Mason Grady
{{short description|Welsh rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Mason Grady
| image = Mason Grady u20 2022.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Grady representing Wales U20 during the 2022 Six Nations Under 20s Championship
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|03|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = Cardiff, Wales
| height = {{convert|1.96|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|112|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}
| school = Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg
| university =
| relatives = Cory Allen (brother)
| currentclub = Cardiff
| years1 = 2020–
| clubs1 = Cardiff
| apps1 = 51
| points1 = 70
| repyears1 = 2020–2022
| repteam1 = Wales U20
| repcaps1 = 8
| reppoints1 = 5
| repyears2 = 2023–
| repteam2 = Wales
| repcaps2 = 15
| reppoints2 = 5
}}
Mason Grady (born 29 March 2002) is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Cardiff and the Wales national team.{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimaterugby.com/player/view/16790|title=Mason Grady|work=Ultimate Rugby|accessdate=30 November 2020}}
Club career
= Cardiff =
Grady signed his first professional contract for Cardiff in September 2020.{{cite news|url=https://www.cardiffblues.com/news/cardiff-blues-2020-21-squad-confirmed|title=Cardiff Blues 2020–21 squad confirmed|work=Cardiff Blues|date=18 September 2020|accessdate=18 September 2020}} Grady played in the Welsh Premier Division for both Cardiff RFC and Pontypridd RFC. On his Cardiff debut, he became the second youngest player to represent the club, at 17 years and seven months. He was part of the Cardiff RFC team which won the 2021–22 Indigo Group Premiership.
He made his Cardiff Blues debut in Round 8 of the 2020–21 Pro14 against Glasgow Warriors.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/55114282|title=Pro14: Cardiff Blues 10-19 Glasgow Warriors|work=BBC Sport|date=29 November 2020|accessdate=30 November 2020}} Near the end of the season, Grady suffered a serious knee injury, which ultimately ruled him out for a year.{{Cite web |last=Rugby |first=Planet |date=2021-09-02 |title=James Botham injury blow hits Cardiff |url=https://www.planetrugby.com/james-botham-injury-blow-hits-cardiff-ahead-of-united-rugby-championship |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=PlanetRugby |language=en}} Grady began to feature more prominently for Cardiff in the 2022–23 season, following his recovery from the injury. He scored in back to back European fixtures, against Brive and Newcastle, as Cardiff made the knockouts of the 2022–23 Challenge Cup.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-12-22 |title=Grady ready to challenge for starting spot |url=https://www.cardiffrugby.wales/news/grady-ready-to-challenge-for-starting-spot |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Cardiff Rugby}}
Grady signed a contract extension with Cardiff at the end of the 2023–24 season.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-28 |title=Mason Grady: Wales back signs new Cardiff contract |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/cjljjkwnnl2o |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} On 22 January 2025, Grady signed a further extension with Cardiff.{{Cite web |date=22 January 2025 |title=Mason Grady 'incredibly proud' to sign new Cardiff deal |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/c9d5q6wp581o |access-date=22 January 2025 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
International career
= Wales U18 and U20 =
Grady has represented Wales U18 and Wales U20.{{cite web|url=https://www.wru.wales/article/high-flying-grady-keeping-his-feet-on-the-ground/|title= High flying Grady keeping his feet on the ground|date=16 June 2020|access-date=13 October 2022}} He was selected for Wales U20 while still eligible for the U18 side, playing in the 2020 Six Nations Under 20s Championship, until the tournament was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to injury, Grady did not participate in the 2022 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. Upon returning to fitness, Grady was selected for the 2022 U20 Summer Series. He scored a try against South Africa U20 in the final.{{Cite news |title=Wales U20s succumb to South Africa in final |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/62127150 |access-date=2023-02-25}}
= Wales =
On 3 November 2022, Grady was called up by Wales to train with the squad ahead of the Autumn Nations Series.{{cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-call-up-highly-rated-25429852|title=Wales call up highly-rated Cardiff youngster Mason Grady to train with squad|publisher=Wales Online|date= 3 November 2022|access-date=3 November 2022}}
On 17 January 2023, Grady was called up by Wales again, for the 2023 Six Nations squad.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-17 |title=Owens captains new 37-man Wales squad - Welsh Rugby Union |url=https://www.wru.wales/2023/01/owens-captains-new-37-man-wales-squad/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Welsh Rugby Union {{!}} Wales & Regions |language=en-GB}} He made his debut on 25 February 2023, starting at outside centre against England.{{Cite news |date=2023-02-23 |title=Six Nations: Wales 10-20 England - Lawrence settles tight contest |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/rugby-union/61397453 |access-date=2023-02-25}}
Grady was selected for the Wales training squad ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and came off the bench in the first warm-up match, a win over England.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-01 |title=Wales training squad for Rugby World Cup 2023 - Welsh Rugby Union |url=https://www.wru.wales/2023/05/wales-training-squad-for-rugby-world-cup-2023/ |access-date=2023-08-06 |website=Welsh Rugby Union {{!}} Wales & Regions |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |title=Wales defeat disappointing England in Cardiff |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/66412166 |access-date=2023-08-06}}
Grady scored his first try for Wales during the 2024 Six Nations Championship in the final match against Italy.{{Cite news |title=Italy consign Wales to first Wooden Spoon in 21 years |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/68584938 |access-date=2024-03-16 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
For the 2024 Wales rugby union tour of Australia, Grady was moved to the unfamiliar position of inside centre, starting there in the friendly against South Africa and the two tour tests against Australia.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-16 |title=Mason Grady: Wales centre "in credit" after Australia tour experiment |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/cw8yn6wydneo |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
Grady moved to the wing for the first fixture of the 2024 end-of-year rugby union internationals, but was injured early on in the opening match, and subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the series.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-12 |title=Mason Grady: Versatile back is out of Wales' autumn campaign |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/cy4npz00wzlo |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
Personal life
Grady comes from an athletic family. Julie, his mother, played basketball for the Rhondda Rebels, and represented Wales in the Commonwealth Games. His father was a soldier with a number of Operational deployments across the globe. His brother Ashton has also represented Wales in basketball; his older brother, Cory Allen, is a retired Welsh international, and also played as a centre. Grady himself played basketball, representing Wales U16.{{Cite web |last=James |first=Ben |date=2023-01-11 |title=Mason Grady looks like the next George North and he's here already |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/mason-grady-looks-like-next-25939588 |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=WalesOnline |language=en}}
Grady attended Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{sports links}}
- [https://www.wru.wales/player/mason-grady/ Mason Grady] at Welsh Rugby Union
- [https://www.cardiffrugby.wales/player-profile/mason-grady Cardiff Rugby profile]
{{Cardiff Rugby squad}}
{{Wales 2023 Rugby World Cup squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grady, Mason}}
Category:Welsh rugby union players
Category:Cardiff Rugby players
Category:Wales international rugby union players