A FORMER Dragons and Wales player has been in court after he was caught speeding.

Cory Allen, 31, who retired from professional rugby in 2022 at the age of 29, picked up four penalty points for racing through Cardiff.

The former centre was driving at 47mph in a 30mph zone in a Volkswagen Passat on the A470 along Northern Avenue.

The offence occurred on August 22, 2023, Cardiff Magistrates’ Court was told.

Allen, of Llandaff Road, Cardiff pleaded guilty.

He was fined £72 and ordered to pay a £28 surcharge.

His brother, current Wales international Mason Grady, was recently caught speeding at 115mph on the M4 motorway in Bridgend.

Allen had spent a year and a half on the comeback trail with the Newport based Dragons without success before he called it a day in December 2022.

He was signed by the Rodney Parade club in the summer of 2021 to continue his rehabilitation from a serious knee injury.

Allen suffered the blow playing for the Ospreys in September 2019 but was unable to make a return to action at any level.

He paid tribute to the Dragons for helping him walk pain-free after years of rehabilitation.

Allen said: “I like to say a massive thank everyone at the Dragons for the last 18 months,” said the six-times capped international.

“Firstly, to the management for showing the amount of faith and trust in me that they did and giving me every opportunity to get back to playing is something I will forever be immensely grateful for.

“Secondly, the players for making it such an enjoyable place to come to work.

"There was obviously a lot of really low points during the setbacks but having such an enjoyable place to come to work really made such a massive difference.

“Lastly, the physio department and, in particular, (former head of physiotherapy and medical services) Ben Stirling.

"The number of hours he invested in me on the physio bed, in the gym and travelling all over the UK to see specialists.

“He truly went above and beyond to get me to where I am today, to a place where I can walk again pain free something I really wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to do again.

"I can’t thank him enough for that.

“I really would have loved to have thanked everyone by being able to run out and represent the club on the field, but unfortunately that wasn’t meant to be.”

Allen made his debut for hometown club Cardiff in 2011 at the age of 18.

He was capped by Wales at Sevens and Under-20 level and went on to make his senior debut against Argentina in 2013.

Allen won six caps and was selected for Wales’ 2015 World Cup squad, scoring a hat-trick of tries in their opening 54-9 victory against Uruguay in Cardiff.