Llanharan RFC
Encyclopedia
Llanharn Rugby Football Club is a rugby union
club based in Llanharan
, South Wales
. Llanharan RFC were formally established in 1891-92 when Llanharan
was little more than an agricultural hamlet. The earliest photograph on the club house wall is dated 1898. Llanharan RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union
and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues
.
. Llanharan RFC applied for Welsh Rugby Union membership in 1919 along with Pontyclun
and Taffs Well
. All three clubs were awarded membership on August 22 of that year, but were told to "put your grounds in order".
In 1948 the first purpose built headquarters/changing rooms, were transported from RAF Llandow
airfield. A clubhouse was built in 1962 on the site of the old British Restaurant. The original building was a wartime hut, transported piece by piece from the RAF Stormy Down
camp and progressively enlarged into three bars and a concert hall. Llanharan RFC moved out of the old club in 2002 into new premises in the former British Legion club on the opposite side of Bridgend Road.
to open the 1990-91 season.
• A sheaf of corn – pre coal mining Llanharan was very much a pretty agricultural village with its picturesque stone cottages clustered around important buildings such as the church, corn mill and blacksmith, much of the economy related to the needs of the Llanharan House
estate.
•A Llanharan spaniel - reputed to be a distinctive breed at a time when the estate also boasted its own pack of hunting hounds.
•The parish church of St Julius and Aaron - an ancient foundation that boasts a Tudor chalice.
•A pit head winding gear
- reflecting the coal mining that dominated the village for almost a century.
The Llanharan crest also houses a black cross to commemorate the six players who lost their lives on 12 March 1950 in the Llandow air disaster
.
Gareth Llewellyn
Glyn Llewellyn Garfield Owen
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 Llanharan
Llanharan
Llanharan is a small village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Llanharan thrived during the British industrial revolution, with several tin and coal mines in the location providing employment to the town's residents...
, South 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...
. Llanharan RFC were formally established in 1891-92 when Llanharan
Llanharan
Llanharan is a small village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Llanharan thrived during the British industrial revolution, with several tin and coal mines in the location providing employment to the town's residents...
was little more than an agricultural hamlet. The earliest photograph on the club house wall is dated 1898. Llanharan RFC is a member of 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...
and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
.
Early history
The earlier years of Llanharan RFC's history saw the club use local hostelries such as the High Corner and Turberville as a base. Llanharan RFC achieved the status of membership of the Welsh Rugby UnionWelsh 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...
. Llanharan RFC applied for Welsh Rugby Union membership in 1919 along with Pontyclun
Pontyclun RFC
Pontyclun Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Pontyclun, Wales. Pontyclun RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues.-Early history:...
and Taffs Well
Taffs Well RFC
Taffs Well Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club based in Taff's Well in south Wales. Taffs Well RFC were founded in 1887 and applied for and were successful in gaining membership to the Welsh Rugby Union in 1900...
. All three clubs were awarded membership on August 22 of that year, but were told to "put your grounds in order".
In 1948 the first purpose built headquarters/changing rooms, were transported from RAF Llandow
RAF Llandow
RAF Llandow was a Royal Air Force airfield situated near the village of Llandow, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, 15 miles west of Cardiff. It opened in 1940 and closed in 1957....
airfield. A clubhouse was built in 1962 on the site of the old British Restaurant. The original building was a wartime hut, transported piece by piece from the RAF Stormy Down
RAF Stormy Down
The former Royal Air Force Stormy Down, commonly known as RAF Stormy Down, was a World War II Royal Air Force airfield near Pyle, Bridgend opened in 1940. It was an armament training school for the RAF then after they departed the French took the station over and later American forces were also...
camp and progressively enlarged into three bars and a concert hall. Llanharan RFC moved out of the old club in 2002 into new premises in the former British Legion club on the opposite side of Bridgend Road.
Grounds
Llanharan RFC play their matches at The Dairy Field, so called because of the adjacent CWS, Milk Depot which closed in the late 1960s after 50 years of milk processing. The club purchased the ground in 1989, having played all its previous seasons on the Welfare Ground. Llanharan RFC marked the advent of the national league by playing their first game on the new field against Aberavon QuinsAberavon Quins RFC
Aberavon Harlequins RFC is a Welsh rugby union team located in the Fairfield area of Port Talbot, and just a few minutes away from the town centre & Aberavon. In 1955 the team applied for and were successful in gaining membership to the Welsh Rugby Union. Today the club is a feeder club for the...
to open the 1990-91 season.
Colours
Llanharan RFC play in black shirts and shorts with three light blue horizontal hoops across the chest. The choice of colours is said to relate to impoverished bygone years when a sympathetic Cardiff gave a set of their kit to the club– the black and Cambridge Blue has been worn ever since. In respectful appreciation Llanharan henceforth called themselves the “Black and Blues” as opposed to the “Blue and Blacks.”Club badge
The badge is symbolic of the village’s history and culture. The four quarters show:• A sheaf of corn – pre coal mining Llanharan was very much a pretty agricultural village with its picturesque stone cottages clustered around important buildings such as the church, corn mill and blacksmith, much of the economy related to the needs of the Llanharan House
Llanharan
Llanharan is a small village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Llanharan thrived during the British industrial revolution, with several tin and coal mines in the location providing employment to the town's residents...
estate.
•A Llanharan spaniel - reputed to be a distinctive breed at a time when the estate also boasted its own pack of hunting hounds.
•The parish church of St Julius and Aaron - an ancient foundation that boasts a Tudor chalice.
•A pit head winding gear
Headframe
A headframe is the structural frame above an underground mine shaft. Modern headframes are built out of steel, concrete or a combination of both...
- reflecting the coal mining that dominated the village for almost a century.
The Llanharan crest also houses a black cross to commemorate the six players who lost their lives on 12 March 1950 in the Llandow air disaster
Llandow air disaster
The Llandow air disaster was an aircraft accident in Wales in 1950. At that time it was the world's worst air disaster with a total of 80 fatalities...
.
Club honours
- 2004/05 Glamorgan County President's Cup - Winners
- 2003/04 WRU Division One - Champions
Notable former players
- See also :Category:Llanharan RFC players
Gareth Llewellyn
Gareth Llewellyn
Gareth Llewellyn was born 27 February 1969 in St. David's Hospital Cardiff whilst his father was serving in Cardiff with the Army, is a Welsh rugby union player who gained a record 92 caps for Wales as a lock. His record for Wales caps has since been surpassed by Gareth Thomas, Colin Charvis,...
Glyn Llewellyn Garfield Owen
Garfield Owen
Garfield David Owen is a Welsh former dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and '60s. He first played amateur rugby for Llanharan RFC, Maesteg RFC, Wrexham RFC, and Newport RFC at club level before winning six caps for Wales. He also played rugby...