This fixture should have been played a week before Christmas but nature intervened which was a pity for the perfect Festive game is against neighbours who haven’t far to travel. Last Boxing Day all but one of the Premiership clubs were locally engaged but Merthyr was the exception, they had to travel north to Colwyn Bay where in pouring rain they beat RGC which made their journey worthwhile. Weather permitting December and January are busy months as they were in 2018/2019, when we played nine games, won seven, drew one and lost the most important to Merthyr in a Cup semi-final.

The Premiership was very competitive and each of our games in December 2018 and January 2019 were hard fought encounters. In December we beat Bargoed away 35-21, Cardiff 22-20 and Llanelli 20-7 at home, drew 14-14 at Aberavon and won 38-17 at Bedwas. In January we played Carmarthen Quins away in the Cup quarter-final and won 20-19, beat RGC 27-26 at home and Bridgend away 14-10. Then came the semi-final at Cross Keys won by Merthyr 10-9 which took them to the final which of course they won. The victory in the Cup at Carmarthen was due to a late penalty goal by Rhys Jones who has played outside-half for both Ebbw Vale and Merthyr.

The Ebbw Vale side that played RGC in our first home game in 2019 was Dan Haymond; Steffan Thomas, James Lewis, Dominic Franchi, Toby Fricker; Rhys Jones, Dai Jones; Luke Garrett, Rhys Francis, Robert Sevenoaks; Rhys Clarke, Ashley Sweet (captain); Cameron Regan, Lloyd Evans, Lewis Young. Waiting in the wings were Joe Franchi, Ross Jones, Curtis Hicks, Kristian Parker, Owen Young, Matthew Flanagan.

It wasn’t until 2010 that we played Merthyr regularly but David Boucher’s book “Steel, Skill & Survival” reminds us that in April 1885 we were home to Merthyr on an occasion according to the Merthyr Express that ended with the visitors being treated to an “excellent tea” in the County Hotel. Merthyr’s visit must have been a special occasion because at the time the town was the largest in Wales, its population out-numbering Newport and Cardiff.

Some of our most loyal and outstanding players came from Merthyr and came to the well attended Past Players Reunion last year. They never had to travel far thanks to the Heads of the Valleys road, Wales’s answer to the Los Angeles Freeway, just a short journey between two towns who share heavy industrial backgrounds and the same language – Wenglish.

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GETTING PROMOTION THE HARD WAY

The Premiership play-offs are in view and the battle to be in the top four has begun. It is a dramatic way to end a season but when promotion is the prize the tension really mounts as it did for Ebbw Vale in the last month of the 1994/95 season. We were in Division Two and at the end of March were aiming to be one of the two clubs to get promoted. Three were in the chase, Aberavon, Ebbw Vale and Abercynon who had been promoted from Division Three after winning all but one of their matches and amassing 76 tries.

Ebbw Vale captained by Andrew Oliver aged 23 in his third season with the club had to win the last five matches and score a lot of tries. The first hurdle was traditionally difficult, Cross Keys at Pandy Park but the team showed its quality and won 34-9, our lively flanker David Harris scoring two tries. His recent passing at the age of 57 was mourned by all who played alongside him and those privileged to watch him. Andrew Oliver remembers him as the king of the turnover who gave his all on the field and off it was quiet and respectful. He played many times for Ebbw Vale and after he joined from Dowlais soon became a favourite of Ebbw Vale supporters.

After Cross Keys we were at home to our main challengers, Abercynon, a good side hard to beat and well supported. There was concern over our uncompromising hooker Steve ‘Spike’ Jones who was struggling with a rib injury but he reported fit and as usual made his presence felt. Abercynon led 15-14 in the second half but they were penalised at a scrum, full-back Carl Thomas from a narrow angle kicked the goal and the Steelmen hung on to a 17-15 lead to the joy of home supporters on the packed terrace.

There were three games left, Tenby at home which we won 27-18 followed by Maesteg away. The Old Parish had no answer to Mike Boys the trickiest pivot in Wales and we won 39-18. The final fixture was at Narberth, our first visit to that friendly and hospitable club where a win would bring promotion by try count. We won 39-9 with six tries by Darren Worgan (2), Paul Young, Andrew Jewitt, Paul Chard and David Davies. Final placings at the top of Division One were first Aberavon 34 points (58 tries), second Ebbw Vale 33 (59) and third Abercynon 33 (38).

Having reached the 1st Division we had to work hard to stay in it but did well to finish the 1995/96 season with 11 wins and 11 losses. There were some narrow wins, one at home to Bridgend in November 1995 which had a similar finish to the same fixture 28 years later. The captains were Kingsley Jones and Robert Howley and we led 10-8 with a few minutes left when Bridgend full-back Adrian Durston attempted a drop goal that would have won the game for the Ravens but he was inches wide of an upright. In February 2023 with the score Ebbw Vale 27 Bridgend 27 and the referee checking his watch the Steelmen’s full-back Kieran Meek attempted a drop goal which did not go wide and we won 30-27.

The Ebbw Vale squad that played Bridgend that day was Matthew Chapman; Ian Jeffries, Cain Price, Mike Boys, Neil Morgan; Byron Hayward, David Llewellyn; Alan Phillips, Steve Jones, Wayne Ford; Dorian Medlicott, Eldon Moors; Ben Watkins, Kingsley Jones, John Williams. Replacements were Malcolm Sibthorpe, Mike Boycott, Iestyn Lewis, Paul Hudson, John Bamsey – and David Harris. REL.

Extracted from the Ebbw Vale v Bridgend match programme 18th February 2023

EXCITING RUGBY UNDER FLOODLIGHTS

A match with Bridgend brings the Floodlit Alliance to mind because it suited both club’s style. A history of the Alliance written by Ray Ruddick a notable member of the Rugby Memorabilia Society brings back memories of entertaining rugby played in evenings from the 1964/65 season to 1973/74. It was a ten year period of exciting rugby in Wales and in New Zealand where the 1971 Lions won a series for the first time. In the party was a player from Crumlin in the Western Valley of Monmouthshire, Arthur Lewis who two years later captained Wales. The Lions took a brilliant set of backs to New Zealand which included David Duckham still regarded by some as England’s best ever centre, a great player Arthur often played alongside on the tour. David Duckham played for Coventry against Ebbw Vale several times, a rugby giant whose recent death was mourned throughout the game.

One reason the Floodlight Alliance Tournament in Wales was formed was to ‘concentrate on high point scoring and to play open, expansive, exciting rugby’ which suited those who played and watched at Bridgend and Ebbw Vale. Eight teams competed and as the history of the Alliance states Ebbw Vale had been one of its instigators with its chairman John Gaydon playing a vital role as the only Alliance secretary in the ten years of its existence. John as an administrator of the club and full-back for Ebbw Vale Athletic also kept wicket for Ebbw Vale Cricket Club.

Newport and Bristol wanted to join but the rugger chiefs at Twickers did not approve and as Newport was also a member of the RFU they could not take part, a disappointment for Newport who had staged the first game ‘under electric light’ in December 1878. In November 1964 the first game under ‘proper’ floodlights took place at Pandy Park between a Western Valley XV captained by Ebbw’s Eric Finney and a Welsh International XV formed by Ray Lewis the physio to Cross Keys. Newport and Wales. Raymond Ruddick’s history tells us there were eleven capped players in the International team which was captained by Cliff Morgan and won 16-11 before 7000 spectators.

Ebbw Vale played 37 Alliance matches winning 18, drawing four and losing 15 and were three times runners-up in the final. One game still remembered as the best seen on our ground was against Bridgend in November 1971. We won a thriller 28-26 scoring seven tries three by Glyn Turner and others by Mike Lewis, David Jones, Arthur Lewis and Mike Grindle. Bridgend’s try scorers were Tony Morgan (2), Viv Jenkins and Peter Williams.

Never had so many flocked to grounds to see teams like Ebbw Vale and Bridgend score so many points and play such “open, expansive and exciting rugby.” It was a great advertisement for the game, capped by a Welsh Grand Slam and the Lions who played 26 games in Australia and New Zealand, winning 23, with one drawn and losing two. Clubs supplied the players from rugby strongholds throughout Britain and Ireland, fourteen of them Welsh representing Cardiff, Cardiff College of Education, Llanelli, London Welsh, Maesteg – and Ebbw Vale.

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Extracted from the Ebbw Vale v Llanelli match programme 3 February 2023

THE FIRST AND LAST WELSH CUP FINAL IN ENGLAND

The Premiership this season is back in its traditional form of twelve clubs playing twenty-two games but the Cup is very different. The traditional Cup we knew and enjoyed was dominated by Llanelli and when we played them in the May 1998 Final at Ashton Gate in Bristol it was their thirteenth final and they had won nine. It was played in England due to the construction of the Millenium Stadium and fleets of buses and cars gave a great boost to the Severn Bridge tolls.

In the Premier Division we got the double over Llanelli but their Cup experience brought them a 19-12 victory. Ebbw Vale skipper Kingsley Jones commented, “We had 70% of the ball but Llanelli took their chances.” Siua Taumalolo who had scored three tries in the semi-final was named Man of the Match, unusual for a player on a losing side in a final. Our road to Bristol is worth recalling, Kidwelly (h) 57-14; Tonyrefail (a) 60-20; Cardiff (h) 20-9; Swansea (h) 27-13 and Newport 44-10 in the semi-final.

The Ebbw Vale side at Ashton Gate was Siua Taumalolo; Alun Harries, Jonathan Hawker, John Funnell, Lenny Woodward; Byron Hayward, David Llewellyn; Alun Phillips, Leyton Phillips, Mike Wilson; Chay Billen, Kuli Faletau; Richie Collins, Mark Jones, Kingsley Jones (captain). The replacements were Iestyn Thomas, Steve Jones, Lee Banks, Paul Pook, Gareth Bisp, Jason Strange.

Also in 1998 the All-Blacks came on a nine-game tour and played three times in Wales. They beat Llanelli 81-3, Wales A at Sardis Road 51-8 and Wales 42-7 and adding to Celtic concern in the Five Nations Wales lost 60-26 at Twickenham and 51-0 against France at Wembley but won by narrower margins 30-21 in Dublin and 19-13 against Scotland at Wembley.

Llanelli’s visit will remind us of Phil Bennett whose death saddened the whole rugby world. When he came to our ground with the Llanelli team in April 1977 he stepped off the team bus and was surrounded by admirers but he noticed one of our supporters in a wheelchair and thrust his way through the crowd to talk to him. A great player and a great man.

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BIG DAY, BIG CROWD

When All-Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies made long tours to Britain, Ireland and France they played clubs and regional teams. In 1969 the Springboks played Gwent at Ebbw Vale and were followed three years later by the 6th All-Blacks each drawing huge crowds. The following photograph shows the terrace packed with rugby enthusiasts from all over the County for the All-Black game on November 28th 1972. The tourists won 16-7, not an exciting game but a big day for Gwent rugby and a good way to spend a Tuesday afternoon.

The County side consisted of players from Pontypool, Newbridge, Bedwas, and Ebbw Vale with a Blaina forward on the bench. The Ebbw Valians were Ray Parry on the wing, Mike Grindle and Glyn Turner at half-back, prop Gareth Howls and Gomer Evans in the backrow. There was one replacement used, when Gomer was injured Alan Tucker of Blaina took his place a great boost for his club and thoroughly deserved.

For the spectators the most exciting moment was a try by Glyn Turner who played opposite Sid Going. He picked up a loose ball, nipped around the blind-side and touched down in the corner a move described in one report of the game as a “cheeky try.” It was typical of Glyn Turner who scored 147 tries in the 350 games he played for Ebbw Vale.

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PLEASURE AT PORT TALBOT, GRIEF IN NANTES

Fifteen years ago a New Zealander and an Englishman came to Wales to take command of the Welsh national team which had under-performed in the 2008 Rugby World Cup in France. Former Ireland coach Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards soon made their presence felt, in 2009 Wales captained by Ryan Jones won the Grand Slam. In the first round Wales won 26-19 at Twickers, a game dominated by the Ospreys, thirteen of them started and a 14th went on as a replacement. It was Warren Gatland’s first game as Welsh coach and Wales were 19-6 down at one stage but the 82,000 crowd then witnessed a comeback inspired by half-backs James Hook and Mike Phillips and master-minded by Warren & Co.

In 2008 a new competition began, the Junior World Championship hosted by Wales and played at Swansea, Cardiff and Newport known for rugby and Wrexham for lager. A player of great promise named Sam Warburton captained a Welsh side that depended on the goal-kicking of Leigh Halfpenny and they did well to reach the semi-final. Eventual winners, New Zealand – referred to as the Baby Blacks – won but had to be at their best in the semi-final against Wales who finished fourth of the sixteen teams that took part.

While all that was going on we pressed on regardless in the 2007/08 Premiership captained by John Bowd and coached by Patrick Horgan and Will Thomas. The early months of the season went well and when it ended we had won 15, drawn two and lost 9 games to finish fifth out of fourteen behind Swansea, Pontypridd, Cardiff and winners Neath.

On Saturday the 29th September 2007 we went to Aberavon where the kick-off was 1.30 pm because Wales’s game in the World Cup in Nantes came later. Our lineup was Andrew Mclaughlan; Simon Hunt, John Rees Williams, Ross Watts, James Lewis; Aaron Bramwell, Bryan Shelbourne; Alistair Lyon, Matthew Williams, Anthony Lott; Will Thomas, Will Jones; John Mcphail, Gavin Donaldson, John Bowd (captain). The replacements were Marc Jones, Chris Thomas, Dan Lydiate, Rhodri Dicks, Robert Lewis, Jamie Howells and Kristian Owen. They were a happy bunch heading home expecting to watch Wales beat Fiji in Nantes but the South Seas islanders had other ideas and won 38-34.

In February and March Jason Strange & Co will prepare for four matches, three at home to Llanelli, Bridgend and Aberavon and one away to Swansea while at HQ, Warren Gatland will also be busy planning for two games at home against Ireland and England and three away to Scotland, Italy and lastly France where for the first time he and his old butty Shaun Edwards will meet again. We have a lot to look forward to.

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ARMS PARK ACTION CAUGHT BY CAMERA

The photograph below shows Ebbw Vale playing Cardiff at the Arms Park in November 1977 and is a reminder of how big the crowds were in those days. Cardiff won in a successful season for them but one of mixed fortunes for Ebbw Vale. We played 46 games winning 19, drawing one and losing 18 but there was some compensation in the Schweppes WRU Cup which as usual was full of shock results and struggles for Merit Table sides.

A 10-6 home win Pyle was uninspiring and we were lucky to win at Llandaff who had scored the only try in a 9-9 tussle until the cool and calm David Fryer kicked a penalty goal which took us into the third round at The Gnoll. Thanks to accurate goal-kicking by scrum-half Steve Lewis we won 16-10. Steve, a stand-by reserve for England at the time, dropped three goals and a penalty goal.

In the quarter-final we were home to Cardiff in late February and there had been snow and heavy rain but thanks to our groundsman Bill Dodds the pitch recovered. It was Gareth Howl’s 500th game for Ebbw Vale who led 10-6 at half time but Cardiff dominated play in the second period and won 29-10.

Wales the Grand Slam winners hoped for a good tour in Australia in 1978 but lost four of the five games. There were happier tours by the clubs, Cardiff to Italy, Newport to British Columbia, Rhymney to Soviet Russia and Glamorgan Wanderers to the USA. A depleted Cardiff side lost once in Italy to Zebre who included international players from Australia, New Zealand and France and were further strengthened by two from Ebbw Vale, Gareth Howls and Clive Burgess! That was rugby in Wales in the Seventies.