RUGBY UNION: Time to shine urges Jewell (From Bicester Advertiser)

RUGBY UNION: Time to shine urges Jewell

10:00am Saturday 5th January 2013 in Rugby

Aviva Premiership

SEB Jewell says it is time for him and his fellow backs to start firing for London Welsh.

Jewell starts at centre for a third successive match as Welsh host Harlequins at Oxford’s Kassam Stadium tomorrow (3).

And while the Exiles’ forwards have excelled in the club’s first top-flight campaign, Jewell feels they need to contribute more behind the scrum.

“Our forwards have been ridiculously good so far this season,” said Jewell, who has played the full 80 minutes at inside centre in their last two Aviva Premiership outings.

“By comparison you would have to say that us backs have struggled, that is in part due to us not playing as well as we know we can.

“But also part of that is down to the gameplan that we have had in place which has been very forwards orientated, making it hard for us to have as much influence.

“We have been concentrating on that in training recently a bit more and in the New Year we hope to be a bit more balanced.”

Jewell has appeared in 11 of Welsh’s 12 Premiership matches so far, but was more often a replacement earlier in the season.

Memorably, he kicked the winning conversion in their first win against Exeter Chiefs on September 16.

However, Hudson Tonga’uiha’s dislocated shoulder has offered him the chance of a more regular starting berth.

“I was not all that pleased with how I started the season,” said Jewell.

“It was my first season of proper Premiership action and I talked myself out of it a bit and was a bit nervous.

“But I have grown into it as the season has progressed and I must be doing something right to be staying in the team.

“I will keep progressing this year and hopefully that will mean we can continue to play well and stay clear of any trouble at the bottom of the table.”