A story of rugged independence turning a village side which at one time no one took seriously into what was the most powerful rugby machine Pembrokeshire had ever seen.

At the start of the 19 hundreds the club was playing home matches against the champions of the West of Llanelli League; the old holiday matches between the local Swifts and Wanderers were long forgotten and justification of their readiness to join the West of Llanelli League in 1908-09 was their first taste of competitive success in April 1909 when they won a "gold medal" tournament at Pembroke Dock.

Always full of character, always a little different, controversy followed Llangwm like night always follows day. Shady accusations of imported players; games having to be replayed because on a small unfenced pitch, spectators regularly stopped play when the side was under pressure; seven unsuccessful bids to join the Welsh Rugby Union and its playing strength decimated when the dockyard at Pembroke Dock closed. And all this occurred prior to the second World War.

The transformation started after the War. By 1947-48 the Wasps, as they were known, had won two West of Llanelli titles. Reached the final of the Knock Out Cup three times before winning the Knock Out Cup for the first time in 1948. This was their fourth consecutive final and the same year were "League" runners-up.

And after over a quarter of a century of trying, managed to gain admittance to the W.R.U.

Throughout the 50's Llangwm continued to be a powerful force winning Cup, League and Seconds Cup honours together with the County sevens quite regularly.

With awesome power Llangwm won title after title; regularly winning the double, often Pembrokeshire's equivalent of the Grand Slam - K.O. Cup , League Championship, Seconds Knock-Out Cup. Unbeaten at home for two consecutive seasons from September 1958 to April 1960, Cup finalist for seven consecutive years.

Need we go on?

Of late times have been - well, shall we say not so good - but over a hundred years, it is obvious that the Wasps have been there before. History shows that repeatedly they were in the process of being counted out only to bounce back and steal the glory.

Extract from Richard Howells' "Llangwm RFC 100 Years of Rugby" Published 1985.

Pitchero Cricket Club

Laws of the Game

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