After a season of variety, experiment and novelty we close with one of the keenest local Derbies in Welsh rugby between clubs at both ends of the Western Valley. Newport are here after defeating their old rivals Cardiff at the Arms Park and we stay on home soil after the thriller against last season’s all-round champions, Llandovery. We have played Newport eight times in the three seasons since Covid sharing honours and adapted quickly to Super Rygbi Cymru. At the end of its first season three Gwent clubs were in the top five of the table and two are Cup finalists.

These notes often recall Cup games of the past especially the way we began the recovery from relegation in 2010 and in particular the 2012/13 season when we were in League One coached by Neil Edwards and Jason Strange and captained by Damian Hudd. The Swalec Cup brought Gwent rugby to the fore, in the semi-finals in April 2013 Newbridge played at Sardis Road and Cross Keys played Ebbw Vale at Rodney Parade where in January we, a League One team, beat Newport of the Premiership 26-13.

What followed was Premiership v League One tussles at home. Firstly Carmarthen Quins came but didn’t conquer, conceding a penalty try and losing 16-6. The quarter-final was also at home against firm favourites Swansea, described as “Like the win against the Quins it was not a game that was good for the heart rate.” Swansea led 16-12 at half-time but Ronnie Kynes scored as usual and Dorian Jones’s kicking brought a 25-19 victory and the semi-final at Rodney Parade where we drew with Cross Keys who won on try count.

The Ebbw Vale squad that beat Carmarthen Quins was Charlie Simpson; Wes Cunliffe, Dan Dearden, Tristan Davies, Tom Macpherson; Dorian Jones, Gareth Jones; Ross Jones, Matthew Williams, Robert Sevenoaks; Damian Hudd (captain), Ashley Sweet; Nicky Coughlin, Ronnie Kynes, Ethan Matthews. Replacements – Josh Powell, Ben Parry, Joe Bartlett, David Barry, Dai Jones, Dan Haymond, Tom Ashmead.

We have many to thank for our season, on and off the field and like the Cup tie twelve years ago the semi-final won by one point eight days ago was not a game that was good for the heart rate. Today is a grand finale to a grand season for everyone here, enjoy it.

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A SAGA SEMI-FINAL

The Steelmen and the Drovers first met in sporting combat in Church Bank in a Division Two game on Saturday 17th October 1992. We tested ourselves with new friends on a ground we were playing on for the first time and with a few minutes left the score was 3-3. What we needed was the human touch, someone to pull it off, to be the Man of Extra Time.

We had one card to play, an 18 year old from Brynmawr where many notable Ebbw Vale players had come from, a lad who had taken up bowls for the town team in the summer, outside-half Jason Strange. Put it simply, he got the ball, he kicked it, it went sailing between the Llandovery posts and we won 6-3. Since then we have played some hard, and important games at Coach Bank two of them in 2015/16 the first which began quietly but finished with the Ebbw Vale army silent and stunned. Llandovery 50 Ebbw Vale 0.

Recovery had to be rapid and it came by beating Cardiff a week later. Our ship was steadied and the new method of deciding who would be Premiership Champions play-off. was introduced so everything depended on the play-off -semi-final in Llandovery. There were no big scores this time but a good game which we won 20-16 under the coaching of Nigel Davies and the captaincy of Damien Hudd. It was one of the most important Ebbw Vale games for years, not just the key to a Cup Final played on a Sunday but the confidence it brought to both clubs.

The Ebbw Vale that earned a play-off semi-final place in 20i6 was Dan Haymond; David Williams, Nathan Preece, Adam Jones, Jared Rosser; Dai Langdon, Chris Thomas; Ross Jones, Matthew Williams, Gethin Robinson; Damie Hudd (captain), Ashley Sweet; Rhys Clsrke, Ronnie Kynes, Cameron Regan. Replacements – Joe Franchi, Ian George, Rob Sevenoaks, Josh Jacas, Luke Crocker, Tom Edwards, Ian Smerdon.

It’s the 10th Anniversary of the game and also the fourth time we play Llandovery this season. To everybody – have a nice day but one hopes the result is not decided by a very late drop goal.

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BACK COME THE QUINS

First of all thanks to our players who in April played three games in seven days and gathered enough points to be runners-up in the SRC League. As a result we will play Carmarthen Quins for the fourth time this season, an opportunity perhaps to repeat the drama of our Cup tie last January when after a first half that ended 7-7 we found form, scored three tries, won 24-7 and bagged six important points.

End of season fixtures in pre-League days at Ebbw Vale also kept us busy, three games in four days on tour in Cornwall where we rarely lost. A typical tour programme would be Penzance on Friday night, Redruth on Saturday afternoon and after a free Sunday, although not a day of rest, the tour ended at St. Ives.

The 21st Century brought major changes to our game, new friends and opponents and we first played the Quins at Carmarthen Park on February 24th 2001 a close contest in the 7th Round of the Cup which we won 32-25. The Ebbw Vale team was Paul Matthews; Alan Harris, Rhys Shorney, Jonathan Hawker, Andrew Wagstaff; Shaun Connor, Richard Smith; Iestyn Smith. Leyton P:hillips, Damien Penisini; Chay Billen, Deiniol Jones; Gareth Green, Tyron Morris, Mark Jones (captain). Replacements – Alun Phillips, Brad Morris, Andrew Graham, Nathan Budgett, Jason Strange, Gareth Betts, Steven John.

2000/01 season was a mixed bag of Welsh League and European clubs. For example in January and February we played Llandovery, Dax, Harlequins, Llanelli, Glasgow, Bridgend and Carmarthen Quins. Elsewhere foot and mouth disease in Ireland cut the Six Nations programme and on the horizon were signs of something called ‘regional rugby.’ In 2003 regions not clubs filled the ranks of the national team but clubs kept their names and their importance.

Results of matches with the Quins since fixtures returned after Covid have favoured us, six wins in SRC and two in the Cup. We have been closer to them this season than in any other and with both clubs enjoying their role in Super Rygbi Cymru’s upper reaches an interesting encounter is expected.

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Match Programme v Swansea (19/04/25)

THE LAD WHO SHOOK THE ALL-BLACKS

Selecting an international team is much simpler now than it was when a small group from each Union picked their side. If their team won the selectors got a pat on the back, if it lost it was their fault. The Welsh selectors were called the Big Five and their task every January was to pick a side to play in the first game of the Championship, later known as the Five then Six Nations. Having watched every club game and three trials they saw the County Championship final which generally was between Glamorgan v Monmouthshire. Weary and perhaps none the wiser the selectors would then pick a side to play England which was always the first game.

Picking a club team to play national teams from the southern hemisphere was not difficult but for sheer dash and daring nothing matches the selection of half-backs in the Swansea side to play the All-Blacks in 1935. Scrum-half Hadyn Tanner and his cousin fly-half Willie Davies sixth formers in Gowerton Grammar School were chosen. The New Zealanders came but didn’t conquer, the result was All-Whites 22 All Blacks 6. Tanner had arrived and got his first cap on 21 December 1935 to play New Zealand, another home win 13-12.

Capped before and after the war Hadyn Tanner played for Wales, the 1938 Lions, the Barbarians, Swansea, Cardiff and the Welsh Guards. In the war rugby was played when and wherever possible and Tanner was part of it. He joined the Army in April 1940 and while in the Army Physical Training Corps was attached to the Welsh Guards. He played for the Regiment against other units and was in the team that reached the final of the Middlesex Sevens in 1941. Not a special game for a Welsh international but a memorable occasion for the Guardsmen who played alongside him.

Hadyn Tanner’s rise to fame began at St. Helen’s, Swansea a ground famous for cricket and rugby. It was there that Wales played their first home game in 1882 and where in 1966 Gary Sobers as captain of Nottinghamshire created a world record when he hit six sixes in a single over. Great events on a ground where cricket and rugby is still played at club level. Long may it continue.

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Match Programme v Carmarthen Quins (05/04/25)

CAPS, CLUBS AND CUPS

The appearance of international players in club teams was usual in pre-region times and games were watched by the WRU selectors. For example in November 1996 Ebbw Vale were home to Swansea who brought a side packed with twelve internationals including Scott Gibbs, Garin Jenkins, Colin Charvis, Stuart Evans and Stuart Davies. The All-Whites were firm favourite but a last minute try by Byron Hayward won it for the Steelmen, 13-9. Byron also kicked a penalty goal, dropped a goal and converted his try.

Playing opposite internationals was a valuable experience for young players like Ian Goslin a Welsh Schools centre a year before he faced the great Coventry, England, Barbarians and Lions three-quarter David Duckham. It was Coventry’s first visit to Ebbw Vale in April 1978 and we won 36-7. And Ian Goslin? After playing for Ebbw Vale, he joined the RAF and played for them in the Inter-Services tournament at Twickenham alongside Rory Underwood.

In February 2001 we played for the first time at Carmarthen Park in a Cup tie. Sharing our second row with Chay Billen was Deiniol Jones born in Carmarthen who gained the first of his thirteen caps for Wales as an Ebbw Vale player. We won 35 – 25 but had to face a late challenge by the Quins until victory was confirmed when Jason Strange dropped a goal which he often did.

The 2000/01 season was a mixture of fixtures with a Welsh/Scottish League and European Shield games against English and French teams. Few were won but winning Cup ties, each away, over Llandovery, Quins and Caerphilly was some compensation. In April 2001 led by Mark Jones we played Newport led by Gary Teichman in a semi-final in the new stadium. A report declared “Ebbw Vale had Newport on the ropes in the second half” but there was no knock-out and we lost 19-12. Two seasons later we returned to Carmarthen in the Cup and won 13-8 in extra time when flanker Paul Williams scored a try after a rolling maul.

Another Vale-Quins drama was staged last February again in a Cup tie. The score was 7-7 in the 70th minute but Jason’s team turned pressure into points, scored three tries in the last ten minutes and we won 24-7. What next when Quins and Steelmen meet?

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Match Programme v Bridgend Ravens (27/03/25)

A 100 YEARS OF STEELMEN v RAVENS

It’s a disappointment for players, viewers and treasurers when a game is postponed due to weather but there were mixed feelings when that happened in March 1980 when a home game with Bridgend was called off. Our 1979/80 Centenary was drawing to a close, a season of 52 fixtures and special events off the field which made it difficult to fit everything in. The Centenary Dinner would be on Friday March 21st and next day we were to play Bridgend.

All our players were among the four hundred at the Dinner which was a great success worthy of the occasion. The guests from far and wide dwindled away at midnight and so did the team to play Bridgend next day. That was the plan but although Spring had arrived so did snow and the game was called off. It was disappointing and could not be re-arranged with eight games yet to be played in April and four in California in May.

The Bridgend fixture was always popular and in 1996/7 in the top division we did something unusual, we beat them three times, twice in the league and a Cup tie by a point. European rugby was livening the fixture lists and we were drawn with Gloucester and Swansea who were regulars and Bourgoin, Begles and London Irish. Added to a season of variety we had a good Welsh Cup run and reached a semi-final where we did well but lost 26-15 to a Swansea side coached by Mike Ruddock. We finished 7th in the Premiership, two places and one point below Bridgend, but the double over them and a semi-final was some compensation.

Our team in the semi-final was Alan Harries; Ian Jeffreys, Jonathan Hawker, Mike Boys. Sean Marshall; Byron Hayward, David Llewellyn; Alun Phillips, Steve Jone, Duncan Bell; Chay Billen, Jason Lillas; Ben Watkins, Mark Jones, Kingsley Jones (captain). Replacements were Andrew Lamerton, Lee Banks, Gareth Bisp, Dean Jones, John Williams, Cain Price.

On October 19th 2024 we played at Bridgend not realising the first game between our clubs had taken place there on October 4th 1924. There was no celebration of the 100th anniversary but it’s never too late to raise a glass and toast those who started it all.

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Match Programme v Newport RFC (01/03/25)

RYGBI AM BYTH

We are lucky that on Saint David’s Day we have a Cup tie and a prime Gwent Derby with Newport who we have played five times in previous Cup competitions when every club took part and ‘major’ clubs were ousted by the ‘minnows.’ Two examples are still painfully recalled by both of today’s clubs, in 1980/81 a Newport side having put up a good show against the All-Blacks went to Penclawdd and in atrocious conditions lost 4-0. In 1990/91 in perfect conditions Ebbw Vale went to Tondu and lost 12-6.

Two Cup semi-finals between our clubs are more pleasantly recalled, at least by the winners. At Sardis Road in April 1998 the Ebbw Vale team was Siua Taumalolo; Alun Harries, Jason Strange, John Funnell, Lennie Woodard; Byron Hayward, David Llewellyn; Alun Phillips, Leyton Phillips, Mike Wilson; Chay Billen, Kuli Faletai; Richie Collins, Kingsley Jones (captain), Mark Jones. Replacements were Gareth Bisp, Jonathan Hawker, Iestyn Thomas, Steve Jones, Lee Banks, Paul Pook.

The Newport team was David Smith; Matthew Robinson, Matthew J Watkins, Lee Jones, Jake Lowry;; Shaun Connor, Nicky Lloyd; Christian Johnson, Ian Jones, Sven Cronk; Mark Workman, Ian Gough; Richard Stride, Richard Parks, Jan Machacek. Replacements – Dale Burn, Scott Michael, Gareth King, Gary Hicks, Mark Davies, Robert Ostler. The referee was Derek Bevan and Ebbw Vale won 44-10.

At the Millenium Stadium in April 2001 the Ebbw Vale side was Paul Matthews; Alun Harries, Rhys Shorney, Jonathan Hawker, Andrew Wagstaff; Jason Strange, Richard Smith; Iestyn Thomas, Leighton Phillips, Damien Penisini; Chay Billen, Deiniol Jones, Nathan Budgett, Mark Jones (captain), Gareth Green. Replacements – Alun Phillips, Brad Morris, Neil Edwards, Stean Williams, Gareth Betts, Shaun Connor, Jonathan Williams.

The Newport team was Matt Pini; Matt Mostyn, Jason Jones-Hughes, Andy Marinos, Matthew Watkins; Shane Howarth, Darren Edwards; Rod Snow, James Richards, Adrian Garvey; Simon Raiwalui, Ian Gough; Peter Buxton, Gary Teichmann (captain), Jason Forster. Replacements – Ceri Jones, Paul Young, Gareth Taylor, Alix Popham. Emyr Lewis, Scott Mitchell, Dale Burn. The referee was Nigel Whitehouse and Newport won 19-12.

There is total difference in today’s Cup competition to the one in 1997/8 when Ebbw Vale reached the semi-final by defeating Kidwelly, Tonyrefail, Cardiff and Swansea and Newport reached the 2001 semi-final after beating Pwllheli, South Wales Police, UWIC and Pontypool. Different rugby set-ups have created changes but the big crowds in Gwent that watched the double-headers last Christmas showed that top club encounters remain popular. Rygbi am byth.

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Match Programme v Newport RFC (20/02/25)

A MIGHTY GWENT DERBY

This game should have been played on November the 23rd which was twenty years almost to the day since we played a memorable game at home to Newport who had begun the 2004/05 season well while we had won six and lost six of our Welsh Premier League games. The regional system had begun and dominated the headlines but games like Ebbw Vale v Newport, a major Gwent Derby, still attracted the crowds. On a wet Wednesday night in November 2004 they turned up in force, a reminder that club rugby was still strong and well supported whatever the weather.

The Argus reported “Regional rugby may be with us to stay, but those who claim club rugby now means little ought to have witnessed this mighty struggle.” It rained, the going was heavy, Ebbw Vale led 14-3 at half-time but the Newport pack, with former Steelman Neil Edwards prominent, controlled the second half and took the lead when Ebbw conceded a penalty try. Newport led 15-14 with a quarter of an hour left but Vale’s outside-half Jason Williams kicked a penalty goal and the Steelmen won 17-15. It was a game packed with drama and a credit to the players and the English referee.

Season 2004/05 ended in glory for Wales who under Mike Ruddock won their first Grand Slam for 27 years. The Welsh players represented regions but had reached international standard playing for clubs watched by loyal crowds like those at the Ebbw Vale ground that winter’s night. They saw total commitment and determination from both teams who deserve to be remembered:-

Ebbw Vale – Joel Griffin; Scott Horner, Kristian Owen (captain), Jonathan Hawker, Andrew Bevan; Jason Williams, Rhodri Jones; Lee Davies, Mathew Williams, Ben Coutts; Gareth Jones, Matthew Griffin; Craig Cleaver, Mike Scudamore, Manu Tuipuloto. Replacements – Greg Burns, Chris Thomas, Richard Aylett, Rhys Bowen, Scott Headlington, Daniel Phillips, James Rowles.

Newport – Ricky Williams; Chris Thomas, Steve Ireland, Jonathan Bryant, Gareth Chapman; Daniel Griffiths, Tommy Walsh; Ian Evans, Andy Brown, Gethin Robinson; Neil Edwards, Darren Davies; Nick Kelly, Paul Williams, Rhys Jones. Replacements – Dai Pattison, Gareth Mason, Matthew Veater, Marc Popham, Bryan Shelbourne, Richard Payne, Will Kershaw Naylor.

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Match Day Programme (25/01/25 v Carmarthen Quins)

HECTIC TIMES WITH THE QUINS

Carmarthen’s Quins and Ebbw Vale’s Steelmen first engaged in sporting combat in a round of the 2001 Principality Cup which turned out to be a cliff hanger. A Sunday paper headline “Giant killers come oh so close” aptly described our 32-25 win and Ebbw coach Mike Ruddock commented “we knew we had to play controlled rugby against dangerous opponents.” We led 21-11 at half time with tries by Alan Harris and Rhys Shorney and took the score to 29-11 in the second half but the Quins stormed back and were just four points adrift when Jason Strange kicked a penalty goal from 45 metres to ensure victory.

The Ebbw Vale side that afternoon was Richard Davies; Aaron Takarangi, Rhys Shorney, Ed Binham, Andrew Bevan ; Mark Meenan, Brian Shelbourne; Adam Black, Leighton Phillips, Martin Jones; Chay Billen, Peter Sidoli; Will Thomas, Tyron Morris, Kati Tuipulotu. Replacements were Damien Penisini, Jonathan Evans, Ockert Booyse, Paul Williams, Gareth Betts, Tim Bagg, Nick Wakely.

In 2018/19 we played the Quins three times, winning 20-8 at home, losing away 18-26 in the Premiership and winning a Cup tie at Carmarthen 20-19. The pack was strong as usual and a lively back division benefited by the inclusion of Carl Meyer in the centre and Toby Fricker on the wing two of the best three-quarters in Welsh club rugby at the time.

There was a busy end to the season, after losing at Carmarthen we won 34-10 at Bargoed followed by two home wins, 47-24 over Bedwas and 74-7 over Neath. The final fixture of the season however was a game too far, Cardiff at the Arms Park were also in high scoring mood and won 75-17. Not the best way to end a season but twenty wins, one draw and nine losses was quite acceptable.

The 2019/2020 season was not completed due to Covid but before the total shut-down we played both fixtures with the Quins, losing at home 20-26 and drawing away 6-6, a most unusual score in the modern game. Last season we got a rare double over Quins, 54-24 at home and 28-24 away, this season our visit to Carmarthen Park in October ended in a 39-11 win but as we have often said a Cup tie is different, form is not a factor.

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Match Day Programme (28/12/24 v Pontypool RFC)

ROBIN’S CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Playing Pontypool over Christmas is unusual, so is playing them twice in eight days but it’s in a good cause, two local Derbies that bring a smile to the solemn faces of club treasurers and pleasure to supporters who haven’t got far to go to see both matches. And a ‘double header’ at Christmas is ideal because it’s a time of peace and goodwill which front row forwards specialise in.

Today we have a special local Derby, a Western Valley v Eastern Valley contest that has enriched the game in Gwent for many years. Supporters who followed their teams to Llandovery and RGC last autumn in the first double header have a shorter journey today unlike Ebbw Vale supporters in 1925 and 1926 who travelled to Port Talbot to see Ebbw play Aberavon on Christmas Day!

Before leagues changed everything our Christmas and New Year opponents were Abertillery and Tredegar and in 1976 and 1980 the Scottish club Watsonians. It was a time of great variety, in the 1976/77 season we included in our fixture list two Scottish teams, nine English and one from New Zealand on a world tour. Add every major Welsh club and a £3.50 season ticket was good value.

Not only the clubs were busy in December 1969. A few weeks before Christmas Gwent played the South Africans at Ebbw Vale watched by 18,000 and won 14-8. Six Ebbw Vale players were in the team, Norman Edwards and Arthur Lewis in the centre, Mike Grindle at fly-half. props Gareth Howls and Denzil Williams and flanker Graham Evans.

The hero of the day was Robin Williams a 19-year-old Cardiff College of Education student at full-back who on his debut in the top flight and despite suffering a serious injury early in the game gave a superb display of place kicking. He kicked four goals, two with his right foot and two with his left, one from halfway and converted a try, worth three points then, scored by Cross Keys wing Roger Beese after a superbly timed pass from Arthur Lewis.

Robin Williams born in Govilon joined Pontypool in 1973, made 117 appearances and scored 1158 points. His kicking won matches but that December 1969 victory over South Africa topped them all. John Billot wrote “It was Robin’s game – and he had a badly wrenched left shoulder as a memento for his day of brilliant kicking and courage.”

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Match Day Programme (14/12/24 v Cardiff RFC)

G FOR GARETH

Long ago player’s first names were not always included in team lists in match programmes or reports of games in newspapers. It happened In December 1966 when we played Cardiff Training College later known as South Glamorgan Institute, UWIC and Cardiff Met, as the extract from the programme below shows. We won 11-0, a good game as it always was with the College with added interest in the young scrum-halves who were rated at the time as the best in Wales: –

CARDIFF TRAINING COLLEGE EBBW VALE

D Griffiths 15 Barry Edwards

N Williams 14 Gareth Davies

D Thomas 13 Arthur Lewis

R Richardson 12 Alan Tovey

P Davies 11 Ritchie Wills

D Jones (captain) 10 Ivor Berry

G Edwards 9 Glyn Turner

The College scrumhalf made his Welsh debut in Paris four months later and in his second international played against England at the Arms Park. Wales had lost the other three Championship games but won 34-21 in what was then described as the most remarkable rugby international of all time. The star was 19-year-old full-back Keith Jarrett, just out of Monmouth School who contributed 19 points and scored a brilliant try that ranks with the two by Gareth Edwards at the Arms Park for Wales against Scotland in 1972 and the Barbarians against New Zealand in 1973.

In the distant future when J Franchi is no longer hooking, and J Strange has finished coaching the effect Super Rygbi Cymru had on Welsh rugby will be debated for like 1966 the club’s role in Welsh rugby is still very important.

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REMINDERS OF THE EIGHTIES (01/11/24)

November 2024 is a busy month, Wales play Fiji, Australia and South Africa and we play Newport at home and Swansea away, a mix of live rugby and the televised kind which shows the game and people in plastic head gear waving to the camera. In November 1984 there was only one international match and it was against the Wallabies so it was business as usual for the clubs. We played five games against Cheltenham, South Glamorgan Institute, Cardiff, Neyland in the Cup and Aberavon and won them all.

The 1984 Australians overcame Wales at the Arms Park 28-9 and were the first Wallabies to beat each of the home countries on a UK tour. Outside-half Mark Ella, aged 25, was world-class and scored a try in each of the international matches but when he got home he sent shocks through world rugby when he announced his retirement from the game. Back in Blighty the losing Wales captain Mike Watkins retired from international rugby but kept on playing for Newport.

Our most interesting fixture in the Eighties was the visit of the United States Eagles in October 1987. The team that won 16-14 was Arwel Parry; Chris Earland, Mike Jones, Huw Williams, Andy Griffiths; Rhys Harris, Ceri Jonathan; Paul Knapp, Ian Watkins, Malcolm Sibthorpe; Mark Spiller, Neil Jones; Neil Robinson (captain), Carl Dennehy, Robert Stephens. Replacements were Brian Thomas, Mike Davies, Nigel Osborne, Sid Wharton, Brian Powell, Phil Easley.

In December 1984 Ian Watkins was on replacement duty with the Barbarians at Leicester and joined the fun to become the first Ebbw Valian to play for the famous club since Clive Burgess in 1981. Three years later he replaced Neath hooker Philips at Twickenham, kept his place and played a major role in a Welsh team that won the Triple Crown.

The 80s was the last decade before leagues and a long time before regional rugby changed the game in Wales. Players worked by day, trained hard and often played two games a week. End of season tours rewarded them, generally to Cornwall where we played three games in four days, but in the Eighties three of our tours went further. In 1980 at the end of the club’s Centenary we went to California, in 1982 to Canada and in 1983 to Italy. Rather different to the Duchy of Cornwall but it was a nice change.

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A FRESH WIND FROM THE NORTH

(From match day programme (12/10/24)

RGC were created in 2008 and joined us in the Championship in 2013/14. We played our first game at Parc Eirias on 7th September winning 31-16 kicking off what would be a very successful season. Thanks to the Swalec Cup we played RGC three times winning 45-0 in the Championship return game and also at home 37-24 in the Cup, the latter a very good performance by RGC that brought praise from Rupert Moon who played a leading role in the new club.

One report on the Cup tie began, “Ebbw inflicted a third defeat of the season on RGC 1404 scoring six tries but they didn’t have it all their own way.” Our pack was powerful and that Peter Pan of props Ross Jones scored a try after a couple of minutes. Other try scorers were Wes Cunliffe, Luke Davies, Cameron Regan (2) and referee Greg Morgan awarded a penalty try. Outside-half Iain Smerdon added two conversions and a penalty goal. Richard Hopkins got a try for RGC but their star was replacement fly-half Lewis Barker who scored two tries and converted them.

The Ebbw Vale side was Dan Haymond; Wes Cunliffe, David James, Carl Meyers, Luke Davies; Iain Smerdon, David Jones; Ross Jones, Mathew Williams, Robert Sevenoaks; Damien Hudd (captain), Ashley Sweet; Gareth Rusby-Davies, Cameron Regan and Ronny Kynes who surprisingly didn’t score a try.

The RGC website says of 2013/14 “it saw them spend much of the season in second place to a dominant Ebbw Vale” a tribute to both clubs. For most of the season RGC were in second place but other newcomers to the Championship Cardiff Met pipped them at the post and they finished a creditable third.

Promotion was confirmed after a 50-12 home win over Beddau early in April. Our head coach commented “We have achieved our target, albeit in a longer time scale than we would have liked and with just one or two new faces to be brought in we have a squad very capable of playing in the Premiership.” Jason Strange was right, a year later we reached the Premiership play-off final.

This season will end with a SRC Trophy play-off final and there’s also a SRC Cup competition to go for. Today in the fifth game of the season a team from the North Wales seaside comes to play one from the Gwent Valleys and we anticipate it to be a match worthy of Super Rygbi Cymru.

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(From match day programme 28/09/24)

Until this season it was not normal practice to play the same team on consecutive Saturdays but we will experience that twice this term, Llandovery today and next Saturday at Church Bank and Pontypool over Christmas, the latter welcomed by club treasurers and supporters who flock to Festive occasions like Llandovery v Carmarthen Quins and Ebbw Vale v Pontypool.

We first played Llandovery in 1992 since when every game has been important and competitive. 2015/16 for instance ended in excitement, the Cup for the Drovers and a play-off final for Ebbw. Our season began with three wins, Bridgend, Newport and Neath but in our fourth game we lost by a T 20 cricket score, 50-0, at Church Bank. It was described in our programme for the return match in January as “not close and it could not have gone the other way……we were left with the same feeling experienced in 1998 when we conceded a cricket score at Toulouse.”

In fact we surprised European rugby by beating Toulouse 19-11 in the return game but could we turn the tables when the Drovers came? That encounter was in January 2016 and we won 14-6 but it wasn’t the last time we played the Drovers that season. They came to Ebbw and knocked us out of the Cup which they went on to win and we went to Church Bank and won the Premiership semi-final by 20-16, a close encounter to the final whistle.

The Ebbw Vale side that took us to the 2016 play-off final was Dan Haymond; David Williams, Nathan Preece, Adam Jones, Jared Rosser; Dai Langdon, Chris Thomas; Ross Jones, Matthew Williams, Gethin Robinson; Damien Hudd (captain), Ashley Sweet; Rhys Clarke, Ronny Kynes, Cameron Regan. Then replacements were Joe Franch, Ian George, Robert Sevenoaks, Josh Jacas, Luke Crocker, Tom Edwards, Ian Smerdon, Ryan Gardner.

Last season Llandovery were top of the Premiership and won the final play-off and the Cup. They only lost twice in the Premiership, both on Thursday nights after long journeys to Ebbw Vale and Newport and we almost got the double, losing 15-17 at Church Bank. Now we are in a new League and about to play last season’s champions twice in eight days. A challenge to relish.

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(From match day programme 14/09/24)

WELCOME THE WIZARDS

Starting a new season of great promise and mystery with a home game is ideal especially when the first to enter our Pearly Gates are the Wizards. They first played here a hundred years ago but today we think back only ten years and a season that ended well for Damien Hudd and his merry men. Premiership season 2014/15 began quietly, the first fixture was at home against Llandovery which we won 30-29, then at The Gnoll where we won 29-18, losing at home to Newport 22-25 and winning at Cross Keys 34-20.

Then on November 1st came Aberavon who by tradition when the clubs met presented a serious challenge. Prominent in our assault force and a leading try getter was flanker Ronnie Kynes a bricklayer by profession who scored at will five metres from the opposition line. As usual he scored a try and fly-half Iain Smerdon landed three penalty goals to nail a 14-9 win that would prove valuable when the season drew to a dramatic close.

The Ebbw Vale side that day was Craig Duncan; Wes Cunliffe, Adam Jones, Nathan Preece, Owen Williams; Iain Smerdon, Rhys Downes; Ross Jones, Mathew Williams, Robert Sevenoaks; Damien Hudd (captain), Ashley Sweet; Cameron Regan, Ronny Kynes Harrison Keddie. Replacements were Rhys Francis, Gethin Robinson, John Lavender, Rhys Clarke, Josh Jacas, David Jones, Ethan Davies, Tom Hiscock.

Aberavon turned tables on St. Valentine’s Day 2015 winning the return fixture 26-21 at Port Talbot a typical Steelmen-Wizards battle of strength and grit. Adam Jones and Owen Williams scored Ebbw Vale tries and Dai Langdon kicked three penalty goals and one conversion. Places in the play-offs were at stake and the bonus point was valuable. In April two crucial wins away from home, 51-0 at Parc y Scarlet and 16-0 at Cardiff Arms Park, took us to a semi-final play-off with Cross Keys which we won 27-17. We lost in the final at Sardis Road but made up for it a year later.

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Postscript. Extracted from the records, our first two fixtures with Aberavon:-

4 February 1922 away – lost 3-27

27 September 1924 away – postponed – Ebbw Vale bus broke down.

READY FOR THE KICK-OFF (08/09/24)

With two successful pre-season friendlies behind us we should be preparing for the first regular game on the first Saturday of the season but in modernist changeable Welsh rugby we won’t. The brand new SRC kicks off on the second Saturday but at least it’s home to Aberavon another club with a steelworks history. It’s the March of Time but normality returns when we note the first four fixtures, after Aberavon we are away to Cardiff where we won 36-20 last season, home to Llandovery when we won 25-17 and Llandovery away where we lost 15-17. Ten major clubs will battle it out until the final rounds next Spring with a Cup competition to add to the variety but will be confined to the top ten.

When the Welsh Cup in modern times was introduced to a doubtful Welsh rugby in 1971/2 there were thirty-two clubs in the first round. Our introduction to the Cup was as expected but the second round was not. Our first Cup tie, and the first in the new competition was for some reason on a Wednesday afternoon which was not suitable for players who had fulltime jobs. It was at Vardre and it drew a horde of Welsh rugby correspondents because there were anti-cup adherents who expected conflict in Cup ties and didn’t want to add to their fixtures.

We beat Vardre 40-10 and looked forward to another trip west to play Waunarlwydd anticipating a big win but suffered the shocks Cup rugby can produce. It was 9-9 at full-time and lacking the rules of later years the winner was decided by tossing a coin. Skipper Gareth Howls called correctly, and so did the captain of Pontypridd who successfully survived the same dilemma at Whitland who had held them to 7-7.

Fast forward to September 2025 and a season that is arguably the most important in recent years. Behind the players and their coaches will be our army of supporters who will visit familiar grounds and add to the atmosphere of club rugby at its best. They will watch crucial passages of play but can be grateful that in the SRC Cup games they will not have to stand and watch the toss of a coin to decide the winner.

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FIXTURES TO PONDER OVER (27/06/24)

We were told next season’s fixtures earlier than usual which was welcomed by those fixing dates for things like weddings and holidays. There are two points of interest on the fixture list concerning games against Llandovery and Pontypool who we play on consecutive Saturdays, which only happened in pre-league times if a Cup tie was involved. In February 1982 we were home to Cardiff in the Cup on the 13th and home again to them on the 20th. In between we won at Tredegar but lost both games to Cardiff who went on to win the Cup Final and top the Championship.

One reason given for the Christmas Derbies with Pontypool, 21 December away and 28 December at home, is to give both clubs the financial benefit of a Christmas Derby. A kind thought from those Up There that club Treasurers will approve of providing our Christmas is not white.

On the third game of the season we are home to Llandovery, nothing unusual in that but a week later we play them again on their ground which is an arrangement that would have shocked Fixture Secretaries of old. The reason? To add some intensity to the games. In recent years we have played the Drovers intensively in Premiership fixtures, the Cup and play-offs but the ‘double header’ is at the least interesting.

A club is a busy community from the head coach to the youngsters who give towels to the hookers when they throw into a lineout, a major activity described by the best rugby commentator of them all, Bill McLaren, as a den of iniquity. Learning the tricks of the trade are the youth and junior teams and we are blessed with several of them. Our Youth XV began last season quietly but as coach Matthew Williams said, “Once we started believing in our potential we turned the corner.” Indeed they did with a spot in the top Dragons League playing strong opposition and ending the season well and reached the Dragon’s Plate Final at Rodney Parade facing the powerful Bargoed Youth. It was 10-10 at half-time, but the second half was ours ending with a 23-10 victory. A perfect end to a hard but productive season.

Preparations for 2024/25 are encouraging, signings are too and soon the training on Cae Canol will begin, minds will be activated, limbs will be tested and the sessions will be watched by the usual crowd preparing for tension in the autumn and a green Christmas to end the year.

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BIG CHANGES FOR WELSH CLUBS (13/06/24)

There will be change in Welsh club rugby this year and not only for the Top Ten but clubs in a league to be known as the Community Premiership. Covering a wide area it consists of the top five of last season’s East and West Championships and Merthyr, Neath and Pontypridd. Clubs we regularly played in fixture freedom days are in the new League, Cross Keys, Bargoed, Newbridge and Cardiff Met who we regularly played from the time they were known as Cardiff College of Education then South Glamorgan Institute and UWIC and their present title when we played them in the Championship.

From its early days the students at Cyncoed set high standards and produced some of Wales’s greatest players who gained valuable experience playing on famous grounds. On Wednesday 7th December 1966 they came to Ebbw Vale and lost 11-0 but won the hearts of the crowd who had the privilege of watching the two best scrum halves in Wales in opposition, Glyn Turner and Gareth Edwards.

One particular encounter with the Met was a Championship fixture in October 2012. We went to Cyncoed undefeated and firm favourites to keep it that way but the students had different ideas. They led 9-6 late in the second half but then fly-half Dan Haymond went off with a pulled hamstring and in a re-shuffle full-back Charlie Simpson, Irish and tricky when in possession, moved to No.10, dropped a goal and we won 12-9.

In that season we only lost twice, 29-30 at Whitland and having beaten Cardiff 16-11 in the Cup at Cardiff Arms Park lost at home in the next round to Pontypridd 22-23. Our 2012/13 Championship resulted in a 96% success rate and a typical side was the one that played Cardiff Met at home in April – Charlie Simpson; Wes Cunliffe, Polu Uhi; Adam Jones, Luke Davies; Josh Lewis, David Jones; Ross Jones, Mathew Williams, Robert Sevenoaks; Damien Hudd (capt.), Ashley Sweet; Gareth Williams, Ronnie Kynes, Spencer Gibson.

That’s a glimpse of the past, now our coaches and players will begin training for the most important and challenging season the club has committed itself to and create history of their own in Super Rygbi Cymru.

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COMMITMENT BRINGS SUCCESS (15/05/24)

The final act of a good season will take place in June when the Awards Dinner will pack the clubhouse and honours are announced. The first Player of the Year award was in 1963 and it was won by Gordon Main, the next year by Len Dimmick and in 1965 by Denzil Williams, all props. In June 2024 many more awards will be presented and in July training will begin as Jason Strange & Co prepare for a new season in a new league with Elitist in its title.

Before last season Jason Strange declared “Success in rugby does not come without commitment on and off the field.” The commitment was total and it brought success not only in results but in the development of young players. We played 24 games in the Premiership winning 18 and losing 6. We beat five teams twice and every other team once.

It was a 75% success rate and we finished third in the Premiership table. We had a good start, in the first two months we won six of seven matches, one of them at home on a Thursday night against Llandovery already favourites to be champions. We won 25-17, the Drover’s first defeat, and headed west to Church Bank in January aiming for a double. We almost took the Drover’s ground record but in the dying minutes a straight penalty shot from 35 metres went wide of the posts and we lost 17-15.

Two of several tense tussles should be recalled. In December at Sardis Road Pontypridd led 20-5 at half-time but we staged an amazing comeback to win 26-25. On a wet Thursday night in April we went to Carmarthen Quins who it was said fielded six Scarlets. Our average age was 23, ten were under 21 and some were making their debuts but led by old soldiers the new recruits won 28-24. The emphasis has been on our youngsters but recruits have to be guided and led by experienced old soldiers and we have them too, their part in the last Premiership season was crucial.

The club is well served by the management, the coaches headed by Jason Strange, the players and their support team, those who work with our youth and juniors, an army of supporters and volunteers who carry out practical tasks at the ground. The entire club was committed and produced a season of satisfaction and development perfectly timed for the challenges awaiting us in the new Elitist League.

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GWENT CUP RUGBY – A KNOCK OUT (28/04/24)

Play off semi-finals are a modern version of Cup semi-finals reached after a series of Cup ties full of surprises like a club in the top division getting knocked out by one below it. When we were in Division One East we were not expected to topple a Premiership side on their own ground but that’s what we did on January 28th 2012 at Rodney Parade winning 26-13. That Cup victory was followed by others at home against Premiership sides Carmarthen Quins 14-6 and Swansea 25-19. The semi-final was against another Premiership team and a Western Valley Derby against Cross Keys. It was at Rodney Parade and Keys won the day by scoring two tries to our one in a 9-9 draw.

Our team that played Newport in the January 2012 Cup tie in Rodney Parade gave what was described as an “excellent defensive performance, posed constant problems in attack with strength, control and aggression up front, and pace and power behind.” It was Charlie Simpson; Wes Cunliffe, Tristan Davies, Dan Deardon, Tom Macpherson; Dorian Jones, Gareth James; Ross Jones, Matthew Williams, Robert Sevenoaks; Damian Hudd (captain), Ashley Sweet; Nicky Coughlin, Ronnie Kynes, Ethan Matthews. Ready for action on the bench were Dan Goode, Ben Parry, Josh Powell, Cameron Reagan, Dai Jones, Dan Haymond, Aled James. Ross Jones, Wes Cunliffe and Gareth James scored tries, Dorian Jones converted one and kicked three penalty goals.

It was our fifth and last Cup tie with Newport, three of which were semi-finals. In 1977 we lost 7-3, in 1990 we won 44-10 and in 2001 lost 19-12. In 2003 we lost a Cup tie at home 41-20 a heavy defeat inflicted by a Newport side that included players from overseas like the great Percy Montgomery, Shane Howarth, Rod Snow and Simon Raiwalui. Of more local interest the Newport squad included players with Ebbw Vale connections, Mike Voyle, David Llewellyn and Jason Strange.

In the 1980/81 WRU Centenary there were 34 clubs in Gwent, more than any other WRU District. Six were in the Merit Table, Abertillery, Cross Keys, Ebbw Vale, Newport, Pontypool and Tredegar. That season five Gwent club players played for Wales and one was Welsh Player of the Year – Clive Burgess. Welsh rugby centred around clubs in those days, and the clubs never let Wales down.

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