Morgan Stoddart

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Morgan Stoddart
Birth nameMorgan Lloyd Stoddart
Date of birth (1984-09-23) 23 September 1984 (age 39)
Place of birth Trealaw, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight93 kg (14 st 9 lb)
Notable relative(s) Hywel Stoddart
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback, Wing
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2003–2004 Treorchy RFC ? ()
2004–2006 Pontypridd RFC 40 ()
2006–2010 Llanelli RFC 12 (50)
2006–2012 Scarlets 85 (130)
Correct as of 16 November 2022
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2007–2011 Wales 8 (25)
Correct as of 17:44, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
Coaching career
YearsTeam
2013– Cross Keys RFC
2021– Poland (attack coach)
Correct as of 8 November 2022

Morgan Lloyd Stoddart (born 23 September 1984) [1] is a former Wales international rugby union player. His usual position was fullback or wing.

Contents

In January 2013, Stoddart retired from rugby due to injury. [2]

His brother Hywel Stoddart is also a professional rugby union player.

Club career

Treorchy RFC

Stoddart began his rugby career at Treorchy RFC, working his way through the club's youth ranks before finally making it into the senior team for the 2003–04 season while still only 18 years old. Stoddart made most of his appearances at fly-half that season, scoring over 250 points for the Rhondda club. However, Treorchy were relegated from the First Division and Stoddart was given a trial at Pontypridd RFC.

Pontypridd RFC

Unlike the previous season, Pontypridd deployed Stoddart at fullback for most of his appearances in the 2004–05 season, and gradually earned a reputation as one of the most attacking prospects in the Premiership. The following year, Stoddart made the number 15 shirt at Sardis Road his own, and his explosive breaks were said to have provided the catalyst for Ponty's 2006 Konica Minolta Cup triumph over Neath.

Scarlets

Stoddart's performances did not go unnoticed by the Welsh regional sides, and he eventually signed a professional contract with the Llanelli Scarlets in 2006. Throughout the 2006–07 season, Stoddart played as understudy to Wales international Barry Davies, playing most of his matches for Llanelli RFC, but he eventually made his breakthrough to the regional side in the latter half of the season, making nine appearances, including two in the Heineken Cup.

He also scored two tries, including a 25-yard effort against Ulster in the Heineken Cup. Stoddart's efforts were rewarded when he won the Principality Premiership Player of the Year award for his contribution during the 2006–07 season for Llanelli. [3]

During the 2007–08 season, Stoddart was given the chance to play at fullback regularly, following the departure of Barry Davies to Brive. Stoddart put in excellent performances which would lead to an international call up to the Welsh national team.

Stoddart made his return from injury on 5 October 2012, scoring a try in the match against the Newport Gwent Dragons. [4] Despite his rehabilitation and return, Stoddart continued to experience pain from his knee injury, and ultimately retired in January 2013. [5]

International career

On 14 November 2007, Stoddart was given his first call-up to the Wales national rugby union team, for the Prince William Cup match against South Africa, and on 20 November, it was announced that he would be given the number 15 shirt as Wales' starting fullback. Although Wales lost 34–12, Stoddart shone on his debut, setting up Wales' first try and scoring the second. In January 2011, he was recalled to the Wales squad for the 2011 Six Nations Championship, [6] a tournament in which he scored two tries in three appearances, one in the opener against England and the other against Italy.

On 6 August 2011 during a World Cup warm up match between Wales and England, Stoddart broke his left leg after being tackled by Delon Armitage. [7] The incident was so graphic that match broadcaster Sky Sports chose not to show a replay. [8] The injury ended any hopes Stoddart had of playing in that year's World Cup in New Zealand.

International tries

TryOpponentLocationVenueCompetitionDateResult
1Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2007 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe 24 November 2007Loss
2Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2008 Autumn Internationals 14 November 2008Win
3Flag of England.svg  England Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2011 Six Nations 4 March 2011Loss
4Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Rome, Italy Stadio Flaminio 2011 Six Nations 26 February 2011Win
5 Barbarian F.C. Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2011 June rugby union tests 4 June 2011Loss

Coaching career

Stoddart was named head coach of Cross Keys RFC ahead of the 2013–2014 season. [9]

In 2021, he joined Poland national rugby union team as attack and backs coach. [10]

Personal life

Stoddart is a supporter of Aston Villa. [11]

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References

  1. ↑ Morgan Stoddart player profile ESPN Scrum.com
  2. ↑ "Morgan Stoddart forced to retire after broken leg". BBC Sport. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  3. ↑ 2005–2007 Principality Premiership Awards Archived 8 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ "Scarlets slay Dragons". PlanetRugby. 5 October 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  5. ↑ "Stoddart retires after broken leg". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  6. ↑ 2011 Wales squad
  7. ↑ "Morgan Stoddart breaks leg as Wales lose". BBC Sport. 6 August 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  8. ↑ Blanche, Phil (7 August 2011). "Morgan Stoddart out of World Cup after horror leg break". Wales on Sunday. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  9. ↑ "Morgan Stoddart named Cross Keys backs coach". BBC Sport. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  10. ↑ "Christian Hitt out to make rugby a big 'Hitt' in Poland". World Rugby. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  11. ↑ Potter, Jacob (16 January 2019). "'Hurry up before our season is over!' - Plenty of Aston Villa fans praying for talisman's return after latest update". FootballLeagueWorld. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
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