Bedwas RFC
 | ||
| Full name | Bedwas Rugby Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1889 | |
| Location | Bedwas, Wales | |
| Ground(s) | The Bridge Field (Capacity: 2,000[1]) | |
| Chairman | Mark Lewis | |
| Coach(es) | Steve Law | |
| League(s) | Welsh Premier Division | |
| 2012–13 | 4th | |
| ||
| Official website | ||
|
www | ||
Bedwas RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh village of Bedwas. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for Newport Gwent Dragons regional team.[2]
Club history
Like many Welsh rugby teams the origin of the club is difficult to piece together having been formed by local workers rather than by a college or university. There is some evidence that a team played in Bedwas as early as 1885, though official recognition of Bedwas RFC is placed at 1889.
Bedwas RFC was a founding member of both the Junior Monmouthshire League (1903) and the Rhymney Valley League (1906), and in 1910 applied for and succeeded in joining the Welsh Rugby Union. At the outbreak of World War I (1914) rugby ceased in most of South Wales and this was true of Bedwas. After the war a period of rebuilding occurred with the club based initially at the Church Inn before moving to Bridge End Inn during the 1920–21 season. During this period Bedwas RFC enjoyed connections with local colliery owner and airline magnate Sir Samuel Instone.[3]
1926 saw a great economic depression in South Wales and as local young men left to find work in more prosperous areas, rugby in Bedwas waned.
Post World War II saw a rebuilding of rugby in Bedwas and in 1947 the club acquired Bridge field and an ex-Ministry of Works long hut which became the club house. In 1960 the club formed a youth team. Bedwas also have a very successful seconds side which remains undefeated in the 2007–08 season.
In 2007, Bedwas were the only club in the Welsh Premier League to be threatened with relegation due to them initially failing a facilities review conducted by the WRU.[4]
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
Notable former players
The following players have represented Bedwas and have been capped at international level.
Terry Cook (2 caps)- Leighton Jenkins (9 caps)
- Eddie Watkins (8 caps)
- Jeff Whitefoot (19 caps)
References
- ↑ http://www.worldstadiums.com/europe/countries/united_kingdom/wales.shtml
- ↑ BBC News (2004-07-08). "Wales' regional rugby map". BBC. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
- ↑ Rugby in Wales
- ↑ Bedwas RFC face relegation threat BBC Sport. Sourced 25th Aug 2007