Ceri Sweeney
Encyclopedia
Ceri Sweeney is a rugby union
footballer who plays at fly-half for Cardiff Blues
and Wales
.
from Glyncoch RFC.
In 2003, with the introduction of regional rugby in Wales, Sweeney joined the Celtic Warriors
. When the club was liquidated in the Summer of 2004 he signed for the Newport Gwent Dragons
.
In the summer of 2008, after 4 seasons with the Newport Gwent Dragons
Sweeney signed for the Cardiff Blues
. Sweeney was told upon joining the Blues that he was signed to be used as an outside-half (his preferred position) as opposed to inside centre. This meant that Sweeney would be competing with Nicky Robinson for the number 10 jersey. He scored a try seconds after coming on in the EDF Energy Cup
final against Gloucester
at Twickenham
on 18 April 2009.
against England
in the Six Nations Championship.
After playing well during the six nations, Sweeney was selected in the Wales squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He was on the bench for the final pool game against New Zealand and came on just after half-time to make a big impact. His hand-off on Carlos Spencer
saw him break straight through the defensive line with Colin Charvis
in support. After passing to Charvis, who passed back to him, he was finally brought down by Doug Howlett
just 1m short of the line. The ball was quickly passed out to Shane Williams
on the left wing who finished the move by scoring a try.
Whilst playing against South Africa in 2004, his team-mate Alix Popham
was knocked unconscious whilst tackling. Sweeney noticed Popham was unconscious and acted quickly to prevent Popham from swallowing his own tongue.
In 2007 Sweeney was selected in the Wales squad for the 2007 World Cup.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who plays at fly-half for Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
and Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
.
Club career
In 1998, Sweeney joined Pontypridd RFCPontypridd RFC
Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions....
from Glyncoch RFC.
In 2003, with the introduction of regional rugby in Wales, Sweeney joined the Celtic Warriors
Celtic Warriors
The Celtic Warriors were a regional rugby union team from Wales, who played in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup between 2003 and 2004.-History:The Warriors were one of the five original regions of the Welsh Regional Rugby Era...
. When the club was liquidated in the Summer of 2004 he signed for the Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
.
In the summer of 2008, after 4 seasons with the Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
Sweeney signed for the Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
. Sweeney was told upon joining the Blues that he was signed to be used as an outside-half (his preferred position) as opposed to inside centre. This meant that Sweeney would be competing with Nicky Robinson for the number 10 jersey. He scored a try seconds after coming on in the EDF Energy Cup
EDF Energy Cup
The Anglo-Welsh Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the LV Cup , is an English and Welsh rugby union knock-out cup competition featuring the twelve Aviva Premiership clubs and four Welsh Regions...
final against Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
on 18 April 2009.
International career
In 2003, Sweeney made his debut for WalesWales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
against England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
in the Six Nations Championship.
After playing well during the six nations, Sweeney was selected in the Wales squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He was on the bench for the final pool game against New Zealand and came on just after half-time to make a big impact. His hand-off on Carlos Spencer
Carlos Spencer
Carlos James Spencer is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who currently plays at fly-half for the Lions in the Super 14 and formerly for the New Zealand All Blacks. He is well known for his flamboyant, attacking play and ball handling skills. He has signed to play for the Lions for 2010 and 2011...
saw him break straight through the defensive line with Colin Charvis
Colin Charvis
Colin Charvis is a former captain of the Welsh national rugby union team and also played for the British and Irish lions. A back row forward, Charvis was equally adept as a flanker or as the no...
in support. After passing to Charvis, who passed back to him, he was finally brought down by Doug Howlett
Doug Howlett
Douglas Charles Howlett is a professional New Zealand rugby union player of Tongan descent. He is primarily a wing but he has also covered fullback at national and international levels. He currently plays in Ireland with Munster. He is the brother of former Tongan rugby league international Phil...
just 1m short of the line. The ball was quickly passed out to Shane Williams
Shane Williams
Shane Mark Williams is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays as a wing for the Ospreys and who can also play scrum-half. Williams is the record try scorer for the Wales national team and he is third on the international list of leading Rugby union Test try scorers behind Daisuke Ohata...
on the left wing who finished the move by scoring a try.
Whilst playing against South Africa in 2004, his team-mate Alix Popham
Alix Popham
Alix Jon Popham is a Welsh rugby union footballer, who plays at Number eight or flanker and is captain for the 2009 season at Brive in the French Top 14, having signed from the Llanelli Scarlets in 2008...
was knocked unconscious whilst tackling. Sweeney noticed Popham was unconscious and acted quickly to prevent Popham from swallowing his own tongue.
In 2007 Sweeney was selected in the Wales squad for the 2007 World Cup.