Debut Delight for Wales Scrum-Half Bevan Despite Springboks Defeat
On Saturday at Twickenham, scrum-half Ellis Bevan made his highly anticipated debut for the Wales national rugby union team, despite the side’s 41-13 defeat against world champions South Africa. The 24-year-old, born in Solihull but eligible through his Welsh father from Swansea, was identified by the Welsh Rugby Union’s exiles program and earned his first cap under head coach Warren Gatland.
“It was something I was looking forward to and wanted to embrace playing against a double World Cup winner on my debut,” he said.
Bevan, who previously shone for Cardiff Met and Cardiff, was not overawed by the challenge of facing seasoned Springboks scrum-half Faf de Klerk. De Klerk even went so far as to compliment Bevan’s performance, gifting him his shirt after the match.
Despite the defeat, Bevan was proud of Wales’ efforts, noting, “We had a game plan and stuck to it and in the first 50 minutes we executed that reasonably well.” He was denied a first-half try due to a wayward final pass, but remains optimistic about his international future, stating, “If I can have a career half as good as Gareth [Davies] and Kieran [Hardy], I will be doing all right.”
Bevan was one of four debutants for Wales, alongside Jacob Beetham, James Ratti, and Eddie James. With Tomos Williams injured, Bevan, Hardy, and Davies are expected to be named in the touring squad for Australia, set to depart on Wednesday. Bevan is eager to make the trip, remarking, “I will hopefully get on to the plane.”
The young scrum-half’s impressive debut performance and unwavering commitment to representing Wales have demonstrated his potential and determination to succeed at the international level. As he continues his rugby union journey, Bevan’s story will undoubtedly resonate with enthusiasts of the sport.
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