Harri Doel has followed in the footsteps of Wales international Ashley Beck by returning to Welsh rugby after the meltdown situation at Worcester Warriors.
The English club's men's side has been suspended and relegated from the Gallagher Premiership after encountering major financial issues, with the company holding player contracts going into liquidation, leaving members of the squad unemployed.
Seven-cap Wales centre Beck joined Welsh Premiership club Merthyr until the end of 2022-23 with club chairman Justin Griffiths saying he could leave if offered “a more suitable option”. Now Beck's ex-Worcester team-mate Doel has also opted to head back to Wales to continue his career, in his case with his hometown club Llandovery.
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The back-three man who the Warriors were excited to sign last year has registered as a player with the Drovers but still has ambitions to play professionally, so he could still be a target for pay-for-play clubs.
“The first thing to say is that it will be great to play rugby again, and especially for my hometown club,” said Doel, part of the Wales U20s class of 2020 which contained the likes of Jac Morgan, Ben Carter, Sam Costelow and Ioan Lloyd. “I first went there at the age of seven or eight, so I’m excited to return and play for them once more. They have a great set-up, some very good players and play a nice brand of rugby.
“I still have ambitions to play as a professional and Llandovery have told me if a pro club comes in I can make a decision, but the main thing for me now is to pull on the jersey once again and do all I can for the Drovers. They mean a lot to me.”
Doel made a significant impression at Worcester with his versatility, pace and ability to step, allied to a spirit of adventure.
Rewind to last March and the wing or full-back scored a try against Exeter Chiefs which was as memorable as most solo efforts in English rugby and beyond in 2021-22, seeing him field the ball some 75 metres out before advancing and stepping off his left foot to beat two defenders. There followed a swerve to the right and then a kick ahead for a touchdown which won the Welsh lad the Premiership Rugby try of the month award.
After life with the Warriors ended, Doel did attract attention from at least four clubs in England but nothing came of it. Now the ex-Scarlets academy product is back home in the village Llangadog, Carmarthenshire, hoping for a career relaunch with the club where it all started for him.
While Worcester's men's side remains suspended, the women's side — now called University of Worcester Warriors Women and containing a cohort of Wales players — has been given permission by the Rugby Football Union to continue playing. Interim funding for Worcester women has been secured from a local company to keep the club playing until at least Christmas. Like Wasps' women's team, they will remain in the Allianz Premier 15s, which kicks off later this month. The RFU was satisfied that funding and insurance was in place for future matches to go ahead.
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