Ebbw Vale RFC

Evidence of rugby union being played in Ebbw Vale is noted around 1879. Ebbw Vale RFC applied for and achieved Welsh Rugby Union (then known as the Welsh Football Union) membership between 1893 and 1894.[3]

In 1907, the committee of Ebbw Vale rugby club voted 63–20 to switch from amateur rugby union to professional rugby league. Deals were made with the Northern Union, and on 26 July 1907 Ebbw Vale RFC became Ebbw Vale RLFC.[4] The club, its players and members were all suspended from rugby union activities by the Welsh Rugby Union, though after Ebbw Vale RLFC collapsed in 1912, Ebbw Vale were readmitted as a union team after World War I.[5]

In 1927 due to falling gate receipts, caused by the increasing attraction of rival sports such as football, Ebbw Vale staged a rugby league game on their pitch, the Welfare Ground. The WRU reacted strongly and threatened Ebbw Vale RFC with expulsion from the league. This was seen by many as an overly aggressive stance to a club that was desperate for aid not sanctions. By 1932 the gate at Ebbw Vale rarely reached twenty shillings, despite a catchment area population of 40,000. The club was forced to resort to public subscriptions.[6]

Rugby union continued in Ebbw Vale during World War II due to the vital services provided by the steel and coal industry and Ebbw Vale was undefeated in 1940/1941. But by the mid 1950s Ebbw Vale RFC was once again becoming a prosperous club. Although seen as one of the most successful clubs on and off the playing field throughout the 1950s, Ebbw Vale was under-represented in the Welsh national team.[7] Around the same time joint teams drawn from Ebbw Vale and neighbours Abertillery played New Zealand, Australia and South Africa international touring sides. These games were usually close encounters but with only one win – against Australia in 1958. In the 60/61 season the Athletic side, captained by Ken Cameron, lost only one game. Their players were a consistent source of supply to the 1st XV. The club has the dubious distinction of being on the receiving end of the heaviest defeat in Heineken Cup history going down 108–16 away to Toulouse in 1998 conceding 16 tries in the process. Although Ebbw Vale did have revenge, defeating Toulouse in the return fixture.[8]

In April 2010 the club's relegation to WRU Division One East was confirmed.

In April 2011 Ebbw Vale were crowned WRU Division One East Champions after gaining a bonus point win in their final league game at Bedlinog. In what was a remarkable run-in to the end of the season, Ebbw picked up 44 league points from their final 9 league games (out of a possible 45) to overhaul Newbridge and win the league title at the first attempt.

In April 2012 Ebbw Vale retained the WRU Division One East title with one game in hand, following a 52–0 victory over Tredegar. The season was also marked by a remarkable cup run which saw them defeat Newport, Carmerthen Quins and Swansea, before drawing 19–19 to Cross Keys in the semi-final (Cross Keys subsequently progressed by virtue of tries scored 2–1).

In April 2013 Ebbw Vale were crowned inaugural champions of the newly formed WRU National Championship, pitting the best teams from east and west against one another. In a season that marked the club's third league title win in a row the Steelmen won 23 of 24 league games, breaking the 1000 point barrier in the process.

In April 2014 Ebbw Vale were again crowned champions of the WRU National Championship, this time gaining promotion to the Principality Premiership. They won 25 out of 26 games and amassed another 1000 point season.

In the 2015/16 season the club achieved a new height, winning the Premiership title for the first time.

The club colours changed from black and amber to red, white and green in the 1930s. The change may have been made by Dai Regan Jones, who had played for Leicester RFC.

Their home colours of green, white and red represent the colours of the Welsh national flag with the second-choice shirt coloured light blue. The club's badge like many other clubs in Wales has a red dragon on it. The dragon is standing over a golden gate or drawbridge, over the dragons head is a semicircle with the club's motto of Iach Gorff Iach Meddwl. This semicircle is part of a bridge shape which is coloured in the club's and Welsh colours of red, green and white. All of this is incorporated into a shield shape with the club's name Ebbw Vale RFC embroidered on the bottom.

The club's motto is "Iach Gorff Iach Feddwl", the Welsh for "Healthy Body Healthy Mind". The origin of this motto is speculative but this is an old proverb in the Welsh Language.

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union Will Hodnett Fullback Wales Tom McAloon Fullback Wales Spencer Cawley Fullback Wales Wes Cunliffe Wing Wales Sion Jones Wing Wales Luke Davies Wing Wales David James Wing Wales Mike Powell Wing Wales Leighton Bellamore Centre Wales Jordan Howells Centre Wales David James Centre Wales Josh Peace Centre Wales Jack Flower Centre Wales Joe Evans Centre Wales Tom MacPherson Centre Wales Mike Powell Centre Wales Ian Smerdon Fly-half Wales Fly-half Wales Dan Haymond Fly-half Wales Rhys Downes Scrum-half Wales Chris Thomas Scrum-half Wales

Player Position Union Liam Roberts Scrum-half Wales Ross Jones Prop Wales Robert Sevenoaks Prop Wales John Lavender Prop Wales Mathew Williams Hooker Wales Joe Franchi Hooker Wales Jonny Bowen Hooker Wales Damien Hudd Lock Wales Ashley Sweet Lock Wales Daniel Lewis Lock Wales Rhys Clarke Lock Wales Joe Bartlett Lock Wales Gareth Davies Flanker Wales Kier Hughes Flanker Wales Harrison Keddie Flanker Wales Ronny Kynes Flanker Wales Cameron Regan Flanker Wales Gareth Williams Flanker Wales David Barry Number 8 Wales Spencer Gibson Number 8 Wales

• Snelling Sevens 1958 – Champions
• Welsh Cup Runners-up 1998–99
• WRU Division One East 2010–11 – Champions
• WRU Division One East 2011–12 – Champions
• WRU Championship 2012–13 – Champions
• WRU Championship 2013–14 – Champions
• Principality Premiership 2015–16 – Champions

The players listed below have played or coached rugby union or rugby league at international level and have represented or coached Ebbw Vale.

See also Category:Ebbw Vale RFC players

Nationality Name Caps Allan Bateman 35 International Duncan Bell 5 International Nathan Budgett 12 International Clive Burgess 9 International Richie Collins 28 International Guy Easterby 28 international Kuli Faletau 20 international John Funnell 2 international Byron Hayward 2 International Simon Hunt 0 International Deiniol Jones 13 International Graham Jones 3 International Kingsley Jones 10 International Glyn Turner 2 international

Nationality Name Caps Mark Jones 15 international Arthur Lewis 11 International Dan Lydiate 27 International David Nash 6 International Graham Powell 2 International Paul Ringer 8 International Arthur Smith 33 International Richard Smith 1 International Iestyn Thomas 33 International Paul Thorburn 37 International Josh Taumalolo 31 International Ian Watkins 10 International Denzil Williams 36 international

Year	Date	Opponent	Result	Score	Tour
19531	23 December	New Zealand	Loss	3–22	1953–54 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland, France and North America.[9]
19581	8 January	Australia	Won	6–5	1957–58 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France
19601	29 November	South Africa	Loss	0–3	1960–61 South Africa rugby union tour of Europe[10]
19631	6 November	New Zealand	Loss	0–13	1963–64 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland, France and North America[11]
1979	22 September	Romania	Loss	0–12	1979 Romania rugby union tour of Wales[12]
1987	24 October	United States	Win	16–14	1987 United States rugby union tour of Wales[13]

¹A joint Ebbw Vale and Abertillery side.

• Official website

• Smith, David; Williams, Gareth (1980). Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-0766-3.