diligently with Rhys Shorney to overcome an ongoing hamstring strain. He is expected to be available for selection within weeks.
With that good news comes the bad news that prop Dean Brooker has likely sustained an ACL injury which, if confirmed, will rule him out for the season.

The club continues to look at options for filling the gaps that the early changes have produced in the squad.