Matt Cardey

Last updated

Matt Cardey
Birth nameMatthew Dane Cardey
Date of birth(1975-07-07)7 July 1975
Place of birth Papakura, New Zealand
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight14 st 2 lb (198 lb; 90 kg)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Full-back
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
?–1998 North Harbour 12 (10)
1998–1999 Newport 22 (50)
1999–2003 Llanelli 100 (180)
2003–2005 Leeds Tykes 30 (20)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2000 Wales 1 (0)

Matthew Dane Cardey (born 7 July 1975) [1] is a former professional rugby union player who played as a full-back. Born in Papakura, New Zealand, he played for the Wales national team.

Cardey began his career in New Zealand with North Harbour, but suffered a broken leg in his first season and sought a move to Wales, where a former opposition coach, Graham Henry, was leading the national team. With Henry's intervention, Cardey secured a move to Newport RFC for the 1998–99 season. [2] He played 22 times and scored 10 tries, resulting in him being named the club's player of the season [3] before returning to New Zealand; however, upon his return, he received multiple contract offers from European clubs, including ones in England, France and Wales. He accepted the offer from Llanelli RFC as it gave him the opportunity to play in the Heineken Cup, and to connect with his Welsh roots. [2]

Cardey scored 19 tries in his first season with Llanelli, and in February 2000, after playing for Wales 'A' in the first two matches of the Six Nations 'A', scoring in the second against Italy, he was called up to the Wales team for the inaugural Six Nations. After being named on the bench for the game against England, [4] he was promoted to the starting XV for the following game against Scotland two weeks later, taking the place of Shane Howarth, who had been implicated in the "Grannygate" scandal along with flanker Brett Sinkinson, prop Peter Rogers and centre Jason Jones-Hughes. [5] Cardey was also named among the players whose eligibility was called into question, but he was exonerated after providing evidence that his grandmother was born in Nantyglo. [6] His highlight against Scotland was a try-saving tackle on Chris Paterson, [7] but before the final game against Ireland, Cardey was ruled out with a concussion after being knocked out while playing for Llanelli against Newport. [8] He only made one more appearance for Wales, in an uncapped match against the French Barbarians, but was on the scoresheet with a try as Wales recorded a 40–33 win. [9] He was also part of the Wales 'A' team's tour to Canada that summer, [10] playing in the games against Ontario President's Select and Canada A. [11]

The 2000–01 season was far less productive for Cardey, as he scored just four tries in 26 appearances for Llanelli, though he was called up to the Wales A team again for a November 2000 fixture against South Africa, providing the assist for the first of Wales' two tries. [12] He missed the start of the 2001–02 season with a broken wrist, [13] but found a new role in the team as a centre, following the emergence of young full-back Barry Davies. In November 2001, in a brief return to the #15 jersey for a Heineken Cup match against Amatori & Calvisano, Cardey scored a competition record five tries in a 93–14 win for Llanelli. [14] That December, Cardey suffered a broken leg and damage to his ankle in training; [15] he returned to training in late March 2002 [16] and played his first game back in early May. He scored a try away to Cardiff on 10 May 2002 as Llanelli won 28–25 to secure the 2001–02 Welsh-Scottish League title; [17] however, he was unable to prevent Pontypridd winning 20–17 in the WRU Challenge Cup final the following week, denying Llanelli the double. [18]

Cardey's form slipped again in the 2002–03 season, scoring just two competitive tries, both of them in a 77–13 win over Caerphilly in March 2003. [19] His playing time was limited by injury, including keyhole surgery on his knee, [20] and he made just 22 appearances during the season. That summer, he was believed to have been offered a contract with the newly formed Llanelli Scarlets regional side, but instead opted to move to Leeds Tykes. [21] He retired in 2005. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarlets</span> Rugby team based in Llanelli, Wales

The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams and are based in Llanelli, Wales. Their home ground is the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby competitions. The club was originally named the Llanelli Scarlets but was renamed at the start of the 2008–09 rugby season.

<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">Dwayne Peel</span> Former Welsh rugby union player

Dwayne John Peel is a Welsh rugby union coach and former player. He was the most capped scrum-half for the Wales national rugby union team with 76 caps, until his record was surpassed by Mike Phillips on 16 March 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llanelli RFC</span> Welsh rugby union football club

Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded on 30 March 1872.

Gareth John James Jenkins is a Welsh former rugby union player and coach. Born in Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, he played for Llanelli RFC for 17 years from his debut in September 1969. He was appointed coach of the club in 1982. In 2003, he was appointed as coach of the newly formed Llanelli Scarlets regional side, guiding them to the Celtic League title in their first season. Following the resignation of Steve Hansen as coach of the Wales national team, Jenkins applied for the position and was one of two finalists only for Mike Ruddock to be appointed without applying. Jenkins finally took over as Wales coach when Ruddock resigned during the 2006 Six Nations, but his tenure was unsuccessful, winning just six of his 20 games in charge. He was sacked on 30 September 2007, the day after Wales failed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He returned to the Scarlets as their head of regional development and recruitment in June 2008.

Dafydd Aled Rees Jones is a Welsh former rugby union player who played as a flanker for the Scarlets regional side and the Wales national team. First capped in 2002, he made 42 appearances in a seven-year international career. He also played over 200 times for Llanelli, including appearances for both Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets.

Gavin Michael Thomas is a Welsh former international rugby union player who played as a flanker. He played his club rugby for Tondu, Bridgend, Bath, the Ospreys, the Scarlets and the Newport Gwent Dragons, and was capped 24 times for Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Rees</span> British Lions & Wales international rugby union footballer

Matthew Rees is a Welsh former professional rugby union footballer who played as a hooker. After beginning his career with Tonyrefail RFC and Merthyr RFC, he made his professional debut for Pontypridd RFC in 2001. With the arrival of regional rugby in Wales in 2003, he joined the Celtic Warriors, but their closure a year later led to him signing for the Llanelli Scarlets. He played more than 180 matches for the Scarlets, captaining them on several occasions, leading to his first Wales call-up in 2005.

Adam Mathias Jones is a Welsh former professional rugby union player who played as a lock. He captained the Wales Under-19 team and earned his first caps for the Wales senior team as a replacement against England and Scotland in the 2006 Six Nations Championship. He began his career with Swansea RFC before a spell in England with Saracens and Harlequins, before returning to Wales with Cardiff RFC. At the start of the Welsh regional era, he signed for the Llanelli Scarlets and played for them for four seasons, before a seven-year spell with the Newport Gwent Dragons. He also made appearances for Llandovery RFC, Carmarthen Quins RFC, Cross Keys RFC and Newport RFC.

Morgan Lloyd Stoddart is a former Wales international rugby union player. His usual position was fullback or wing.

Nathan Brew is a former Welsh international rugby union player. Brew played in the centre and on the wing.

Dominic Day is a Welsh rugby union player.

Matthew Jason Watkins was a Welsh professional rugby union player who played as a centre. He was commonly known by the name Matthew J. Watkins to avoid confusion with another Welsh rugby union player of the same name.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Williams (rugby union)</span> Welsh rugby union player

Jordan Rhys Williams is a Welsh rugby union footballer who plays for the Dragons. His regular position is at full-back, but he has also played at fly-half and on the wing. He began his career with amateur side New Dock Stars RFC, before being signed by Llanelli RFC and ultimately breaking into the Scarlets regional side. However, he struggled to find playing time with the Scarlets and moved to Bristol in 2016, only to return to Wales with the Dragons two years later. He has also played internationally for Wales at under-16, under-18 and under-20 level, as well as for the Wales Sevens team.

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.

William Justin Lloyd Thomas is a Welsh International rugby union player. He made nine appearances for the Wales national team, as well as representing Llanelli RFC Cardiff RFC, Newport RFC and Caerphilly RFC in the top division of Welsh club rugby.

Ryan Conbeer is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Scarlets and Llanelli RFC as a winger.

Tomi Lewis is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for the Scarlets as a fullback or wing. Lewis has represented Wales 7s and Wales U20, most recently in the 2019 U20 Six Nations.

Gareth Williams is a Welsh former rugby union player who played as a flanker. Born in Aberystwyth but raised in the village of Tumble, Carmarthenshire, he played club rugby for Llanelli, Carmarthen Quins and Llandovery, and was also part of the Llanelli Scarlets regional side for the first season of regional rugby in Wales in 2002–03. At international level, he represented Wales at every level from under-16 to under-21.

References

  1. ↑ Matt Cardey player profile Scrum.com
  2. 1 2 3 James, Ben (22 December 2019). "The new life of Matt Cardey, the unmistakable Wales international caught up in Welsh rugby's biggest scandal". Wales Online. Media Wales. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  3. ↑ "Caerphilly, 30 October 1999". History of Newport RFC. 30 October 1999. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "Charvis earns Twickenham recall". BBC Sport. 28 February 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "Howarth axed in foreigner purge". BBC Sport. 13 March 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  6. ↑ Rees, Paul (15 March 2000). "Wales made a 'laughing stock'". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  7. ↑ "Williams double rocks Scots". BBC Sport. 18 March 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  8. ↑ "Wales call up rookie fullback". BBC Sport. 27 March 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  9. ↑ "Wales fend off Gallic Baa-Baa's". BBC Sport. 27 May 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  10. ↑ "Welsh young guns go west". BBC Sport. 12 June 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  11. ↑ Williams, Paul (26 June 2000). "Rugby Union: 10-TRY KIDS TURN ON A SUPERSHOW; CANADA A 10 WALES DEVEL0PMENT XV 67: Canadians stunned by all-round team effort". The Mirror. Retrieved 22 February 2024– via The Free Library.
  12. ↑ "Boks nous overcomes Wales". BBC Sport. 22 November 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  13. ↑ "Easterby leads Scarlets in opener". BBC Sport. 16 August 2001. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  14. ↑ "Cardey's five-star show". BBC Sport. 3 November 2001. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  15. ↑ "Garvey gets six-game ban". South Wales Argus. 12 December 2001. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  16. ↑ "Scarlets Must Deal With Injuries Before Facing Ravens". Welsh Rugby Union. 28 March 2002. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  17. ↑ "Llanelli clinch league title". BBC Sport. 10 May 2002. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  18. ↑ "Davey leads Ponty to glory". BBC Sport. 18 May 2002. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  19. ↑ "Llanelli too hot for Caerphilly". BBC Sport. 25 March 2003. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  20. ↑ "Jenkins calls for calm". BBC Sport. 2 January 2003. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  21. ↑ "Leeds swoop for Cardey". BBC. 4 June 2003. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.