Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, of or about Wales
* Welsh language, spoken in Wales
* Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales
Places
* Welsh, Arkansas, U.S.
* Welsh, Louisiana, U.S.
* Welsh, Ohio, U.S.
* Welsh Basin, during t ...
rugby union
Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...
club based in the town of
Blaenavon
Blaenavon () is a town and community (Wales), community in Torfaen county borough, Wales, high on a hillside on the source of the Afon Lwyd. It is within the boundaries of the historic county of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshire and the Pr ...
,
South Wales
South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...
. Blaenavon RFC is one of the older members of the
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; ) is the governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby.
The WRU is responsible for the running of rugby in Wales, overseeing 320 member clu ...
founded in 1877 in the Iron and
coal town
A coal town, also known as a coal camp or patch, is a type of company town or mining community established by the employer, a mining company, which imports workers to the site to work the mineral find. The company develops it and provides reside ...
of Blaenavon and is a
feeder club
In sports, a farm team (also referred to as farm system, developmental system, feeder team, or nursery club) is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful pl ...
for the Newport Gwent Dragons.
Blaenavon RFC first game was against local rivals Abergavenny on Thursday, November 8, 1877, and ended in a draw. An infamous event in the history of Blaenavon RFC, was during the final of the Godfrey Jones Cup in April 1926. The competition had been devised 'to improve Welsh rugby via the running game'.
In December 1947 a combined
Pontypool
Pontypool ( ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the Historic counties of Wales, historic boundaries of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshire in South Wales. , it has a population of 29,062.
Locat ...
,
Talywain
Talywain () is situated in Garndiffaith, Abersychan and Pentwyn in Torfaen in south east Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire.
Old mining area
It is a semi rural area that has a long heritage in coal mining. The old British Co ...
and Blaenavon side played against the Australian national team at Pontypool Park as part of a post-war rebuilding tour. The game ended with Australia winning 9–7. A photo and a programme are displayed in Blaenavon R.F.C. club house
Blaenavon Rugby Football Club was founded in 1877, and over the past 130 years, we have provided, many players for the W.R.U. and Premier divisions.
1962 - 1963 Season. Blaenavon RFC become Ben Francis Cup Winners against Talywain. The First team now play in the W.R.U. League Division 1 East after gaining promotion in the 2013/14 season, and winning the Ben Francis cup for the second time in 2015 season beating Risca RFC in the final at Blackwood.
They currently play in WRU Division one East
Notable former players
*
Reg Skrimshire
Reginald Truscott Skrimshire (30 January 1878 – 20 September 1963) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport and county rugby for Kent. He won three caps for Wales and was the only Welsh representative on ...
1899 Wales (3 caps) and British Lions.
* Cecil Pritchard 1928-1929 Wales (4 caps)
*
Bert Day
Hubert Charles Day (8 May 1908 – 27 June 1977) was a rugby football, rugby hooker who played rugby union for Newport RFC, Newport and rugby league for Salford Red Devils, Salford. He was awarded five caps for Wales national rugby union team, ...
1930-1931 Wales (5 caps)
* Ken Jones - 1947-1957 Wales (45 caps) British Lions, Barbarians, Newport and Empire Games medalist.
* Allan Lewis - 1966-1967 Wales (6 caps) and British Lions, Abertillery.
*
Allen Forward
Allen Forward (4 June 1921 – 1 January 1994) was a Welsh rugby union forward who favoured the position of flanker. Forward played club rugby for Pontypool and various Police teams. He played in six internationals for Wales and was part of t ...
- Wales and Pontypool
*
Fenton Coles
Fenton George Coles (born 14 September 1937) was a Welsh rugby union player. A wing, Coles played club rugby initially for his home town club of Blaenavon before switching to Pontypool RFC. In 1960 he was part of a joint Cross Keys/Pontypool t ...
- 1960 Wales (3 caps) & Pontypool
* Colin Evans - 1960 Wales (rugby union) (1 cap), 1963-1969 Wales (rugby league) (2 caps)
*
Terry Cobner
Terence John Cobner (born 10 January 1946) Scrum.com is a former John Perkins - Wales and Pontypool.
*
Laurie Daniel
Laurance Thomas David Daniel (5 March 1942 – 14 March 2023) was a international rugby union player.
Daniel was born on 5 March 1942. He made his debut for Wales on 7 February 1970 versus Scotland, scoring a try in an 18 points to 9 win for Wal ...
- 1970 Wales (1 cap)
* Mark Taylor - Wales, Barbarians and Swansea. Mark scored the first international try at the Millennium Stadium against South Africa.
* Chris Huish - Wales B, Barbarians and Pontypool.
Blaenavon RFC have also provided many player over the years, that have gone on to play for Newport RFC without obtaining international status:
* Ivor Taylor - Played in the side that beat Australia in 1966
* Keith Poole - Played in the team that beat the All Blacks in 1963, and went on to play in the winning Newport RFC sides against Australia and South Africa and were never on a losing side playing against the Southern Hemisphere tourists.
* Tommy Deans played for Cardiff RFC and Glamorgan County
* F Dibble - Somerset 1909
* R Dibble - Somerset 1910
* Noel Williams - Played for Pontypool RFc & Cardiff RFC
* Numerous players went on to play for Monmouthshire County and Monmouthshire Union teams.
In 1960 Blaenavon R.F.C. had provided all three scrum halves for the three Welsh teams that year
Colin Evans - Wales Senior Cap
Allen Lewis - Wales Youth Cap
Owen Freeman - Wales Schoolboy Cap
They were all three international scrum halves that year and had all played for Blaenavon R.F.C. at scrum half.