Llwynypia RFC
Encyclopedia
Llwynypia RFC was a rugby union
club located in the Welsh
village of Llwynypia
in the Rhondda
. The team provided several international players during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, most notably Willie Llewellyn
, who was not only selected to represent Wales
while playing at the club, but later played for the British Isles
on their 1904 tour of Australia and New Zealand.
, Ferndale
and Penygraig
, were represented in the newly formed Welsh Rugby Union
. By 1895 the Welsh selectors began re-evaluating the needs of the Welsh pack, and began looking for a more physical style of player. These players would be able to jump and scrummage, but would also be able to take and hand out rough play. This forward player was found in the valley clubs, strong colliers who would be dubbed the 'Rhondda forward'. The new breed of forward were first represented in 1896 by Treorchy's Sam Ramsey
and Penygraig's Dai Evans
, but in 1897 Dick Hellings
became the first player from Llwynypia Rugby Club to represent his country. The following match, against Ireland
, he was joined by the club's second representative William Alexander
.
These were the glory years of success for Llwynypia, during the 1895-96 season, supported by both Hellings and Alexander, they promised much, defeating several top flight opponents. The next season they finished undefeated, a feat normally only achieved by first class teams such as Newport and Cardiff
. As the club gained in influence, the team began to attract talent from other clubs; which included Llanelli's
three times capped Jack Evans
. Llwynypia's backs were described as 'speedy and well drilled', which was typified by the emergence in the early 1900s by Willie Llewellyn
, a seventeen-year-old out of Christ College, Brecon
. In 1901 Llwynpyia provided three players to the Wales team that faced Ireland
as part of the Home Nations Championship
.
In 1904, Llwynypia, now seen as a top flight club, found itself a victim of its own success when a number of its players switched to either professional or more 'popular' clubs. Support for the club dwindled and Llwynypia temporarily disbanded in 1905. The club reformed in 1907 but found it hard to gain the support and quality of player it held in the early 1900s. After the First World War, the Rhondda Valleys saw a massive decline in the demand for coal, this created an economic depression which was felt across South Wales. With little disposable income, crowds dwindled, which resulted in many valley clubs facing financial ruin. Llwynypia was one such club and disbanded by the 1930s.
William Alexander
(7 caps) George Dobson
(1 cap) Tom Dobson
(4 caps) Jack Evans
(3 caps) William Henry Evans (4 caps) Dick Hellings
(9 caps) Bob Jones
(1 cap) Mark Lewis
(1 cap) Willie Llewellyn
(20 caps)
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 located in the Welsh
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...
village of Llwynypia
Llwynypia
Llwynypia , is a village in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, near Tonypandy in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. Before 1850 a lightly populated rural farming area, Llwynypia experienced a population boom between 1860 and 1920 with the sinking of several coal mines after the discovery of large coal deposits...
in the Rhondda
Rhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
. The team provided several international players during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, most notably Willie Llewellyn
Willie Llewellyn
William Morris "Willie" Llewellyn was a Welsh international rugby union player. He captained Wales in 1905 and London Welsh in 1902. He was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks, toured with the British Isles to Australasia in 1904 and won three Triple Crown...
, who was not only selected to represent 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...
while playing at the club, but later played for the British Isles
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
on their 1904 tour of Australia and New Zealand.
History
Llwynypia RFC was founded in 1891, one of several Rhondda teams to emerge with the industrialisation of the valleys, when the mining of the coalfields led to a mass influx of economic immigrants. In the early 1890s Llwynypia, along with other local clubs, such as TreorchyTreorchy RFC
Treorchy Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the village of Treorchy, in the Rhondda Valley, Wales. They formed in 1886 and by 1891 were a strong voice in the Welsh Football Union and were playing in the Rhondda Division...
, Ferndale
Ferndale RFC
Ferndale RFC are a rugby union club based in the Upper Rhondda Fach, Wales. First formed in 1882, and disbanded in 1921, the club reformed in 1989. They currently play their home games at Greenwood Park, Ferndale formerly playing their home matches at Blaenllechau Park...
and Penygraig
Penygraig RFC
Penygraig Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Penygraig, Wales. Penygraig RFC formed in 1877, one of the earlier rugby clubs to emerge, and by 1890's were a strong voice in the Welsh Rugby Union, one of four clubs from the Rhondda Valley that held WRU representation.-Early...
, were represented in the newly formed 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...
. By 1895 the Welsh selectors began re-evaluating the needs of the Welsh pack, and began looking for a more physical style of player. These players would be able to jump and scrummage, but would also be able to take and hand out rough play. This forward player was found in the valley clubs, strong colliers who would be dubbed the 'Rhondda forward'. The new breed of forward were first represented in 1896 by Treorchy's Sam Ramsey
Sam Ramsey
Samuel "Sam" Ramsey was a Scottish-born rugby union forward who played club rugby for Treorchy and international rugby for Wales...
and Penygraig's Dai Evans
Dai Evans
David "Dai" Evans was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Penygraig and international rugby for Wales.Evans was born in Maenclochog, Pembrokeshire, but came to the Rhondda Valley to find work...
, but in 1897 Dick Hellings
Dick Hellings
Richard 'Dick' Hellings was an English born rugby union forward who played international rugby for Wales and club rugby for Llwynypia. Hellings was noted for his strength built from years cutting coal as a Rhondda miner...
became the first player from Llwynypia Rugby Club to represent his country. The following match, against Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, he was joined by the club's second representative William Alexander
William Alexander (rugby player)
William "Billy" Alexander was a Welsh international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Llwynypia.-Club career:...
.
These were the glory years of success for Llwynypia, during the 1895-96 season, supported by both Hellings and Alexander, they promised much, defeating several top flight opponents. The next season they finished undefeated, a feat normally only achieved by first class teams such as Newport and Cardiff
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
. As the club gained in influence, the team began to attract talent from other clubs; which included Llanelli's
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
three times capped Jack Evans
Jack Evans (rugby player)
John "Jack" Evans was a Welsh international rugby union forward who later 'went North', switching to the professional rugby league code...
. Llwynypia's backs were described as 'speedy and well drilled', which was typified by the emergence in the early 1900s by Willie Llewellyn
Willie Llewellyn
William Morris "Willie" Llewellyn was a Welsh international rugby union player. He captained Wales in 1905 and London Welsh in 1902. He was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks, toured with the British Isles to Australasia in 1904 and won three Triple Crown...
, a seventeen-year-old out of Christ College, Brecon
Christ College, Brecon
Christ College, Brecon is a co-educational, boarding and day independent school, located in the market town of Brecon in mid-Wales. It caters for pupils from eleven to eighteen.Christ College was founded by Royal Charter in 1541 by King Henry VIII...
. In 1901 Llwynpyia provided three players to the Wales team that faced Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
as part of the Home Nations Championship
1901 Home Nations Championship
The 1901 Home Nations Championship was the nineteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 16 March...
.
In 1904, Llwynypia, now seen as a top flight club, found itself a victim of its own success when a number of its players switched to either professional or more 'popular' clubs. Support for the club dwindled and Llwynypia temporarily disbanded in 1905. The club reformed in 1907 but found it hard to gain the support and quality of player it held in the early 1900s. After the First World War, the Rhondda Valleys saw a massive decline in the demand for coal, this created an economic depression which was felt across South Wales. With little disposable income, crowds dwindled, which resulted in many valley clubs facing financial ruin. Llwynypia was one such club and disbanded by the 1930s.
Notable former players
- See also :Category:Llwynypia RFC players
William Alexander
William Alexander (rugby player)
William "Billy" Alexander was a Welsh international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Llwynypia.-Club career:...
(7 caps) George Dobson
George Dobson
George Alexander Dobson was a Welsh rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales...
(1 cap) Tom Dobson
Tom Dobson
Tom Dobson was a Scottish-born rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales. His brother George Dobson was also a rugby player who represented Cardiff and Wales.-Rugby career:...
(4 caps) Jack Evans
Jack Evans (rugby player)
John "Jack" Evans was a Welsh international rugby union forward who later 'went North', switching to the professional rugby league code...
(3 caps) William Henry Evans (4 caps) Dick Hellings
Dick Hellings
Richard 'Dick' Hellings was an English born rugby union forward who played international rugby for Wales and club rugby for Llwynypia. Hellings was noted for his strength built from years cutting coal as a Rhondda miner...
(9 caps) Bob Jones
Bob Jones (rugby player)
Robert "Bob" Jones was a Welsh rugby union forward who played club rugby for Llwynypia and Cardiff and international rugby for Wales.-Rugby career:...
(1 cap) Mark Lewis
Mark Lewis (rugby player)
Mark Lewis was a rugby union player.A back row player, Mark Lewis came to Pontypridd through the ranks of the Pontypridd Rugby Academy, gaining international honours with Wales at Youth and under 21 level....
(1 cap) Willie Llewellyn
Willie Llewellyn
William Morris "Willie" Llewellyn was a Welsh international rugby union player. He captained Wales in 1905 and London Welsh in 1902. He was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1905 touring All Blacks, toured with the British Isles to Australasia in 1904 and won three Triple Crown...
(20 caps)