Ashton Hewitt

Last updated

Ashton Hewitt
Birth nameAshton Hewitt
Date of birth (1994-11-20) 20 November 1994 (age 29)
Place of birth Newport, Wales
Height180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight90 kg (14 st 2 lb)
School Caerleon Comprehensive School
University University of South Wales
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Current team Dragons
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2013– Dragons 125 (180)
Correct as of 11:44, 6 February 2024 (UTC)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2013–2014 Wales U20 4 (0)
Correct as of 11 March 2023

Ashton Hewitt (born 20 November 1994) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays as a wing for the Dragons regional team, having previously played for Cross Keys RFC and Newport RFC. He is a Wales under-20 international. Hewitt made his Dragons debut in an LV Cup match against the Scarlets on 8 November 2013.

Contents

Hewitt is executive chairman of the Welsh Rugby Players Association. [1] He is outspoken against racism, supporting racial justice and also advocates for Welsh independence.

International

He was named in the Wales squad for the uncapped international versus the Barbarians on 30 November 2019. [2]

Personal life

Hewitt was born and raised in Newport to a British-Jamaican father and a white mother, [3] and started playing rugby at Harriers RFC. As well as pursuing a career in professional sport, he holds a degree in Criminology, Criminal Justice and Youth Justice from the University of South Wales. [4]

Following the mass support of the Black Lives Matter movement in the US and Britain, he has openly supported racial justice and has spoken out about racist abuse he has received. He has also called the rugby authorities to have a stronger stance against racial discrimination, particularly after Argentina's captain Pablo Matera was suspended due to racist tweets. [5] [6]

Hewitt supports Welsh independence and has said that "there's more reasons to be yes than no". [7]

Related Research Articles

The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dragons RFC</span> One of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales

Dragons RFC are one of the four professional rugby union regional teams in Wales. They are owned by the Welsh Rugby Union and play their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup/European Rugby Challenge Cup. The region they represent covers an area of southeast Wales including Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen with a total population approaching 600,000 and they are affiliated with a number of semi-professional and amateur clubs throughout the area, including Pontypool RFC, Caerphilly RFC, Cross Keys RFC, Ebbw Vale RFC and Newport RFC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gavin Henson</span> Welsh international rugby union player

Gavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh former professional rugby union player, who played as a fly-half, fullback and inside centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Parade</span> Stadium in Newport, Wales, United Kingdom

Rodney Parade is a stadium in the city of Newport, South Wales. It is located on the east bank of the River Usk in Newport city centre. The ground is on Rodney Road, a short walk from the city's central bus and railway stations via Newport Bridge or Newport City footbridge. There is no spectator car park at the ground but a number of multi-storey car parks are nearby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aled Brew</span> Welsh rugby union player

Aled Brew is a former Wales international rugby union player who played as a winger. He made his debut for the Wales national rugby union team against Ireland in the 2007 Six Nations Championship. In his career, as well as playing for Biarritz Olympique and Bath Rugby, he is one of only a handful of players to have played for all four top-level regional teams in Wales.

Lyn Jones is a former Wales international rugby union player. Originally playing as a flanker, Jones subsequently became a coach. He played most of his playing career for Neath RFC and started his coaching career at the same club. Jones has coached professional clubs in Wales and England and, in 2018, became head coach of the Russian national rugby union team. He subsequently beame a coach with national rugby team of the Netherlands.

Jason Tovey is a retired Welsh rugby union player who played at fly-half. He has represented the Wales under-20.

Will Harries is a Welsh former international rugby union player. A wing or fullback, he played for the Northampton Saints, Bedford Blues, Newport Gwent Dragons, and most recently Ealing Trailfinders.

Robert Lewis is a Welsh rugby union player. Lewis primarily played for Newport Gwent Dragons, London Welsh RFC, and Birmingham Moseley. Lewis represented Wales at grade age levels, as well as in rugby sevens.

Samson Lee is a former Wales international rugby union player. Lee played for the Scarlets, as well as local teams Llanelli and Ammanford. His position is prop forward. Lee has represented Wales, making his debut against Argentina in November 2013.

Tavis Knoyle is a Wales international rugby union footballer who plays at scrum-half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taulupe Faletau</span> Wales and British Lions international rugby union player

Tangaki Taulupe Faletau, commonly known as Toby Faletau but professionally as Taulupe Faletau, is a Welsh professional rugby union player for Cardiff Rugby in the United Rugby Championship and has represented the Wales national team for over 10 years. The back row forward played for Cross Keys RFC, Newport RFC and Newport Gwent Dragons in Wales before joining Bath in England in 2016. He joined present club Cardiff in 2022.

Welsh regional rugby is the top tier of professional Welsh club rugby and is composed of the Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff Rugby and the Dragons which compete in the United Rugby Championship.

Jonathan Evans is a Welsh rugby union footballer, who play at scrum half for Ebbw Vale RFC. He also played for the Scarlets, Newport Gwent Dragons and Bath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cory Allen (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

Cory Allen is a retired Welsh international rugby union player. A centre or wing, he played for Cardiff Blues and the Ospreys. Allen joined the Dragons in 2021, but did not feature for the side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Welsh people</span>

Black Welsh people are inhabitants of Wales who have an African or an Afro-Caribbean background and are black. Wales is home to one of the United Kingdom's oldest black communities, and Tiger Bay in Cardiff has housed a large Somali population since the development of the port in the 19th century. The 2011 census reported that there were more than 18,000 Welsh-African people in Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence</span> Welsh sports facility

The CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence was opened in May 2014. The CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, Wales, is a sports facility located in and run by Caerphilly County Borough Council, South Wales. The Centre's facilities include a FIFA 2 star 3G Football Pitch, an IRB 22 ratified 3G Rugby Pitch, 2 conference rooms, a strength and conditioning room, medical & first aid rooms, a community room, 2 grandstands; 1 on each pitch and 2 balconies overlooking both pitches for performance analysis purposes.

Alex Jeffries is a Welsh former professional rugby union player who played as a prop. He retired from rugby due to a neck injury in April 2023.

Aaron James Wainwright is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a number eight for United Rugby Championship club Dragons and the Wales national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rio Dyer</span> Welsh rugby union footballer

Rio Dyer is a Welsh professional rugby union player who primarily plays wing for Dragons in the United Rugby Championship. He has also represented Wales at international level, having made his test debut against New Zealand during the 2022 Autumn Internationals.

References

  1. "Contract fears could spark Welsh player exodus". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  2. "Wayne Pivac: New Wales head coach picks McNicholl and Halaholo in first squad". BBC Sport. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  3. "Ashton Hewitt: 'People think rugby doesn't have society's problems'". the Guardian. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  4. "Ashton Hewitt: LV= Cup invaluable for Dragons' young guns". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  5. Media, P. A. (29 December 2020). "Argentina's Pablo Matera ordered to undergo anti-discrimination training". the Guardian. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  6. "Ashton Hewitt: 'People think rugby doesn't have society's problems'". the Guardian. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  7. "'There's more reason to be yes than no' says rugby star on Welsh Independence". Nation.Cymru. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2022.