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All Blacks benefit as Webber makes move
http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/Blacks-benefit-Webber-makes/story-15859651-detail/story.html
All Blacks benefit as Webber makes move Thursday, April 19, 2012 North Devon Journal
NIELSON WEBBER is to leave Barnstaple and sign for Cornish All Blacks.
The back joined retiring prop Phil Gordon in a farewell home game against Oxford Harlequins on Saturday.
Barnstaple's disappointment at losing such an important player will be eased by the good news that accompanies his switch.
Webber's girlfriend Carly Taylor, who was paralysed after breaking her neck in a fall, is expected to return home to Cornwall in the next few weeks after spending five months at a specialist spinal unit in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Webber decided to join a club closer to Carly's home near Newquay and will play for Launceston's All Blacks in National Two south next season.
Kevin Squire, Barnstaple's director of rugby, said: "He has been such a great Barnstaple club man and we are really sorry to see him leave. He goes with all our love."
Webber, 22, a former Barnstaple Colts captain, returned to the club in the summer of 2010 after playing for Old Patesians while studying at the University of Gloucestershire, where he met Carly.
He succeeded Gordon as first-team captain at the start of this season but handed the role to Tom Skelding after Carly's injury.
He has been in and out of the starting line-up since running seven marathons in seven days in February to raise money for Spinal Research UK and Carly's rehabilitation.
Webber replaced the injured Josh Squire at fly half in the 19th minute of Saturday's match and produced one of his best performances of the season.
But he was not able to save Barnstaple from an 8-3 defeat, which means on Saturday they need to deny Exmouth so much as a bonus point while scoring four tries themselves to climb above their Devon rivals and finish fourth in National Three south west.
It seems unlikely given the way Exmouth outplayed Barum in the Devon Senior Cup semi-final at Easter.
But Kevin Squire said: "There is absolutely no pressure on us at all and stranger things have happened.
"On the evidence of Easter Saturday there is no chance at all. But we will have a lot of support down there, we will go out and throw the ball around and see what comes of it.
"It's better that we are going there with a mathematical chance than it being a dead rubber."
Gordon, 32, was given a standing ovation by the Barum fans as he ran on to the pitch with his children through a guard of honour formed by his team-mates.
Barnstaple No 8 Dan Lee has been named in the England Counties Under-20s squad to play Scotland next month.
All Blacks benefit as Webber makes move Thursday, April 19, 2012 North Devon Journal
NIELSON WEBBER is to leave Barnstaple and sign for Cornish All Blacks.
The back joined retiring prop Phil Gordon in a farewell home game against Oxford Harlequins on Saturday.
Barnstaple's disappointment at losing such an important player will be eased by the good news that accompanies his switch.
Webber's girlfriend Carly Taylor, who was paralysed after breaking her neck in a fall, is expected to return home to Cornwall in the next few weeks after spending five months at a specialist spinal unit in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Webber decided to join a club closer to Carly's home near Newquay and will play for Launceston's All Blacks in National Two south next season.
Kevin Squire, Barnstaple's director of rugby, said: "He has been such a great Barnstaple club man and we are really sorry to see him leave. He goes with all our love."
Webber, 22, a former Barnstaple Colts captain, returned to the club in the summer of 2010 after playing for Old Patesians while studying at the University of Gloucestershire, where he met Carly.
He succeeded Gordon as first-team captain at the start of this season but handed the role to Tom Skelding after Carly's injury.
He has been in and out of the starting line-up since running seven marathons in seven days in February to raise money for Spinal Research UK and Carly's rehabilitation.
Webber replaced the injured Josh Squire at fly half in the 19th minute of Saturday's match and produced one of his best performances of the season.
But he was not able to save Barnstaple from an 8-3 defeat, which means on Saturday they need to deny Exmouth so much as a bonus point while scoring four tries themselves to climb above their Devon rivals and finish fourth in National Three south west.
It seems unlikely given the way Exmouth outplayed Barum in the Devon Senior Cup semi-final at Easter.
But Kevin Squire said: "There is absolutely no pressure on us at all and stranger things have happened.
"On the evidence of Easter Saturday there is no chance at all. But we will have a lot of support down there, we will go out and throw the ball around and see what comes of it.
"It's better that we are going there with a mathematical chance than it being a dead rubber."
Gordon, 32, was given a standing ovation by the Barum fans as he ran on to the pitch with his children through a guard of honour formed by his team-mates.
Barnstaple No 8 Dan Lee has been named in the England Counties Under-20s squad to play Scotland next month.
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