Blaina RFC
Encyclopedia
Blaina Rugby Football Club are a Welsh
rugby union
club based in Blaina
in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent
in Wales
. They presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union
Division Three East league and are a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons
.
was spreading through the South Wales Valleys
. With the migrant workers into the South Wales coalfield
came the game of rugby union
and in 1875 players from local sides amalgamated to form a club which played on a ground provided by the Lancaster company. Their chief patron and founder was a Mr. Sidney Lancaster. The club applied for and was accepted into the Welsh Football Union
in 1895. That same year, Blaina joined the newly formed Monmouthshire league, along with teams such as Abercarn
, Cwmbran
, Ebbw Vale
and Pontymister RFC
began to produce a crop of players with good potential.
In 1904, as part of the Home Nations Championship
, Jack Evans
became the first player to be directly capped for an international team from the club. Evans played just one match for Wales
, a draw away to England, but showed great commitment to his team throughout his life, and he refused several approaches to turn professional. The draw of professionalism was a problem towards all union clubs, and Blaina lost one of their better internationals when Emlyn Watkins joined Leeds RLFC
in 1927, just after collecting three caps in the 1926 Five Nations Championship
.
In 1913, the WFU decided to reintroduce a knock-out competition to combat the growing popularity of association football. Although the competition was not a great success, its inaugural year saw Blaina face Aberavon
in the final at Bridgend. Blaina lost in the final 10-0.
In May 2006 Blaina RFC were one of the 13 'Rebel' clubs who brought a vote of no confidence against the WRU, which centred around financing and the handling of former coach Mike Ruddock
's departure. The vote failed heavily with only 20 votes for the motion and over 300 against.
Tom Clapp
(14 caps) - Wales captain Jack Evans
(1 cap) William George Evans Jack Gore
(4 caps) Tom Graham
(12 caps) Mike Ruddock
Emlyn Watkins
(3 caps) Jack Wetter
Jack Williams (7 caps)
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club based in Blaina
Blaina
Blaina is a small town, situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Brynmawr and Abertillery in the unitary authority of Blaenau Gwent, ancient parish of Aberystruth, preserved county of Gwent and historic county of Monmouthshire.-Notable people:...
in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent is a county borough in South Wales, sharing its name with a parliamentary constituency. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. They presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
Division Three East league and are a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
.
History
Towards the end of the 19th century industrialism in the late Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
was spreading through the South Wales Valleys
South Wales Valleys
The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales, stretching from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east and from the Heads of the Valleys in the north to the lower-lying, pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain...
. With the migrant workers into the South Wales coalfield
South Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of south Wales that is rich with coal deposits, especially the South Wales Valleys.-The coalfield area:...
came the game of rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and in 1875 players from local sides amalgamated to form a club which played on a ground provided by the Lancaster company. Their chief patron and founder was a Mr. Sidney Lancaster. The club applied for and was accepted into the Welsh Football Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
in 1895. That same year, Blaina joined the newly formed Monmouthshire league, along with teams such as Abercarn
Abercarn RFC
Abercarn Rugby Football Club are a Welsh rugby union club based in Abercarn near the city of Newport. They currently play in the Welsh Rugby Union Division 4 East having been relegated in two consecutive seasons; from Division 3 East in 2007 and Division 4 East in 2008. The club then immediately...
, Cwmbran
Cwmbran RFC
Cwmbran Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the town of Cwmbran in South Wales. Cwmbran RFC presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union Division Four East League and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons....
, Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale RFC
Ebbw Vale Rugby Football Club is a Welsh Rugby Union Club based in the town of Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, South Wales. The club currently play in the WRU Division One East and the SWALEC Cup. It also acts as a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons....
and Pontymister RFC
Risca RFC
Risca Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in Risca, Monmouthshire. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.-Club history:...
began to produce a crop of players with good potential.
In 1904, as part of the Home Nations Championship
1904 Home Nations Championship
The 1904 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-second series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 9 January and 19 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, Jack Evans
John William Evans (rugby player)
John "Jack" William Evans was a Welsh rugby union forward who played club rugby for Blaina and international rugby for Wales...
became the first player to be directly capped for an international team from the club. Evans played just one match for Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
, a draw away to England, but showed great commitment to his team throughout his life, and he refused several approaches to turn professional. The draw of professionalism was a problem towards all union clubs, and Blaina lost one of their better internationals when Emlyn Watkins joined Leeds RLFC
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
in 1927, just after collecting three caps in the 1926 Five Nations Championship
1926 Five Nations Championship
The 1926 Five Nations Championship was the twelfth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-ninth series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
.
In 1913, the WFU decided to reintroduce a knock-out competition to combat the growing popularity of association football. Although the competition was not a great success, its inaugural year saw Blaina face Aberavon
Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh town of Port Talbot, although the club's name refers to the older settlement of Aberavon which lies on the western side of the town...
in the final at Bridgend. Blaina lost in the final 10-0.
In May 2006 Blaina RFC were one of the 13 'Rebel' clubs who brought a vote of no confidence against the WRU, which centred around financing and the handling of former coach Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock, OBE is a Welsh rugby union coach, currently coach of the Ireland Under-20 Rugby Union Team and Lansdowne FC . Ruddock was the coach of the Worcester Warriors until his resignation on 28 April 2010 following their relegation from the Guinness Premiership...
's departure. The vote failed heavily with only 20 votes for the motion and over 300 against.
Notable players
See also :Category:Blaina RFC players Jake BlackmoreJake Blackmore
Joseph Henry "Jake" Blackmore was an international rugby forward who played rugby union for Abertillery and rugby league with Hull Kingston Rovers. He won a single caps for Wales under the rugby union code and then represented his country at rugby league in two matches between 1910 and 1911...
Tom Clapp
Tom Clapp
Tom Clapp was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport and Nantyglo RFC. He won 14 caps for Wales and captained the team on three occasions...
(14 caps) - Wales captain Jack Evans
John William Evans (rugby player)
John "Jack" William Evans was a Welsh rugby union forward who played club rugby for Blaina and international rugby for Wales...
(1 cap) William George Evans Jack Gore
Jack Gore
Jack Gore was a Welsh international rugby flanker who played rugby union for Blaina and rugby league for Salford. His son, Billy Gore, played international rugby for Wales national rugby union team the same as his father....
(4 caps) Tom Graham
Tom Graham
Thomas 'Tom' Cooper Graham was an England-born rugby union international forward who played club rugby for Newport. He won 12 caps for Wales and was seen as intelligent, mobile forward player...
(12 caps) Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock, OBE is a Welsh rugby union coach, currently coach of the Ireland Under-20 Rugby Union Team and Lansdowne FC . Ruddock was the coach of the Worcester Warriors until his resignation on 28 April 2010 following their relegation from the Guinness Premiership...
Emlyn Watkins
Emlyn Watkins
Emlyn Watkins was a Welsh dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s who at representative level played rugby union for Wales, and at club level for Blaina RFC, playing at Flanker, i.e...
(3 caps) Jack Wetter
Jack Wetter
Jack Wetter DCM was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby predominantly for Newport. He was captain for both his club and country and earned 10 caps for Wales....
Jack Williams (7 caps)