Ex-Dragons centre Tyler Morgan signs new deal with Biarritz

FORMER Dragons centre Tyler Morgan has signed a new two-year deal with Biarritz.

The 27-year-old from Caerleon signed for the Pro D2 club last summer and made 21 appearances, scoring four tries.

Morgan made 89 appearances for the Dragons after making his debut in 2013 with his exploits earning five Wales caps.

The sevens international moved to the Scarlets in 2020 and played for two seasons in Llanelli before heading for France, initially as a medical joker.

"I have taken myself out of my comfort zone with a new challenge," Morgan told the Argus last year.

"I jumped at the chance, I have come over with an open mind and I just want to enjoy it."

Welch returns to Pandy Park

- CROSS Keys have bolstered their coaching team ahead of the Championship campaign with former European Challenge Cup winner Damian Welsh returning to the club.

Morgan Stoddart will remain as head coach for the Pandy Park club with team manager Mark Prangell, scrum coach Gwesyn Price-Jones and backs coach Ieuan Parsons on his management team.

Chris James comes in as forwards/defence coach while Welch will join as an assistant coach with responsibility for lineouts after previously being a coach with Plymouth.

The 40-year-old signed for Keys as a player in 2018 fresh from winning the Challenge Cup with Cardiff against Gloucester in Bilbao.

Welch played Stoddart at Pontypridd and skippered the Pandy Park club in the Premiership before moving to Merthyr in 2019 when they were relegated.

Young guns fall just short

WALES Women Under-20s went down to a 28-27 defeat to the USA despite a stirring second-half comeback in Canada.

Jenna De Vera’s side were 28-5 behind just after half-time before they rallied and scored 22 unanswered points but just missed out on a first historic win against the USA in Ottawa.

Wales now face the hosts, Canada Women’s U20s, in the next game on the North American tour at Elms Rugby Park next Thursday (6.30pm).

The Welsh tourists crossed for tries by wing Nel Metcalfe, fullback Bethan Adkins, centre Ellie Tromans and replacement Masie Davies.

Wales had opened the scoring with a try by wing Metcalfe after five minutes before USA replied and took the lead with two tries of their own to make it 14-5 at half-time.

Lock Nikki Lynch, wing Serena Vualono, fullback Ashley Cowdrey and centre Tiahna Padilla looked to have given the USA an unassailable 28-5 lead just after the break.

However, Wales produced comeback against the odds to claw themselves back into the game for the next 30 minutes to give them real confidence when they face Canada at the same venue next week.