Wales rugby stars jet off on epic boys' holiday and share brilliant photos

Four of Wales' rugby stars swapped the bruises of the Six Nations for the beaches of Miami as Eddie James, Blair Murray, Sam Costelow and Ellis Mee headed to Florida for a well-earned break.

After an emotionally and physically draining championship campaign, the Scarlets quartet made the most of some sunshine downtime in the United States before attention turns back to regional and international duties.

The timing of the trip comes after a Six Nations that, while difficult in parts, ended on a genuine high for Steve Tandy’s Wales side. Their final-day victory over Italy - the team’s only win of the tournament - offered a glimpse of progress, while narrow defeats to Ireland and Scotland also provided enough encouragement to suggest the foundations are beginning to form.

All four players played their part during the championship, although their individual journeys through the campaign varied. For some, it marked confirmation of their growing importance to Wales while, for others, it was a reminder of how quickly fortunes can shift at Test level.

JOIN OUR WALES RUGBY FACEBOOK PAGE Latest news, analysis and much more

James was perhaps the standout of the four, starting all five matches under Tandy and continuing to grow into that outside-centre role. The Scarlets back looked increasingly comfortable in the shirt as the tournament wore on and earned much praise, with Wales now seeing him as a key figure moving forward.

Mee, too, enjoyed a positive campaign, starting four of Wales’ five fixtures and playing his role in the closing win over Italy.

His athleticism and finishing ability have added a fresh edge out wide, and the trip to Miami comes after a breakthrough spell in which he further strengthened his international credentials.

For Murray and Costelow, the tournament brought more mixed emotions.

Murray, who had started 13 of Wales’ previous 14 matches since his debut in autumn 2024, found opportunities harder to come by after losing the No.15 shirt to Louis Rees-Zammit, featuring only twice from the bench.

Costelow, meanwhile, impressed on his first Test start since last July against Scotland, only for an ankle injury to cruelly cut short both his evening and the rest of his championship.

But it was time for them to park the rugby, momentarily, at least, as they took in other sports such as football and NBA in The Sunshine State.

Scroll down for the photos...

• Share
• Comments

• Share
• Comments

• Share
• Comments

• Share
• Comments