Talented teenager George just loves being involved!

There can be few young people in Neyland who enjoy their all-round sporting activity more than 15 year old George Evans, who plays rugby and cricket for the town’s teams, as well as football at Haverfordwest Cricket Club.

 

George is hugely enthusiastic about being involved in all three sports and he was recently 12th man for the Neyland Cricket Club first team when they won the DR Morris Cup Final, is hoping to be included as a scrum half in the Scarlets (West) junior rugby squad for the 2014/15 campaign, and was captain last season when he played in midfield and led the Haverfordwest Cricket Club junior football team to the title for their age group.

 

 

As George for sporting inspiration and he would unhesitatingly nominate his grandfather, Derek Charles, who was something of a legend in his playing days for Neyland Rugby Club and Pembrokeshire over many seasons.

 

George also has every encouragement from his parents, Debbie and Justin, who used to play football for Abergavenny Thursdays and Neyland, whilst his older sister and brother, Stacey and Dan Griffiths, also provide lots of support.

 

 

George is currently enjoying his cricket at the Athletic Ground after starting out as an 11 year old when his uncle, James Griffiths, took him along and he met coach Lyn Rees. 

 

Since then he has played for Neyland throughout the respective age groups as a useful all-rounder, with best bowling figures of for 6 in a junior match and 4 for 14 in seven overs in senior cricket at home to Lamphey.

 

 

On the batting front, George has scored 47 for the third team this season and claimed his top score of 85 not out against Taskers in school cricket. There were still five overs left when Mr Med Richards, his very sporting games teacher, told him he ought to retire to give someone else a chance. 

 

George admits he wasn’t too happy at the time but says in hindsight that perhaps ‘sir’ was right after all!

 

It is nice to report that George is ever-ready to serve as 12th man for the first team in cup matches, a useful asset because he is such a good fielder, and he was delighted to perform the role in the DR Morris Cup, sharing the delight of his older team mates as they gained victory off the last ball of the match when Patrick Bellerby hit a mighty six!

 

 

Moving on from his cricket, George is also a very keen footballer with Haverfordwest Cricket Club, where Trevor Morgans runs the academy-type system and George was the captain last season of the under 15s team which won the league from Milford United as their nearest opponents. 

 

They also reached the final of the cup for their age group but lost 5-4 on penalties – and poor old George missed from the spot, nervously shooting straight at the keeper, as part of his learning curve, which so far has been very positive!

George and Co also won the league crown the season before but also suffered a little heart-ache in the cup final as they lost 1-0 to Tenby, who scored a last-minute goal to take the silverware.

He was also asked to play for the county in football but had to refuse – because it clashed with his rugby!

 

 

George started out in the oval ball game because his dad was pals with Neyland Juniors coach Peter Hughes and so en started playing the non-contact version before playing the full version at under 11 and not looking back ever since.

 

“I started out as a prop,” George told us, “then I got moved back to second row and then to No 8.

“I’ve also helped out at full back and centre but now settled into my best position at scrum half, where I can be involved all the time.”

 

 

George loves taking on the opposition from the base of the scrum but also has a good, strong pass which allows him to set his backs in motion. Last season saw him go on his first tour, with Neyland under 15s to Torquay for a competition where they won the plate final by beating Ellesmere Port.

 

The same group of lads had earlier reached the final of the under 14 competition on the County Finals day so well organised by Ken Davies – and although they lost 38-12 to a very good Crymych side at Pembroke Dock, George at least had the satisfaction of scoring both the young All Blacks tries, one of them from near his own line as he set off on a 95 yard run!

 

 

George has been involved in the county set-up all the way through from under 12s coached by Jonathan Evans and Jonathan Llewellin in a good team that also includes Scott and Jimmy Buirds, Ethan Mayhew and Tom Hughes.

 

Last season saw them do quite well in the Dewar Shield, the national championships for counties or districts, with George scoring a try from the back of a ruck in a 27-12 win over Swansea at the Ospreys’ training ground. 

 

He also scored two tries against the Vale of Glamorgan at Narberth to earn the man of the match award before bowling out in the later stages against a huge Cardiff side at the Arms Park.

“We were disappointed,” admitted George, “but it was a great experience to play there and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.”

 

 

So what of the future? At the time of writing George was waiting to hear whether he had been selected for this season’s Scarlets’ (West) Academy squad, which has gradually been whittled down until what is soon likely to be the settled squad for the forthcoming season.

 

He would love to get the nod so that he can try his hand at this higher level and there’s one thing for sure, if effort, determination and total commitment are anything to go by then George Evans will finish this cricket campaign well and have a great time during the winter with his football and rugby!