Our History

I was exceptionally lucky to play for Cwmbran RFC during the most successful periods of the Club’s playing history. I was also extremely fortunate to play with a number of very gifted players. Players with many differing abilities that all fitted together and came together as ‘one’ on the pitch to make such formidable ‘teams’. Each had his own rugby qualities, but the one thing that we had that truly bonded us as a ‘team’ was the combined desire to go out on that pitch and to ‘win’! The achievements are there for us all to remember. All I can say is that to be part of those teams was an unbelievable privilege and an unsurpassable honour.

May I summarise some of those achievements. During the season 1979-80 we completed a run of eighteen undefeated games and were undefeated in 33 of the 47 games played that season. The next season, the Centenary Year 1980-81, we achieved our highest accomplishment when second class Cwmbran RFC defeated the first class teams of Abertillery RFC, the full Monmouthshire County side and, in my opinion the greatest win this club has known, against Newport RFC with their Welsh internationals and British Lion players on Cwmbran Stadium pitch.

In the season 1985-86 we once again recorded a twenty game winning run and started our record thirty-three consecutive winning games in the Monmouthshire League which extended into the following season. It was a time of success and winning games of which we must all be proud.

During my playing time there were also a number of major structural changes at the Club. It was the time when the Club opened its new changing rooms, installed the floodlights at the King’s Head ground and the old wooden clubhouse with its flat roof was adapted into a new brick building with a tiled roof and a new players’ room added to it.

During this period Cwmbran RFC also embarked on three magnificent tours to North America. In 1984 we visited Canada in the first of these ventures. In 1987 we went on our first tour to the Southern States of the USA followed in 1994 with a return trip to some of those previously visited places. Suffice to say that there were some ‘testing times’ both on and off the field (and probably best for some of them to remain just in our memories for now!), but they were some of the best ‘bonding’ times for all the squads that travelled which once again manifested itself on the pitch once we had returned home.

Yes the period between 1979 and the late 1980’s was indeed a time of change and most certainly a time of success for Cwmbran RFC. It was also a time for all those who took part in whatever capacity, to reflect on and feel a sense of pride and satisfaction at what they achieved in that brief decade or so in the history of Cwmbran RFC. The togetherness and camaraderie amongst players, spectators, committee – well everyone at the club at that time was truly amazing and something that will live with me forever! It was a great time for on the field achievements and also for the fantastic feeling of “We are Cwmbran RFC!” The off the field ‘banter’ and singsong sessions were indeed legendary to say the least and I thank all those who took part and contributed. Those sessions helped significantly to make us as successful as we were.

As a player of those times no one can take those memories, those playing achievements away from you and I only hope that my fellow players of that time feel as proud, as privileged, as grateful, as fortunate and as extremely lucky to be able to say,

 ‘We played for Cwmbran RFC when it was most certainly the best time to be a Cwmbran player!’

It was most certainly an honour to have been there with you all!