Lawrence leading the way as he eyes new goals
- URC Media
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Chart topper Alun Lawrence is a man who is setting himself further targets for both club and country.
The ultra-consistent Cardiff Rugby No 8 has been an absolute machine when it comes to his stats so far this season.
He has made more carries (116) and tackles (101) than any other player in the United Rugby Championship, while he is also top for carries (39) and third for tackles (37) in the EPCR Challenge Cup.
Yet again, he was the leading carrier in last Friday’s showdown with the Scarlets at a packed Arms Park, taking the ball up 17 times and he now turns his attention to performing in front of another bumper crowd at the ground with Dragons RFC the opponents for the traditional Boxing Day derby.
Lawrence’s excellent form has seen him talked about as a contender for a Wales call-up, so is playing for his country an ambition?
“Oh, of course, why wouldn’t it be?” he replies.
“I’m an incredibly proud Welshman. It’s something I’ll always want to achieve and, if I do, then that will be a fantastic day for me.
“If not, I’m incredibly happy doing what I’m doing at Cardiff. We’ve got a really exciting group here. We all want to achieve very similar things and I am really enjoying contributing my part of that.
“Whatever comes off the back of that, that will be what it is. If it happens, then that will be fantastic for me, but my focus until that happens is being a Cardiff player first and foremost.”
Lawrence, who has made 60 appearances in his two spells with the Arms Park outfit, has set himself a key target on the club front.
“I would love to be a centurion,” he reveals.
“That is a big driving force for me, can I get to that milestone? That would be something I would have never imagined could happen. I would love that. That would be up there with Wales honours for me.
“I am very proud to have come through the Cardiff Academy system and to have gone on to play the number of games I have.
“I like to think I have proven myself to be someone who can contribute and be part of the 23.
“It’s another level again when someone becomes a centurion. It’s that longevity, being able to do it for that many years. I think it says a lot about people that have done it.”
The 27-year-old continued: “Goal setting is always a big thing to keep yourself motivated and keep knocking on the door.
“I still think there’s growth in my game. I am always looking to get better and improve so that I stay in that 23 week on week, year on year. Hopefully I am in it for the long haul. I will keep going.”
As for his stunning stats this season, he says: “It’s just doing my job, my role within the team, whether that is ball-carrying, whether that is tackling.
“I will always put myself in positions to contribute however I need to contribute.
“I don’t set myself personal targets where I need to make X amount of carries or tackles for me to think I’ve had a good game.
“Sometimes you have a lot of involvements, other times you have slightly less, but you are still contributing and still doing your job.
“A big driving factor for me is how I can execute my role repeatedly really well, more than setting myself personal targets.”
Llantrisant lad Lawrence, who rejoined Cardiff in 2023 after a spell with Jersey Reds, has figured in every game for the club so far this season and has had the honour of captaining the team for a couple of games.
“I am enjoying playing as much as I am,” he concluded.
“It’s exactly what I want to do. I am lucky enough to be getting the opportunities.”
After an exciting weekend of the United Rugby Championship, URC StatMaster has identified the top players from Round 7 along with the overall top team and player performances from the league so far.
Click Below To View URC Player Stats
Click Below To View URC Team Stats
Top Players From R7
Carries: 23 Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors)
Defenders Beaten: 11 Rio Dyer (Dragons RFC)
Line-outs Won: 10 Glen Young (Edinburgh Rugby)
Metres: 122 Rio Dyer (Dragons RFC)
Passes: 103 George Horne (Glasgow Warriors)
Tackles: 28 Glen Young (Edinburgh Rugby)
Overall Top Players After R7
Carries: 116 Alu Lawrence (Cardiff Rugby)
Defenders Beaten: 33 Sebastian de Klerk (Vodacom Bulls)
Kicks in Play: 62 Nathan Doak (Ulster Rugby)
Line-out Steals: 7 Alex Soroka (Leinster Rugby)
Line-outs Won: 42 Marvin Orie (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Metres: 490 Sebastian de Klerk (Vodacom Bulls)
Passes: 463 George Horne (Glasgow Warriors)
Tackles: 101 Alun Lawrence (Cardiff Rugby)
Tries: 6 Louis Lynagh (Benetton)
Turnover Won: 9 Jeandre Rudolph (Vodacom Bulls)/Samuele Locatelli (Zebre Parma)
Overall Top Team Season Totals
Carries: 1 089 Glasgow Warriors
Defenders Beaten: 180 Glasgow Warriors
Kicks in Play: 220 Cardiff Rugby
Metres: 3 303 Glasgow Warriors
Points: 218 DHL Stormers
Tackles: 1159 Munster Rugby
Tries: 29 Ulster Rugby
Turnover Won: 49 Munster Rugby/Scarlets
Visits To 22: 97 Glasgow Warriors
Rugby fans will continue the festive celebrations with full weekend of European URC derby fixtures.
On Boxing Day, Friday night lights returns to Llanelli as Scarlets welcome Ospreys while Cardiff host Dragons RFC.
Round 8 continues on Saturday with Italian and Scottish derbies, while Irish derby action will see Ulster make the trip to Connacht and defending champions Leinster travel to Limerick to face Munster.
Click Below To View Match Previews
FRIDAY
Cardiff Rugby v Dragons RFC
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff – KO 3pmIRE & UK/4pm ITA/5pm SA
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU, 47th league game)
AR 1: Ben Connor (WRU) AR 2: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (WRU)
Live on: BBC Wales, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Scarlets v Ospreys
Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli – KO 5.30pm IRE & UK/6.30pm ITA/7.30pm SA
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 112th league game)
AR 1: Craig Evans (WRU) AR 2: Carwyn Sion (WRU)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Live on: S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
SATURDAY
Zebre Parma v Benetton
Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma – KO 2.30pm IRE & UK/3.30pm ITA/4.30pm SA
Referee: Clara Munarini (FIR, league debut)
AR 1: Federico Vedovelli (FIR) AR 2: Lorenzo Pedezzi (FIR)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Live on: Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Edinburgh Rugby v Glasgow Warriors
Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh – KO 3pm IRE & UK/4pm ITA/5pm SA
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU, 24th league game)
AR 1: Rob McDowell (SRU) AR 2: Jonny Mackenzie (SRU)
TMO: David Sutherland (SRU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Connacht Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Dexcom Stadium, Galway – KO 5.30pm IRE & UK/6.30pm ITA/7.30pm SA
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU, 33rd league game)
AR 1: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU) AR 2: Max Weston (IRFU)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Munster Rugby v Leinster Rugby
Thomond Park, Limerick – KO 7.45pm IRE & UK/8.45pm ITA/9.45pm SA
Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU, 10th league game)
AR 1: Keane Davison (IRFU) AR 2: Andrew Fogarty (IRFU)
TMO: Mark Patton (IRFU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
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