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Matt Cardey
Birth nameMatthew Dane Cardey
Date of birth(1975-07-07)7 July 1975
Place of birthPapakura, New Zealand
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight14 st 2 lb (198 lb; 90 kg)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Full-back
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
?–1998 North Harbour 12 (10)
1998–1999 Newport 22 (50)
1999–2003 Llanelli 100 (180)
2003–2005 Leeds Tykes 30 (20)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2000 Wales 1 (0)

Matthew Dane Cardey (born 7 July 1975)[1] is a former professional rugby union player who played as a full-back. Born in Papakura, New Zealand, he played for the Wales national team.

Cardey began his career in New Zealand with North Harbour, but suffered a broken leg in his first season and sought a move to Wales, where a former opposition coach, Graham Henry, was leading the national team. With Henry's intervention, Cardey secured a move to Newport RFC for the 1998–99 season.[2] He played 22 times and scored 10 tries, resulting in him being named the club's player of the season[3] before returning to New Zealand; however, upon his return, he received multiple contract offers from European clubs, including ones in England, France and Wales. He accepted the offer from Llanelli RFC as it gave him the opportunity to play in the Heineken Cup, and to connect with his Welsh roots.[2]

Cardey scored 19 tries in his first season with Llanelli, and in February 2000, after playing for Wales 'A' in the first two matches of the Six Nations 'A', scoring in the second against Italy, he was called up to the Wales team for the inaugural Six Nations. After being named on the bench for the game against England,[4] he was promoted to the starting XV for the following game against Scotland two weeks later, taking the place of Shane Howarth, who had been implicated in the "Grannygate" scandal along with flanker Brett Sinkinson, prop Peter Rogers and centre Jason Jones-Hughes.[5] Cardey was also named among the players whose eligibility was called into question, but he was exonerated after providing evidence that his grandmother was born in Nantyglo.[6] His highlight against Scotland was a try-saving tackle on Chris Paterson,[7] but before the final game against Ireland, Cardey was ruled out with a concussion after being knocked out while playing for Llanelli against Newport.[8] He only made one more appearance for Wales, in an uncapped match against the French Barbarians, but was on the scoresheet with a try as Wales recorded a 40–33 win.[9] He was also part of the Wales 'A' team's tour to Canada that summer,[10] playing in the games against Ontario President's Select and Canada A.[11]

The 2000–01 season was far less productive for Cardey, as he scored just four tries in 26 appearances for Llanelli, though he was called up to the Wales A team again for a November 2000 fixture against South Africa, providing the assist for the first of Wales' two tries.[12] He missed the start of the 2001–02 season with a broken wrist,[13] but found a new role in the team as a centre, following the emergence of young full-back Barry Davies. In November 2001, in a brief return to the #15 jersey for a Heineken Cup match against Amatori & Calvisano, Cardey scored a competition record five tries in a 93–14 win for Llanelli.[14] That December, Cardey suffered a broken leg and damage to his ankle in training;[15] he returned to training in late March 2002[16] and played his first game back in early May. He scored a try away to Cardiff on 10 May 2002 as Llanelli won 28–25 to secure the 2001–02 Welsh-Scottish League title;[17] however, he was unable to prevent Pontypridd winning 20–17 in the WRU Challenge Cup final the following week, denying Llanelli the double.[18]

Cardey's form slipped again in the 2002–03 season, scoring just two competitive tries, both of them in a 77–13 win over Caerphilly in March 2003.[19] His playing time was limited by injury, including keyhole surgery on his knee,[20] and he made just 22 appearances during the season. That summer, he was believed to have been offered a contract with the newly formed Llanelli Scarlets regional side, but instead opted to move to Leeds Tykes.[21] He retired in 2005.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Matt Cardey player profile Scrum.com
  2. ^ a b c James, Ben (22 December 2019). "The new life of Matt Cardey, the unmistakable Wales international caught up in Welsh rugby's biggest scandal". Wales Online. Media Wales. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Caerphilly, 30 October 1999". History of Newport RFC. 30 October 1999. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Charvis earns Twickenham recall". BBC Sport. 28 February 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Howarth axed in foreigner purge". BBC Sport. 13 March 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  6. ^ Rees, Paul (15 March 2000). "Wales made a 'laughing stock'". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Williams double rocks Scots". BBC Sport. 18 March 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Wales call up rookie fullback". BBC Sport. 27 March 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Wales fend off Gallic Baa-Baa's". BBC Sport. 27 May 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Welsh young guns go west". BBC Sport. 12 June 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  11. ^ Williams, Paul (26 June 2000). "Rugby Union: 10-TRY KIDS TURN ON A SUPERSHOW; CANADA A 10 WALES DEVEL0PMENT XV 67: Canadians stunned by all-round team effort". The Mirror. Retrieved 22 February 2024 – via The Free Library.
  12. ^ "Boks nous overcomes Wales". BBC Sport. 22 November 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Easterby leads Scarlets in opener". BBC Sport. 16 August 2001. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Cardey's five-star show". BBC Sport. 3 November 2001. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Garvey gets six-game ban". South Wales Argus. 12 December 2001. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Scarlets Must Deal With Injuries Before Facing Ravens". Welsh Rugby Union. 28 March 2002. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Llanelli clinch league title". BBC Sport. 10 May 2002. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Davey leads Ponty to glory". BBC Sport. 18 May 2002. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Llanelli too hot for Caerphilly". BBC Sport. 25 March 2003. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Jenkins calls for calm". BBC Sport. 2 January 2003. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Leeds swoop for Cardey". BBC. 4 June 2003. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
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