The first move to form the present club came from some members of the soccer playing Beaufort Hill Youth Club who used the White Horse pub after meetings in the hall. (The pub now demolished to form the Welfare Hall car park) Four matches were played in the spring of 1962:- Home and Away against Brynmawr and Usk Borstal.

In the early summer of 1962 an open meeting was held at the Bridgend Hotel, Ebbw Vale when it was decided to form a properly constituted rugby club and make an application to affiliate to the Monmouthshire Junior Rugby Union. Bill Howells was elected Chairman and Stuart KcKelvie became the first Secretary. Wally Talbot (EVRFC) presented two rugby balls to the club and Ken Jones (Newport, Wales etc) gave his support for the new venture.

At the beginning of the first season the club headquarters was transferred to the Farmers Arms and then later to the Beaufort Inn (now the Cendl) Also at this time the club badge was designed depicting the Seven Arches of the Rhyd-y Blew viaduct which carried the L.M.S railway linking Ebbw Vale to the Midlands and the North. This was demolished to make way for the Heads of the Valleys Road.

Thus in September 1962 with next to nothing to call its own and little or no experience Beaufort entered the world of organised rugby. The infant club survived both the season and the three month break caused by deep snow between January and March 1963. Although its early weakness was illustrated by the record of the first campaign which read played 23 won 4 drawn 5 lost 14 for 54pts against 154pts.

Within five years four players had played for first class clubs and another three had represented the Monmouthshire Rugby Union. Playing records improved, financial stability was achieved and training floodlights were built on the bowls green side of the pitch. The club was the first junior club in the area to pioneer fixtures in Mid Wales, the Midlands and the West Country. Whilst the first of many Past and Present matches was held on Thursday 26th December 1968 by which time the local authority had built the new dressing rooms next to the Groundsmans House.

Beaufort Rugby Football Club

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