PENARTH student Joel Ringer has been signed to top French rugby team Toulon.

Joel, the captain of Cardiff and Vale College’s Rugby Academy team, has signed an academy contract with the French giants and will be setting his sights on making his debit for the Top 14 team.

The son of former Wales flanker Paul Ringer will be following in the footsteps of Leigh Halfpenny and Bryan Habana, and plying his trade in France with the likes of fellow Welsh stars Mike Phillips, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts and Luke Charteris,

Joel said: “I’m very excited – it’s an opportunity that no-one my age gets. Usually players my age end up in England if they decide to leave Wales. Toulon, in my opinion, is the best club side in the northern hemisphere.”

When scouts from the club spoke to him, Joel said the decision to accept the academy offer was a “no-brainer”.

The 18-year-old Business Studies student from Penarth will move out to Toulon, and his family will accompany him for the first few weeks as he settles down in his new life.

Joel said his experience at CAVC has stood him in good stead.

“The College has helped me and also the Rugby Academy has been hugely supportive,” he explained.

“The support on the sporting and academic side has been a massive help.

“On the academic side we are given leeway – I’ve had a few different injuries and I’ve been allowed to catch up on my lesson hours. It offers flexibility that I have had at none of my other schools.

“The Rugby Academy and its Director, Martyn Fowler, have really helped me massively. Martyn is an extremely good technician and he gets his clubs to play in a very successful and exciting way.”

While Joel hopes to continue in a career as a professional rugby player, he aims to keep up his studies.