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Overview
This week on the WithYou! Rugby Podcast, United States U18 player, Damian Morley, spoke with the President of the United States Rugby Foundation, Brian Vizard. Damian is the recipient of Graham Downes Development and Pathways to Excellence Funds High Performance Grants, which he used to attend the prestigious Stellenbosch Academy of Sport in Stellenbosch, South Africa.Within his short yet incredibly promising rugby career, Damian has shown an outstanding talent for the sport. After transferring to Xavier High School, known for its tradition of rugby excellence, Damian was accepted onto the U.S. U18s. He then received this opportunity to hone his skills at Stellenbosch.As a young, up-and-coming rugby player, Damian has demonstrated exceptional talent and potential. Hear about Damian’s rugby progress to date and about his time spent so far at the Stellenbosch Academy.
Show Notes
1:00: Damian gives some background about where he grew up, the sports he played, and how he got started with rugby.
1:58: Brian asks Damian about his high school’s tradition of rugby excellence, showcased by their motto, “brotherhood, hard work, excellence.”
2:47: Tell us about your fondest memories from playing with the U18s.
4:31: Damian tells Brian why scrim-half is his favorite position.
5:07: “I’m a proud Eagles supporter.”
7:11: Brian asks Damian how he ended up in South Africa, 34 hours from home.
8:44: “My family’s been my number-one supporter this whole time.”
10:23: Damian talks about how amazing his experience has been at Stellenbosch, even though at the time, he’s only been there for two weeks.
11:37: Damian tells Brian what a typical day is like at Stellenbosch Academy.
14:28: Brian asks Damian about his first session after arriving at the Academy.
16:51: What have you learned so far, and what areas have you improved in?
20:04: Brian asks Damian what his week looks like between school, rugby, and other activities.
21:33: “Getting to a country like this and rubbing shoulders with the top talent in a rugby-infested country was definitely a dream come true.”
Wrap Up
In this episode of the WithYou! Rugby Podcast, we heard from Damian Morley, a promising up-and-coming rugby player. Though he’s only been playing rugby for a few years, Damian has already made an impact, making the U.S. U18s and attending the Stellenbosch Academy in South Africa with support from the United States Rugby Foundation.
