Ebbw Vale RLFC
Encyclopedia
Ebbw Vale Rugby League Football Club was a professional rugby league
club based in Ebbw Vale
, Wales
playing in the Welsh League
and Northern Union. Based at Bridge End Field
, Ebbw Vale were one of the first professional Welsh teams, and the last to disband in 1912 after the failure of the Welsh League. Ebbw Vale produced seven players who would go on to represent the Wales national rugby league team
, and were seen as the only Welsh team of the time who could challenge the Northern League.
formed. The team formed out of Ebbw Vale RFC
, an amateur rugby union
team, whose members were enraged at the "...bogus amateurism in the Monmouthshire League". Rugby union, led by the Welsh Rugby Union
in Wales, had strict laws, barring all players to accept any wages or expenses to play the union code of rugby. This rule was often broken, to not only keep players at a club, but also to prevent them from "Going North", to join the professional Northern League in England. Ebbw Vale made a stand, and after a meeting at the Bridge End Hotel in the town, the club voted 63-20 in favour of adopting professionalism and joined the Northern Union.
The switch to professionalism had been orchestrated by their secretary, William Evans, who not only steered the club to adopting Northern Union rules, but had also won guarantees from the NU Committee that the club would be paid £10 for every match played in the north. Evans was made secretary of Ebbw Vale Rugby Football Club Company Ltd., and the company was formed with capital of £250. The Welsh Rugby Union reacted by suspending all players, officials and the club for life. The Northern Union tried to counter this, by stating that no South Wales players would be allowed to switch to northern professional clubs unless refused places by Ebbw Vale and Merthyr first.
at Lawkholme Lane
, on 7 September 1907, losing 26-3. The team's first home game was a week later on the 14 September, a 29-0 loss to Salford
. Ebbw Vale's first win, was against fellow Welsh converts Merthyr Tydfil, beating them at Merthyr on 12 October 1907, this was followed the very next game with their first success over a northern team, a 10-2 victory against Swinton
. The Swinton match was played in front of 2000 home supporters, while matches against Halifax in January 1908, and Barrow in February, saw crowds of around 4000. Ebbw Vale finished their first season with 30 games played in the Northern League, six won, two drawn and 22 lost, finishing 26th out of 27 clubs.
The 1907-08 season was also notable for the first overseas touring international team to visit Britain; New Zealand
's
All Golds
. The All Golds had already beaten Merthyr in November 1907, and New Year's Day 1908, the team played the Wales rugby league team
in the first true international rugby league game between two nations. Played at the Athletic Ground
in Aberdare
the game was watched by a crowd of 12000. Ebbw Vale supplied two of their players to the Wales team, Chick Jenkins
and Oliver Burgham
, both men becoming the club's first international caps. On 1 February, Ebbw Vale faced the same touring New Zealand team at their own ground, losing narrowly.
On 20 April 1908, Burgham and Jenkins won their second caps with the club in the first Wales encounter with England
; and were joined by team-mate W.J. Saunders who won his first cap.
, Mid-Rhondda
, Aberdare
and Barry
. In addition the Union promised each team four home and away games with teams from the north.
It was an excellent first season for Ebbw Vale in the Welsh League, only losing to Treherbert in the last match of the tournament, when the title was already theirs. Gate receipts rose that season, with the Northern League encounter with Merthyr reportedly watched by 8,000 people; though when Barry failed to show on the 1908 Christmas Day encounter, the club lost an estimated £80 to £90 in takings. Ebbw Vale finished the season, not only the very first Welsh League Champions, but also finished 14th out of 31 teams in the Northern Rugby League, with 12 wins, a draw and 11 loses. The only blemish to the season was being dumped out of the Challenge Cup
by amateur team Beverley. This was Ebbw Vale's first entry into the Cup, and their first round exit was described by the Athletic News
as a 'Welsh disaster'. Ebbw Vale would be the last professional team to be beaten by an amateur team in the Challenge Cup until Beverley repeated the feat against Highfield in the 1990s.
At international level Ebbw Vale again supplied a player to the Wales national team, Jack Foley
in an away match with England. Although they did not play an international against Wales, the Australia
team that toured Britain during this season, did schedule games against both Merthyr and Ebbw Vale. Ebbw Vale played the Australians on 18 January 1909, losing the match 8-9.
with Ebbw Vale AFC
, the local football team. Ebbw Vale again won the Welsh League, but after Mid-Rhondda, Barry and Aberdare all wound themselves up, only three clubs survived to contest the tournament. The club performed slightly worse than the previous season in the Northern League finishing 17th out of 28 clubs, with nine wins, two draws and 13 losses.
The highlight of the season for Ebbw Vale this season was their run in the Challenge Cup. Their first team they drew in the Cup was Merthyr, and in front of a crowd of 4000, Ebbw Vale won their first Challenge Cup match winning 12-7. The next round, Ebbw Vale were given an away tie at Huddersfield
, the first encounter between the clubs. Ebbw Vale's victory over Huddersfield was seen as a shock result, to which the Athletic News later reported, 'NU club football in South Wales has, with one exception, made little progress. That exception is Ebbw Vale,' In the quarter finals of the Cup, Ebbw Vale were drawn at home to Salford, but gave up home advantage to play at Salford's ground. Ebbw Vale lost 8-2, ending their most successful cup run in the club's history.
Two international matches were played by Wales this season, both against England; and Ebbw Vale were represented in both, by Foley in the first and Lewis Llewellyn, Jenkins and Foley in the second. The second encounter with England was held at Bridge End Field, the first rugby league international to be played at the ground, and Jenkins was given the captaincy in a 39-18 victory for the Welsh. Another honour achieved by the club during the 1909/10 season was the inclusion of "Chick" Jenkins
in the very first over-seas tour of the Great Britain
team. Led by James Lomas
, Jenkins was one of seven Welshmen selected for the tour, but he was the only player to be selected directly from one of the Welsh teams. Jenkins played in ten matches of the tour, scoring three tries and four goals, but was never selected for any of the Test matches.
, Coventry and Halifax
. After a win over Merthyr on Boxing Day, the club then went into a slump, losing 13 games in a row, which was only halted on the last game of the season when they beat York
. Ebbw Vale finished the season with nine wins from 30 matches, ending 25th out of 28 teams. Ebbw Vale again entered the Challenge Cup, this time going out in the first round to Batley
.
Wales played two more international games this season, and Ebbw Vale fielded three players in both games, Jenkins, Llewellyn and Foley. The first game was played away at Coventry, while the home match was again played at Bridge End Field.
A second touring Australian team came to Great Britain during the season, and although the team did not play against Ebbw Vale, they came to Bridge End Field to face Wales. Ebbw Vale supplied three players to the Wales team, Jenkins, H. Smith and G Hitchings, Jenkins was again given the honour of captaining the national team. The second Wales game of the season, held against England at Oldham, saw the last two players to represent Wales from Ebbw Vale, Jenkins and Llewellyn.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club based in Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River, south Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough...
, 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...
playing in the Welsh League
Welsh League
The Welsh League was the first club rugby league competition in Wales. Its inaugural season was in 1908/09 when four additional teams were formed to join Ebbw Vale RLFC and Merthyr Tydfil RLFC, which allowed a league tournament to take place...
and Northern Union. Based at Bridge End Field
Eugene Cross Park
Eugene Cross Park is a rugby and cricket ground in Ebbw Vale, Wales. In November 1919 the Ebbw Vale Welfare Association was formed and bought the "Bridgend Field". The of land became known as the Welfare Ground, and in 1973 its name was changed to its present title in honour of Sir Eugene Cross,...
, Ebbw Vale were one of the first professional Welsh teams, and the last to disband in 1912 after the failure of the Welsh League. Ebbw Vale produced seven players who would go on to represent the Wales national rugby league team
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
, and were seen as the only Welsh team of the time who could challenge the Northern League.
Formation
The Ebbw Vale rugby league team was the first clubs in Wales to 'turn professional' being founded on 15 July 1907, the same month that Merthyr Tydfil RLFCMerthyr Tydfil RLFC
Merthyr Tydfil Rugby League Football Club was a professional rugby league club based in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales playing in the Welsh League and Northern Union. Based at College Field, Merthyr Tydfil were one of the first professional Welsh teams, and folded in 1911 after the failure of the Welsh League...
formed. The team formed out of Ebbw Vale RFC
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....
, an amateur 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...
team, whose members were enraged at the "...bogus amateurism in the Monmouthshire League". Rugby union, led by 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...
in Wales, had strict laws, barring all players to accept any wages or expenses to play the union code of rugby. This rule was often broken, to not only keep players at a club, but also to prevent them from "Going North", to join the professional Northern League in England. Ebbw Vale made a stand, and after a meeting at the Bridge End Hotel in the town, the club voted 63-20 in favour of adopting professionalism and joined the Northern Union.
The switch to professionalism had been orchestrated by their secretary, William Evans, who not only steered the club to adopting Northern Union rules, but had also won guarantees from the NU Committee that the club would be paid £10 for every match played in the north. Evans was made secretary of Ebbw Vale Rugby Football Club Company Ltd., and the company was formed with capital of £250. The Welsh Rugby Union reacted by suspending all players, officials and the club for life. The Northern Union tried to counter this, by stating that no South Wales players would be allowed to switch to northern professional clubs unless refused places by Ebbw Vale and Merthyr first.
1907-1908
Ebbw Vale's first fixture as a professional club was against KeighlyKeighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars are a professional rugby league club from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. As of 2012 they will play in Co-operative Championship having won the Co-operative Championship 1 play off final 32-12 against Workington...
at Lawkholme Lane
Cougar Park
Cougar Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Keighley, England. It is used mostly for rugby league matches, as the home stadium of Keighley Cougars and football as the new home of Silsden F.C.. Its capacity is 7,800 people. It also hosted a match during the 1995 Rugby League World Cup...
, on 7 September 1907, losing 26-3. The team's first home game was a week later on the 14 September, a 29-0 loss to Salford
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
. Ebbw Vale's first win, was against fellow Welsh converts Merthyr Tydfil, beating them at Merthyr on 12 October 1907, this was followed the very next game with their first success over a northern team, a 10-2 victory against Swinton
Swinton Lions
Swinton Lions is an English professional rugby league club from Swinton, Greater Manchester. The club has won the Championship six times and three Challenge Cups. They currently play in the Championship.-Early years:...
. The Swinton match was played in front of 2000 home supporters, while matches against Halifax in January 1908, and Barrow in February, saw crowds of around 4000. Ebbw Vale finished their first season with 30 games played in the Northern League, six won, two drawn and 22 lost, finishing 26th out of 27 clubs.
The 1907-08 season was also notable for the first overseas touring international team to visit Britain; New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's
All Golds
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. The All Golds had already beaten Merthyr in November 1907, and New Year's Day 1908, the team played the Wales rugby league team
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
in the first true international rugby league game between two nations. Played at the Athletic Ground
Aberdare Athletic Ground
The Aberdare Athletic Ground was a mixed sports venue in Aberdare, Wales, which was predominantly used for football. For some years it was the home of Aberdare Athletic F.C., who were members of the Football League between 1921 and 1927....
in Aberdare
Aberdare
Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...
the game was watched by a crowd of 12000. Ebbw Vale supplied two of their players to the Wales team, Chick Jenkins
Chick Jenkins
W. E. 'Chick' Jenkins was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s and '10s who at club level played rugby union for Pontypool RFC, and at representative level played rugby league for Great Britain , and Wales, and at club level for Ebbw Vale, playing at , i.e...
and Oliver Burgham
Oliver Burgham
Oliver Burgham was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s and '10s who at representative level played for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for Ebbw Vale, and Halifax, playing at , or , i.e...
, both men becoming the club's first international caps. On 1 February, Ebbw Vale faced the same touring New Zealand team at their own ground, losing narrowly.
On 20 April 1908, Burgham and Jenkins won their second caps with the club in the first Wales encounter with England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
; and were joined by team-mate W.J. Saunders who won his first cap.
1908-1909
The next season saw four more Welsh teams join the Northern Union, and with these additional teams the country was able to form the Welsh League. The League consisited of a home and away game, and the team joining Ebbw Vale and Merthyr were TreherbertTreherbert RLFC
Treherbert Rugby League Football Club was a professional rugby league club based in Treherbert, Wales playing in the Welsh League and Northern Union. Based at the Athletic Ground, Treherbert were one of the first professional Welsh teams, formed in 1908 but folding after just two seasons...
, Mid-Rhondda
Mid-Rhondda RLFC
Mid-Rhondda Rugby League Football Club was a professional rugby league club based in Tonypandy, Wales playing in the Welsh League and Northern Union. Based at the Athletic Ground in Tonypandy, Mid-Rhondda were one of the first professional Welsh teams, formed in 1908 but folding after just a single...
, Aberdare
Aberdare RLFC
Aberdare Rugby League Football Club was a professional rugby league club based in Aberdare, Wales playing in the Welsh League and Northern Union...
and Barry
Barry RLFC
Barry Rugby League Football Club was a professional rugby league club based in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales playing in the Welsh League and Northern Union...
. In addition the Union promised each team four home and away games with teams from the north.
It was an excellent first season for Ebbw Vale in the Welsh League, only losing to Treherbert in the last match of the tournament, when the title was already theirs. Gate receipts rose that season, with the Northern League encounter with Merthyr reportedly watched by 8,000 people; though when Barry failed to show on the 1908 Christmas Day encounter, the club lost an estimated £80 to £90 in takings. Ebbw Vale finished the season, not only the very first Welsh League Champions, but also finished 14th out of 31 teams in the Northern Rugby League, with 12 wins, a draw and 11 loses. The only blemish to the season was being dumped out of the Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
by amateur team Beverley. This was Ebbw Vale's first entry into the Cup, and their first round exit was described by the Athletic News
Athletic News
The Athletic News was a Manchester-based newspaper formed in 1875. Its sole purpose was to report sporting news.In 1931 it merged with Sporting Chronicle, part of Bell's Life in London....
as a 'Welsh disaster'. Ebbw Vale would be the last professional team to be beaten by an amateur team in the Challenge Cup until Beverley repeated the feat against Highfield in the 1990s.
At international level Ebbw Vale again supplied a player to the Wales national team, Jack Foley
John Foley (rugby league)
John "Jack" Foley was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s and '10s who at representative level played for Wales, and Welsh League XIII, and at club level for Ebbw Vale, playing at , i.e...
in an away match with England. Although they did not play an international against Wales, the Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
team that toured Britain during this season, did schedule games against both Merthyr and Ebbw Vale. Ebbw Vale played the Australians on 18 January 1909, losing the match 8-9.
1909-1910
The 1909/10 season saw Ebbw Vale share the Bridge End FieldEugene Cross Park
Eugene Cross Park is a rugby and cricket ground in Ebbw Vale, Wales. In November 1919 the Ebbw Vale Welfare Association was formed and bought the "Bridgend Field". The of land became known as the Welfare Ground, and in 1973 its name was changed to its present title in honour of Sir Eugene Cross,...
with Ebbw Vale AFC
Ebbw Vale F.C.
Ebbw Vale Football Club were a football team from Ebbw Vale, South Wales.Ebbw Vale played in the first season of the League of Wales in 1992-93. The club then finished 11th before finishing 3rd in two successive seasons to 1997-98. During the years when they finished 3rd the Giles brothers, Paul...
, the local football team. Ebbw Vale again won the Welsh League, but after Mid-Rhondda, Barry and Aberdare all wound themselves up, only three clubs survived to contest the tournament. The club performed slightly worse than the previous season in the Northern League finishing 17th out of 28 clubs, with nine wins, two draws and 13 losses.
The highlight of the season for Ebbw Vale this season was their run in the Challenge Cup. Their first team they drew in the Cup was Merthyr, and in front of a crowd of 4000, Ebbw Vale won their first Challenge Cup match winning 12-7. The next round, Ebbw Vale were given an away tie at Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
, the first encounter between the clubs. Ebbw Vale's victory over Huddersfield was seen as a shock result, to which the Athletic News later reported, 'NU club football in South Wales has, with one exception, made little progress. That exception is Ebbw Vale,' In the quarter finals of the Cup, Ebbw Vale were drawn at home to Salford, but gave up home advantage to play at Salford's ground. Ebbw Vale lost 8-2, ending their most successful cup run in the club's history.
Two international matches were played by Wales this season, both against England; and Ebbw Vale were represented in both, by Foley in the first and Lewis Llewellyn, Jenkins and Foley in the second. The second encounter with England was held at Bridge End Field, the first rugby league international to be played at the ground, and Jenkins was given the captaincy in a 39-18 victory for the Welsh. Another honour achieved by the club during the 1909/10 season was the inclusion of "Chick" Jenkins
Chick Jenkins
W. E. 'Chick' Jenkins was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s and '10s who at club level played rugby union for Pontypool RFC, and at representative level played rugby league for Great Britain , and Wales, and at club level for Ebbw Vale, playing at , i.e...
in the very first over-seas tour of the Great Britain
1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand
The 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand was the first international tour of the Great Britain national rugby league team, "The Lions". They played the second ever Ashes series against Australia before travelling to Auckland to take on New Zealand...
team. Led by James Lomas
James Lomas (rugby league)
James Lomas was a pioneering English rugby league footballer of the early 20th century. Hailing from Maryport, Cumberland, his career lasted for twenty-four years from 1899 to 1923. A three-quarter and prominent goal-kicker, Lomas captained the Great Britain national rugby league team.Lomas was...
, Jenkins was one of seven Welshmen selected for the tour, but he was the only player to be selected directly from one of the Welsh teams. Jenkins played in ten matches of the tour, scoring three tries and four goals, but was never selected for any of the Test matches.
1910-1911
With the withdrawal of Treherbert as a rugby league club, the Welsh League came to an end, with only Merthyr and Ebbw Vale remaining from the six Welsh clubs. They experienced a difficult start to the Northern Rugby League, with just one win from the first seven games, but a good run through October and November saw the team achieve wins over Runcorn, HunsletHunslet Hawks
Hunslet Hawks is a professional rugby league club based in Hunslet, West Yorkshire, England. The club, sometimes known as 'the Parksiders' after their former stadium, are currently champions of Championship One.-History:-Early years:...
, Coventry and Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
. After a win over Merthyr on Boxing Day, the club then went into a slump, losing 13 games in a row, which was only halted on the last game of the season when they beat York
York City Knights
York City Knights Rugby League Club is a British professional rugby league club hailing from York. They play at the Huntington Stadium, situated to the north of York city centre...
. Ebbw Vale finished the season with nine wins from 30 matches, ending 25th out of 28 teams. Ebbw Vale again entered the Challenge Cup, this time going out in the first round to Batley
Batley Bulldogs
Batley Bulldogs are an English professional rugby league club from Batley, West Yorkshire. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Batley is one of the original twenty-two rugby football clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895...
.
Wales played two more international games this season, and Ebbw Vale fielded three players in both games, Jenkins, Llewellyn and Foley. The first game was played away at Coventry, while the home match was again played at Bridge End Field.
1911-1912
1911/12 was to be Ebbw Vale's last season, Merthyr Tydfil having folded at the end of the previous season leaving Ebbw Vale as the lone representative rugby league team in Wales. The start of the Northern Rugby League campaign saw Ebbw Vale lose the first five matches, and their form did not improve much throughout the season; winning just four games, drawing three and losing 23. They ended the season 25th out of 27 clubs, and in April, towards the end of the campaign, they failed to field a complete team of 13 players in matches to Halifax and Hull Kingston Rovers. The team also failed to get passed the first round of the Challenge Cup, this time losing 10-2 to Halifax.A second touring Australian team came to Great Britain during the season, and although the team did not play against Ebbw Vale, they came to Bridge End Field to face Wales. Ebbw Vale supplied three players to the Wales team, Jenkins, H. Smith and G Hitchings, Jenkins was again given the honour of captaining the national team. The second Wales game of the season, held against England at Oldham, saw the last two players to represent Wales from Ebbw Vale, Jenkins and Llewellyn.
Club dissolvement
In August 1912, a month before the new season was about to start, the club lost two key members; Llew Llewellyn switched to Wigan and W. Higgins moved to Hull. Rumours began to circulate that the club finances were in a poor state, and the Merthyr Express reported that the club may not start the coming season. Despite the rumours, Ebbw Vale were expected to begin their programme with an away match to Huddersfield on 7 September. However, two days before the game it was announced by the club that they would not be able to send a team and that Vale had resigned from the Northern Rugby League, and the club disbanded.Players of note
Players Earning International Caps While at Ebbw Vale…- Oliver BurghamOliver BurghamOliver Burgham was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s and '10s who at representative level played for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for Ebbw Vale, and Halifax, playing at , or , i.e...
won caps for Wales while at Ebbw Vale in 1908 against New Zealand, and England, and won a cap for Great Britain while at Halifax in 1911 against Australia - John "Jack" FoleyJohn Foley (rugby league)John "Jack" Foley was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s and '10s who at representative level played for Wales, and Welsh League XIII, and at club level for Ebbw Vale, playing at , i.e...
won caps for Wales while at Ebbw Vale in 1909 against England - William HigginsWilliam Higgins (rugby)William Higgins was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s who at representative level played for Welsh League XIII, and at club level for Ebbw Vale, playing at , i.e...
represented Wales League XIII while at Ebbw Vale in 1909 against Australia - G. Hitchings won a single cap for Wales while at Ebbw Vale in 1911 against Australia
- W. E. 'Chick' JenkinsChick JenkinsW. E. 'Chick' Jenkins was a Welsh rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1900s and '10s who at club level played rugby union for Pontypool RFC, and at representative level played rugby league for Great Britain , and Wales, and at club level for Ebbw Vale, playing at , i.e...
won caps for Wales while at Ebbw Vale in 1908…1912 7-caps - Llew LlewellynLlewellyn LlewellynLewis John "Llew" Llewellyn was a Welsh professional rugby league footballer of the 1910s who at representative level played for Wales, and at club level for Ebbw Vale, and Wigan, playing at , i.e...
won caps for Wales while at Ebbw Vale 1910…1912 4-caps. - W. J. Saunders won a single cap for Wales while at Ebbw Vale in 1908 against England
- H. Smith won a single cap for Wales while at Ebbw Vale in 1911 against Australia