Monmouth RFC
Encyclopedia
Monmouth Rugby Football Club is a rugby union
club, from Monmouth
in South Wales
. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union
and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons
..
The Senior XV presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union
Division Four East
. The Second XV, known as the Druids, play in the Monmouthshire League. The club also runs a youth team, junior and mini rugby sections.
The Monmouthshire Beacon bears evidence of the first official town team in 1878. Rugby was very strong in the town in the 1880s and 1890s. In addition to the senior side there was a junior side known as Monmouth Juniors. The 1888-1889 team under the leadership of E. Dodds were "Invincible". They played 15, won twelve and drew three. In their ranks they had P.L. Nicholas an England
international from Devon. The Monmouth Beacon proclaimed, that the phenomenal success of the club had been, not due to luck but downright hard work and thoroughly deserved the title "Invincible".
In 1902 the team were "Invincible" again. They played 20, won 17 and drew three under the captaincy was R.G.Williams. The club displays in its lounge a photograph of the team and the caps that were awarded to L.Merrick and T.Hughes who were members of that great side.
In the 1930s, Monmouth fielded several good sides. In 1932, the team had a cosmopolitan make-up, containing A.C.Smith an Australian, R. Thompson a Scottish international, Peter Hordern an English international and Scotsman Crictai Millar. The 1935-1936 team was of some note. They had an impressive record, playing 33, and winning 28, drawing four and lost only once. They had 267 points for and 97 against. A year earlier the club started playing on Monmouth Sportsground for the first time. The Sportsground remains the main venue for the club, although today it requires pitches on Chippenhan to accommodate 2nd XV, Youth, Junior and Mini Rugby Teams.
In 1947-1948 John Arthur Gwilliam
won a Cambridge Blue, Gwilliam went on to play for Wales 23 times at Number 8. His career with Wales lasted from 1947 to 1954. Under his captaincy, Wales won the Triple Crown
and Grand Slam
in 1950 and again in 1952. Today living in retirement in Anglesey, Mr Gwilliam is Patron of Monmouth RFC.
In 1969 the club took over the Druids Head public house which today is its headquarters. In 1984-1985 the club built a lounge extension and new changing rooms. In 1998 a two storey extension was built to provide a large function room with a new kitchen on the first floor and a larger ground floor bar area. The latter project cost over £85,000 and was paid for by the club mainly through fund raising events, organised by the hard working voluntary committee.
The 1980s saw another Monmouth boy and Cambridge Blue, captain Wales. Butler
another No. 8, went on to play for Wales, sixteen times and captained Wales in six major internationals; he also toured New Zealand
with the British Lions
. In 1975-1976 the club produced its first Welsh Youth cap. David Fryer went on to captain Ebbw Vale
and was selected to tour Canada
with the Welsh team but sadly injury prevented him going. The club continues to run a Youth XV and several members have represented their District XV. One of the notable moments for the Youth was at the Tiverton Youth Sevens Tournament in 1976. An excellent performances by the Monmouth squad, saw them account for Cardiff Youth, with future Welsh scrum half Terry Holmes
in their ranks and then Bristol Youth in the final.
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, from Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
in 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...
. The club 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 Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
..
The Senior XV presently play in 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...
Division Four East
WRU Division Four East
The Welsh Rugby Union Division Four East is a rugby union league in Wales.-Competition:There are 12 clubs in the WRU Division Four East...
. The Second XV, known as the Druids, play in the Monmouthshire League. The club also runs a youth team, junior and mini rugby sections.
History
Monmouth Rugby Football Club was founded in 1873 according to past players. The game was brought into the town through Monmouth School. A master introduced it and it was a combination of older boys and town players who made up the team before eventually separating.The Monmouthshire Beacon bears evidence of the first official town team in 1878. Rugby was very strong in the town in the 1880s and 1890s. In addition to the senior side there was a junior side known as Monmouth Juniors. The 1888-1889 team under the leadership of E. Dodds were "Invincible". They played 15, won twelve and drew three. In their ranks they had P.L. Nicholas an England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
international from Devon. The Monmouth Beacon proclaimed, that the phenomenal success of the club had been, not due to luck but downright hard work and thoroughly deserved the title "Invincible".
In 1902 the team were "Invincible" again. They played 20, won 17 and drew three under the captaincy was R.G.Williams. The club displays in its lounge a photograph of the team and the caps that were awarded to L.Merrick and T.Hughes who were members of that great side.
In the 1930s, Monmouth fielded several good sides. In 1932, the team had a cosmopolitan make-up, containing A.C.Smith an Australian, R. Thompson a Scottish international, Peter Hordern an English international and Scotsman Crictai Millar. The 1935-1936 team was of some note. They had an impressive record, playing 33, and winning 28, drawing four and lost only once. They had 267 points for and 97 against. A year earlier the club started playing on Monmouth Sportsground for the first time. The Sportsground remains the main venue for the club, although today it requires pitches on Chippenhan to accommodate 2nd XV, Youth, Junior and Mini Rugby Teams.
In 1947-1948 John Arthur Gwilliam
John Gwilliam
John Albert Gwilliam was a Welsh rugby union 'No 8' who played international rugby for Wales and club rugby for Cambridge University, Edinburgh Wanderers, Gloucester, Newport, London Welsh, Llanelli and Wasps...
won a Cambridge Blue, Gwilliam went on to play for Wales 23 times at Number 8. His career with Wales lasted from 1947 to 1954. Under his captaincy, Wales won the Triple Crown
Triple Crown (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the four national teams of the British Isles who compete within the larger Six Nations Championship: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. If any one team manages to win all their games against the other three they win the...
and Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
in 1950 and again in 1952. Today living in retirement in Anglesey, Mr Gwilliam is Patron of Monmouth RFC.
In 1969 the club took over the Druids Head public house which today is its headquarters. In 1984-1985 the club built a lounge extension and new changing rooms. In 1998 a two storey extension was built to provide a large function room with a new kitchen on the first floor and a larger ground floor bar area. The latter project cost over £85,000 and was paid for by the club mainly through fund raising events, organised by the hard working voluntary committee.
The 1980s saw another Monmouth boy and Cambridge Blue, captain Wales. Butler
Eddie Butler
Eddie Butler is an Israeli singer. He was born in Dimona and is one of 11 brothers and sisters. His parents came to Israel from Chicago after long wanderings. They belong to the Black Hebrew Israelite community....
another No. 8, went on to play for Wales, sixteen times and captained Wales in six major internationals; he also toured 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...
with the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
. In 1975-1976 the club produced its first Welsh Youth cap. David Fryer went on to captain Ebbw Vale
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....
and was selected to tour Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with the Welsh team but sadly injury prevented him going. The club continues to run a Youth XV and several members have represented their District XV. One of the notable moments for the Youth was at the Tiverton Youth Sevens Tournament in 1976. An excellent performances by the Monmouth squad, saw them account for Cardiff Youth, with future Welsh scrum half Terry Holmes
Terry Holmes
Terence David Holmes is a Welsh former dual-code international rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who won 25 caps for as a scrum-half and later played rugby league for Bradford Northern....
in their ranks and then Bristol Youth in the final.
See also
- Monmouth Rugby ClubMonmouth Rugby ClubThe Monmouth Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team in Division 1 of the Metropolitan New York Rugby Union based in Monmouth County, New Jersey.-History:...
in Monmouth County, New JerseyMonmouth County, New JerseyMonmouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 630,380, up from 615,301 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. The most populous municipality is Middletown Township with...
, USA