Lee (The Hoover) Beach (born 6 October 1982) is a
Welsh rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
player. Lee was born and raised in
Maerdy
Maerdy (, cy, Y Maerdy) is a village and community (and electoral ward) in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, and within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying at the head of the Rhondda Fach Valley.
History
"Maerdy" i ...
in Rhondda Valleys. Lee started his rugby life playing for his Home Team Maerdy RFC and Tylorstown RFC youth, Lee was noticed by scouts from around Wales and was signed up by
Pontypridd RFC
Pontypridd Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Pontypridd) are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. They compete in the Indigo Group Premiership, which they won for four consecutive seasons between 2012 and 2015, and ...
at the age of 18. Lee initially played his club rugby for
Pontypridd RFC
Pontypridd Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Pontypridd) are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. They compete in the Indigo Group Premiership, which they won for four consecutive seasons between 2012 and 2015, and ...
, and was involved with developing other young players as a rugby development officer.
he then played for
Neath RFC
Neath Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Castell-Nedd) is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the WRU Championship. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The team is known as the All Blacks because of the team colours: black with onl ...
then followed by a couple of years at the
Ospreys where he played alongside the likes of Shane Williams, Lee Byrne, Alyn Wyn Jones, James Hook, Andy Powell, Lee played in the famous victory when the Ospreys beat Australia national team at the liberty stadium (aka the council ground).
Lee then moved to
London Welsh
London Welsh Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Cymry Llundain) was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seaso ...
where he gained promotion to the English premier league.
Lee Beach represented the
Wales Sevens squad in 2009 and
captained the
2009 IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens winning team in Dubai.
Lee Beach retired from playing professionally in June 2013
He captained Newport RFC in the Welsh Premiership, after leaving Newport Lee took up a player coach role at Bargoed RFC playing in the Welsh Rugby Premiership.
Lee hung up his boots in 2018/19 but still regularly plays in invitational 7s tournaments around the world, he also gets involved in various rugby veteran charity matches with other ex professional players.
Lee now coaches Ferndale RFC in division 4 east central taking up the role for the 23/24 season
References
External links
*
1982 births
Living people
London Welsh RFC players
Neath RFC players
Pontypridd RFC players
Rugby union players from Rhondda Cynon Taf
Welsh rugby union players
Ospreys (rugby union) players
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