South Wales Scorpions
Encyclopedia
South Wales Scorpions Rugby League Football Club is a professional
rugby league
club formed in 2009, based in Neath
, Wales
. They are owned by a consortium of South Wales businessmen, led by Phil Davies
. Their home ground is The Gnoll
, although this is owned by Neath RFC
, the town's rugby union
team.
They play in the 2010 Championship 1
season.
The club play in a home strip of pink shirts with black trim, whilst the away kit is yellow. Both strips include the club logo.
There is an active supporters club based at the Gnoll in Neath, for further details and information regarding travel to away games and associated activities with the South Wales Scorpions RL club.
in 1895. The latest attempt to expand the game to South Wales began when Crusaders joined National League Two in 2006. The club were initially based in Bridgend
.
The idea of a second professional side in Wales was discussed before Celtic Crusader had even played a game. Crusaders' plan was to help a Rugby League Conference Welsh Premier
club join the National Leagues to act as a feeder club if Crusaders reached Super League
. . The idea was also talked about in mid-2009 when Rugby Football League
decided that Super League Reserves would be turned into an under-20 competition, a move that could have halted the development of rugby league players in the area after they turned 21 years old.
The formation of the Scorpions was accelerated after the Crusaders left South Wales and moved to Wrexham F.C.'s Racecourse Ground
. South Wales RLFC were formed by a consortium of businessmen led by Phil Davies. They were accepted into Championship One the third tier of British rugby league for the 2010 season.
On 22 December 2009 the club adopted the name South Wales Scorpions RLFC following a competition to name the team. An updated version of the logo was released in February 2010 following feedback.
The initial batch of players were selected from an open trial plus a few signings from other clubs. Some players were dual-registered with Crusaders RL and had played for the Crusaders reserves. Before a ball had been kicked, the club celebrated its first international players, Loren Quick and Lewis Reece, who played for Wales and Great Britain at under-18 level. Anthony Seibold
, who had been an Assistant Coach at Crusaders, was the first head coach.
The Scorpions' first ever competitive game was against Workington Town
on 28 February 2010, who also provided the competition for Celtic Crusaders' first match in the 2006 National League 2 competition. The Scorpions won this encounter 22-20, in front of a crowd of over 500 at the Gnoll; with stand-off Lloyd White
, on a months loan at South Wales from Crusaders, landing the crucial penalty goal to secure victory.
The team went on to finish sixth in the table and made the play-offs. Seibold returned to Australia at the end of the season.
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
rugby league
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 formed in 2009, based in Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
, 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...
. They are owned by a consortium of South Wales businessmen, led by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Phil Davies is a Welsh former rugby union footballer of the 1980s and 90s.-Rugby career:Davies played his club rugby for Llanelli and enjoyed a distinguished 46 cap career for Wales between 1985 and 1995...
. Their home ground is The Gnoll
The Gnoll
The Gnoll in Neath, Wales is a sports ground, with a capacity of 5,000.In July 2009, Neath RFC presented plans for the redevelopment of the Gnoll, including building a community centre on the site, which were criticised as "too woolly".-Rugby union:...
, although this is owned by Neath RFC
Neath RFC
Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem...
, the town's 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.
They play in the 2010 Championship 1
2010 Championship 1
The 2010 Championship 1 was a semi-professional rugby league football competition played in the United Kingdom, the third tier of the sport in the country. The winner of this league, Hunslet Hawks, were promoted to the Co-operative Championship along with play-off winners, York City Knights...
season.
The club play in a home strip of pink shirts with black trim, whilst the away kit is yellow. Both strips include the club logo.
There is an active supporters club based at the Gnoll in Neath, for further details and information regarding travel to away games and associated activities with the South Wales Scorpions RL club.
History
Many professional and semi-professional Welsh teams played rugby league in the otherwise English competitions since the formation of the Northern UnionRugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
in 1895. The latest attempt to expand the game to South Wales began when Crusaders joined National League Two in 2006. The club were initially based in Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
.
The idea of a second professional side in Wales was discussed before Celtic Crusader had even played a game. Crusaders' plan was to help a Rugby League Conference Welsh Premier
Rugby League Conference Welsh Premier
The Rugby League Conference Wales is the higher of two Welsh domestic leagues for the sport of rugby league. It forms a Premier division of the Rugby League Conference competition which covers all of Great Britain.-History:...
club join the National Leagues to act as a feeder club if Crusaders reached Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. . The idea was also talked about in mid-2009 when Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
decided that Super League Reserves would be turned into an under-20 competition, a move that could have halted the development of rugby league players in the area after they turned 21 years old.
The formation of the Scorpions was accelerated after the Crusaders left South Wales and moved to Wrexham F.C.'s Racecourse Ground
Racecourse Ground
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League...
. South Wales RLFC were formed by a consortium of businessmen led by Phil Davies. They were accepted into Championship One the third tier of British rugby league for the 2010 season.
On 22 December 2009 the club adopted the name South Wales Scorpions RLFC following a competition to name the team. An updated version of the logo was released in February 2010 following feedback.
The initial batch of players were selected from an open trial plus a few signings from other clubs. Some players were dual-registered with Crusaders RL and had played for the Crusaders reserves. Before a ball had been kicked, the club celebrated its first international players, Loren Quick and Lewis Reece, who played for Wales and Great Britain at under-18 level. Anthony Seibold
Anthony Seibold
Anthony Seibold is an Rockhampton, Queensland born former professional Rugby League player who currently holds the position of Head Coach at the South Wales Scorpions based in Neath, Wales...
, who had been an Assistant Coach at Crusaders, was the first head coach.
The Scorpions' first ever competitive game was against Workington Town
Workington Town
Workington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....
on 28 February 2010, who also provided the competition for Celtic Crusaders' first match in the 2006 National League 2 competition. The Scorpions won this encounter 22-20, in front of a crowd of over 500 at the Gnoll; with stand-off Lloyd White
Lloyd White (rugby league)
Lloyd White is a Welsh international rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Widnes Vikings in Super League. He has previously played for Crusaders RL and spent time playing for South Wales Scorpions...
, on a months loan at South Wales from Crusaders, landing the crucial penalty goal to secure victory.
The team went on to finish sixth in the table and made the play-offs. Seibold returned to Australia at the end of the season.