Morgan Stoddart
Encyclopedia
Morgan Lloyd Stoddart is a Welsh
international rugby union
player. His usual position is at fullback.
He currently plays for Welsh regional side the Scarlets and plays international rugby for Wales
.
, 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
.
. 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
.
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.
During the 2007–08 season, Stoddart was given the chance to play at fullback regularly, following the departure of Barry Davies to Brive. Stoddart took this opportunity by the scruff of the neck and put in excellent performances which would lead to an international call up to the Welsh national 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 12–34, 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
, 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
. The incident was so graphic that match broadcaster Sky Sports
chose not to show a replay. The injury ended any hopes Stoddart had of playing in that year's World Cup
in New Zealand
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
international rugby union
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...
player. His usual position is at fullback.
He currently plays for Welsh regional side the Scarlets and plays international rugby for 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...
.
Treorchy RFC
Stoddart began his rugby career at Treorchy RFCTreorchy RFC
Treorchy Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the village of Treorchy, in the Rhondda Valley, Wales. They formed in 1886 and by 1891 were a strong voice in the Welsh Football Union and were playing in the Rhondda Division...
, 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
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....
.
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 PremiershipWelsh Premier Division
The Welsh Premier Division is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union for the 1990–91 season.-Competition history:...
. The following year, Stoddart made the number 15 shirt at Sardis Road
Sardis Road
Sardis Road is a rugby union stadium situated in Pontypridd, Wales. It is home to the Principality Premiership team, Pontypridd RFC and previously the Celtic Warriors, the now defunct regional rugby union team...
his own, and his explosive breaks were said to have provided the catalyst for Ponty's 2006 Konica Minolta Cup
WRU Challenge Cup
The WRU Challenge Cup , or its full name of the Welsh Rugby Union Challenge Cup, is Wales' premier knockout rugby union competition and is organised by the Welsh Rugby Union....
triumph over Neath
Neath RFC
Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem...
.
Scarlets
Stoddart's performances did not go unnoticed by the Welsh regional sides, and he eventually signed a professional contract with the Llanelli ScarletsLlanelli Scarlets
The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Llanelli, south-west Wales the team play at the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, as well as competing in the LV= Cup and the Heineken Cup...
in 2006. Throughout the 2006–07 season, Stoddart played as understudy to Wales international Barry Davies
Barry Davies (rugby player)
Barry Davies is a Welsh rugby union footballer. Davies has also been capped by Wales at international level. His usual position is at full back....
, playing most of his matches for Llanelli RFC
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
, 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.
During the 2007–08 season, Stoddart was given the chance to play at fullback regularly, following the departure of Barry Davies to Brive. Stoddart took this opportunity by the scruff of the neck and put in excellent performances which would lead to an international call up to the Welsh national team
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...
.
Wales
On 14 November 2007, Stoddart was given his first call-up to the Wales national rugby union teamWales 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...
, for the Prince William Cup
Prince William Cup
The Prince William Cup was created in 2007 by the Welsh Rugby Union and celebrates 100 years of rugby union history between Wales and South Africa...
match against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
, and on 20 November, it was announced that he would be given the number 15 shirt as Wales' starting fullback. Although Wales lost 12–34, 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
2011 Six Nations Championship
The 2011 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2011 RBS 6 Nations due to the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 12th series of the Six Nations Championship. The annual northern hemisphere rugby union championship was contested by England, France, Ireland, Italy,...
, 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
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...
, Stoddart broke his left leg after being tackled by Delon Armitage
Delon Armitage
Delon Anthony Armitage is a rugby union footballer who plays at wing or fullback for London Irish and England. He also occasionally plays centre and often does place kicking, mainly from a distance or if the regular kicker is unable to take it.From 1996 to 2002, Armitage lived in...
. The incident was so graphic that match broadcaster Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
chose not to show a replay. The injury ended any hopes Stoddart had of playing in that year's World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.