Cross Keys RFC ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Pont-y-Cymer) is a

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the Comparison of rugby league and rugby union, two codes of ru ...

club located in the

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...

village of Crosskeys. The club is a member of the

Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; cy, Undeb Rygbi Cymru) 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, ove ...

, and is a feeder club for the

Dragons A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...

regional team.

History

The club achieved first class-status in 1909, winning the Monmouthshire league three times. By 1920 the team had their first international player, when Steve Morris won a cap for

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. Morris would win 19 caps and captained Wales in 1925. Caps followed during the 1920s for Ossie Male and

Lonza Bowdler Frank "Lonza" Bowdler (4 January 1901 – 17 December 1962) was a Welsh rugby union hooker who played club rugby for Cross Keys and was capped 15 times for Wales. A coal miner by profession, Watcyn Thomas remembered him in his autobiography, ...

, both returned over several seasons for Wales, facing not only Five Nations Championships but also touring teams. In 1926 Cross Keys RFC found themselves in dire financial trouble, and requested help from the

. The WRU refused an appeal for a cash loan, but instead agreed to send the Welsh national team to play in an exhibition match at Pandy Park. The sell-out crowd assured Cross Keys future and resulted in an historic win for the home team thirteen points to eight. Rugby observers have noted the high level of talent in the Cross Keys pack, and criticised the fact they went under represented in the national team during the 1920sSmith (1980), pg 259. and 1930s.Smith (1980), pg 282. Cross Keys reached the final of the

2011–12 British and Irish Cup The 2011–12 British and Irish Cup was the 3rd season of the annual rugby union competition for second tier, semi-professional clubs from Britain and Ireland. First round matches began on Wednesday 21 September 2011 and the final was held on Fri ...

, losing to Munster A. Cross Keys won their first Swalec Cup, defeating table topping

Pontypridd () ( colloquially: Ponty) is a town and a community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Geography comprises the electoral wards of , Hawthorn, Pontypridd Town, 'Rhondda', Rhydyfelin Central/Ilan ( Rhydfelen), Trallwng ( Trallwn) and Treforest () ...

at the Millennium Stadium in 2012.

Club honours

* Welsh Club Champions - 1921–22, 1935–36 * Welsh Division One Champions - 1992–93, 1999–00 *British and Irish Cup Runners-Up - 2011–12 *Swalec Cup Winners - 2011–12 * Swalec Cup Runners-Up - 2013–14 *Welsh Premier Division Runners-Up - 2013–2014

Current squad

Notable former players

The following list is made up of ex-Cross Keys players who have all won international caps as either a rugby union or

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

player. :''See also :Cross Keys RFC players'' *

George Boots John George Boots (1874–1928) was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport and county rugby with Monmouthshire. He won 16 caps for Wales. Boots was seen as a consistent player with a superb positional sense ...

* Taulupe Faletau 38

caps, 1

British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England national rugby union team, England, Ireland national rugby union team, Ireland, Scotland national rugby union team, Scotland, and ...

cap * Frederick Arthur Bowdler (15 caps)Smith (1980), pg 463. * Archibald "Archie" Brown * Lloyd Burns (7 caps) * Mervyn Hicks (Great Britain Rugby League) * Ron Herrera (8 caps)Smith (1980), pg 466. *

Jack Hurrell John Richard "Jack" Hurrell (17 August 1933 – 2003) was a Welsh international rugby union centre who played club rugby for Cross Keys RFC, Tredegar and Newport. He was awarded just one cap for Wales facing France in the 1959 Five Nations Champi ...

(1 cap) * Ossie Male (11 caps)Smith (1980), pg 469. * Steve Morris (19 caps) * Con Murphy (3 caps) * Gerwyn Price * Dai Rees *

Fred Reeves Fred may refer to: People * Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Mononym * Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French * Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Frederico Rodr ...

(2 caps)Smith (1980), pg 471. * Rex Richards (1 cap) * Russell Taylor (3 caps), 1938 British LionsSmith (1980), pg 472. * Joe Thompson (1 cap) for Wales (RU). Whilst at

Leeds Leeds () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the thi ...

( Great Britain RL 12 caps, Wales RL 8 caps, Other Nationalities RL 5 caps) * Trevor Williams (8 caps)Smith (1980), pg 473. * Stanley 'Docker' Winmill (2 caps)Smith (1980), pg 474.

Games played against international opposition

References

Bibliography

External links

Official Site of Cross Keys RFC
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross Keys Rfc Welsh rugby union teams Rugby clubs established in 1885 1885 establishments in Wales